Monomer Mixture for Oxygen-Resistant Cationic Curing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cationically curable compositions used in inkjet recording methods face issues with adhesion to metals and glass, and have unsatisfactory hardness and dimensional stability, requiring surface processing treatments.
Innovation Solution
A monomer mixture containing specific cationically polymerizable monomers, such as those with vinyl ether, epoxy, and oxetanyl groups, along with a hydroxy group, and a compound with two glycidyl ether groups, when combined with a curing catalyst, allows for rapid curing and enhanced adhesion and hardness even in the presence of oxygen.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If cationically curable composition is used as inkjet ink, then substrate adhesion is improved, but adhesion to metals and glass remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite monomer system combining vinyl ether compounds (for adhesion), cycloaliphatic epoxy compounds (for hardness and crosslinking), and alicyclic epoxy compounds (for dimensional stability). This composite approach allows the cured product to simultaneously achieve excellent adhesion to metals and glass, high hardness, and low curing shrinkage that cannot be obtained with single monomer types.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the content ratios of different monomer components within specific ranges: vinyl ether compound (5-40 wt%), cycloaliphatic epoxy compound (10-60 wt%), and alicyclic epoxy compound (5-30 wt%). By adjusting these compositional parameters, the invention achieves the optimal balance between adhesion, hardness, and dimensional stability for metal and glass substrates.
2Productivity
If cationically curable composition is used, then curing sensitivity is improved, but hardness and dimensional stability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines vinyl ether compounds (providing rapid cationic curing sensitivity) with cycloaliphatic epoxy compounds (providing high crosslinking density and hardness) and alicyclic epoxy compounds (providing low curing shrinkage and dimensional stability). This composite system achieves both rapid curability and excellent mechanical properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifies optimal content ranges for each monomer type to balance curing speed and mechanical properties: vinyl ether compound (5-40 wt%) for curing sensitivity, cycloaliphatic epoxy compound (10-60 wt%) for hardness, and alicyclic epoxy compound (5-30 wt%) for dimensional stability. These parameter optimizations ensure both rapid curing and excellent mechanical performance.
3Strength
If surface processing treatment is applied to enhance adhesion, then adhesion is improved, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent formulates the curable composition with monomers that inherently provide excellent adhesion to metals and glass without requiring external surface processing treatments. The vinyl ether and epoxy functional groups in the monomers create strong chemical bonding to substrate surfaces directly, eliminating the need for primer treatments or surface activation processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves universal adhesion across different substrate types (including metals and glass) by optimizing the monomer composition ratios, specifically incorporating vinyl ether compounds (5-40 wt%) known for their adhesion-promoting properties. This compositional adjustment provides inherent adhesion capability that eliminates complex surface treatment processes.
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 resulting cured product exhibits high hardness, excellent adhesion to metals and glass, and low curing shrinkage, making it suitable for use as ultraviolet-curable inkjet inks, coating agents, and adhesive agents without the need for additional surface treatments.
Implementation Method 1
Upon irradiation with ultraviolet light, the monomer mixture can be rapidly cured even in the presence of oxygen and can form a cured product having high hardness and excellent adhesion to metals and/or glass
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is to provide a monomer mixture that is cured rapidly even in the presence of oxygen and that forms a cured product having high hardness and excellent adhesion to metals and/or glass. The monomer mixture according to an embodiment of the present invention contains two or more types of cationically polymerizable monomers. As the cationically polymerizable monomers, the monomer mixture contains at least 10 wt. %, based on a total amount of the monomer mixture, of a compound having at least one cationically polymerizable group selected from the group consisting of a vinyl ether group, an epoxy group, and an oxetanyl group, and at least one hydroxy group in a molecule, and at least 5 wt. %, based on the total amount of the monomer mixture, of a compound represented by Formula (b). In the formula, R represents an s-valent straight-chain or branched saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group or an s-valent group having two or more straight-chain or branched saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon groups bonded to each other through an ether bond, and s represents an integer of 2 or greater.