Optical Lens Resin Composition for Recyclable Low-Birefringence Molding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermoplastic resins used for optical applications lack well-balanced properties such as moldability, thermal stability, refractive index, Abbe number, and birefringence, and generate scrap materials that are difficult to reuse, leading to environmental waste and inefficiencies in the molding process.
Innovation Solution
A thermoplastic resin composition comprising a mixture of first and second thermoplastic resins, each containing specific structural units derived from monomers, with defined mole and weight percentages, which can include a mold release agent and antioxidant, to enhance properties and facilitate recycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional thermoplastic resins are used for optical applications, then good refractive index and Abbe number can be achieved, but moldability and thermal stability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite resin system combining a first thermoplastic resin (polycarbonate with 2,2-bis(phenoxymethyl)propane structural unit) and a second thermoplastic resin (polycarbonate with fluorene structural unit). This composite approach allows the mixture to achieve both good optical properties and excellent moldability/thermal stability, which individual resins cannot achieve alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the compositional parameters by controlling the ratio of the first and second thermoplastic resins, and by specifying the content of key structural units (2,2-bis(phenoxymethyl)propane at 5-50 mol% and fluorene at 5-40 mol%). This parameter optimization enables simultaneous achievement of optical performance and manufacturing properties.
2Productivity
If thermoplastic resin is molded into products through injection molding, then molded articles can be produced, but scrap materials are generated that are difficult to reuse
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables recovery and reuse of scrap materials by formulating a resin composition where the first and second thermoplastic resins can be easily separated after molding. The scrap materials containing these resins can be collected, separated, and reused to produce new molded articles, reducing waste and improving material utilization.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional thermoplastic resins are used, then molding process can proceed, but environmental load is increased due to difficulty in recycling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces environmental load by enabling effective recycling of scrap materials. The resin composition is designed so that scrap materials from injection molding can be easily separated into the first and second thermoplastic resins, which can then be reused to produce new molded articles, creating a closed-loop recycling system that minimizes waste disposal and environmental impact.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention addresses the problem of providing a thermoplastic resin composition that has favorable properties, facilitates thermoplastic resin recycling, and can reduce the environmental load. The problem is solved by the following thermoplastic resin composition. Specifically provided is a thermoplastic resin composition including, as a mixture, a first thermoplastic resin that includes a structural unit (A) derived from a monomer represented by general formula (1), and a second thermoplastic resin that includes a structural unit (B) derived from a monomer represented by any one of general formulas (2a)-(2c), wherein at least one of the first thermoplastic resin and the second thermoplastic resin is a copolymer having both the structural unit (A) and the structural unit (B), and the structural unit (A) content is 5-95 mol% and the structural unit (B) content is 5-95 mol% on the basis of the total number of structural units of the first thermoplastic resin and the second thermoplastic resin.