Liquid Resin Composition for Optical Waveguide Roll-to-Roll Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional photosensitive resin solutions used in optical waveguide production have high photo-curing sensitivity but exhibit tackiness, making them unsuitable for continuous roll-to-roll processes due to reduced mobility of active species generated by ultraviolet radiation, leading to adhesion issues and breakage during winding.
Innovation Solution
A liquid resin composition comprising a (meth)acrylate polymer with multiple (meth)acryl groups, a liquid thiol monomer with multiple thiol groups, and a photopolymerization initiator, which enhances the mobility of active species while maintaining a tackiness-free property, enabling improved curing sensitivity and suitability for roll-to-roll processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a photosensitive resin solution with high photo-curing sensitivity is used, then the curing sensitivity is improved, but the coating layer becomes tacky, making it difficult to employ continuous roll-to-roll processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the photosensitive resin from solid phase to liquid phase by adding a liquid monomer component. This parameter change allows the resin to maintain high photo-curing sensitivity while eliminating surface tackiness, enabling successful roll-to-roll processing. The liquid monomer component modifies the viscosity and surface properties of the resin solution, transforming it from a tacky solid-phase material to a non-tacky liquid-phase material suitable for continuous coating processes.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If an ordinary-temperature solid polymer is used for the photosensitive resin solution, then the tackiness is reduced, but the mobility of active species generated by ultraviolet radiation decreases, deteriorating the curability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a liquid monomer component as an intermediary substance between the solid polymer and the active species. This liquid monomer acts as a mediator that enhances the mobility of active species generated by ultraviolet radiation, facilitating better reaction with epoxy groups while maintaining the tackiness-free property of the solid polymer matrix.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite photosensitive resin system combining solid polymer and liquid monomer components. This composite material leverages the advantages of both components: the solid polymer provides structural integrity and low tackiness, while the liquid monomer component provides enhanced mobility for active species, resulting in a material that is both tackiness-free and highly curable.
3Reliability
If a liquid monomer component is added to increase the mobility of active species, then the curability is improved, but the surface tackiness increases, limiting the amount that can be added
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the concentration parameter of the liquid monomer component within a specific range (5-50 parts by weight per 100 parts of polymer). This parameter optimization ensures sufficient mobility enhancement for active species while maintaining the liquid resin composition free from surface tackiness, resolving the contradiction between curability and tackiness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resin composition achieves tackiness-free and high photo-curability, allowing for continuous roll-to-roll production of optical waveguides with enhanced productivity and reduced adhesion issues, ensuring both requirements are met simultaneously.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid resin composition for production of an optical waveguide, the liquid resin composition comprising: (A) a (meth)acrylate polymer, as a major component, having a plurality of (meth)acryl groups in its molecule; (B) a liquid thiol monomer having a plurality of thiol groups in its molecule; and (C) a photopolymerization initiator
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid resin composition is provided which satisfies both a tackiness-free requirement and a curing sensitivity requirement for production of an optical waveguide by a roll-to-roll process. An optical waveguide produced by using the liquid resin composition and a production method of the optical waveguide are also provided. The liquid resin composition for the production of the optical waveguide comprises:(A) a (meth)acrylate polymer, as a major component, having a plurality of (meth)acryl groups in its molecule;(B) a liquid thiol monomer having a plurality of thiol groups in its molecule; and(C) a photopolymerization initiator.