Photocurable Sealing Material for Electronics via Ene-Thiol Curing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sealing materials for electronic and home appliances lack sufficient flexibility, tensile strength, and water-proof performance, and often require molds for production, leading to poor workability and thermal damage.
Innovation Solution
A photocurable material comprising an oligomer with (meth)acryloyl groups, a (meth)acrylate monomer, and a polythiol compound at specific ratios, which can be deeply cured instantly with ultraviolet rays, providing high compression recovery rate and tensile strength while maintaining flexibility and reducing surface tack formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional sealing materials (hot-melt adhesive, thermoplastic sealing material) are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but flexibility and tensile strength deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by using a specific oligomer with weight average molecular weight of 10,000 to 30,000 and controlled (meth)acryloyl group content, combined with polythiol compound in specific ratios, to achieve both flexibility and strength simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite photocurable sealing material system combining oligomer with (meth)acryloyl groups, (meth)acrylate monomer, and polythiol compound, where the synergistic interaction between components provides both flexibility and high tensile strength
2Ease of manufacture
If photocurable sealing materials with radical polymerization of acryloyl group are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but flexibility and tensile strength deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the molecular weight parameter of the oligomer to 10,000-30,000 range and controls the functional group ratio of (meth)acryloyl groups to mercapto groups, achieving optimal balance between processability and mechanical properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent develops a composite photocurable system where oligomer with (meth)acryloyl groups reacts with polythiol compound through ene-thiol reaction, creating a network structure that provides both flexibility and high tensile strength
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional sealing materials requiring heating are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but thermal damage to devices and housings occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal curing mechanism with photocuring mechanism, where ultraviolet light initiates polymerization of the oligomer and monomer components, eliminating the need for heating and preventing thermal damage to devices and housings
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes photo-induced phase transition from liquid photocurable material to solid cured sealing material through ultraviolet irradiation, achieving curing without thermal energy input
4Ease of operation
If photocurable sealing materials are used, then workability is improved, but deep curing difficulty occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the molecular weight of the oligomer to 10,000-30,000 and controls the viscosity through molecular structure design, enabling ultraviolet light to penetrate deeply and cure the material uniformly throughout the thickness
5Strength
If sealing materials with high tensile strength are used, then strength is improved, but flexibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent precisely controls the weight average molecular weight of the oligomer within 10,000-30,000 range and adjusts the ratio of (meth)acryloyl groups to mercapto groups, achieving optimal balance between tensile strength and flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a sealing material with heterogeneous network structure where crosslinked regions provide strength while uncrosslinked oligomer segments maintain flexibility, achieving local differentiation of mechanical properties
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 solution achieves excellent sealing properties with high tensile strength, flexibility, and air-tightness, along with improved storage stability and reduced surface tack, making it suitable for electronic and home appliance applications without the need for molds.
Implementation Method 1
A photocurable material comprising an oligomer with (meth)acryloyl groups, a (meth)acrylate monomer, and a polythiol compound at specific ratios, which can be deeply cured instantly with ultraviolet rays
Implementation Method 2
The ene-thiol-type photocurable sealing material is disclosed in, for example, Patent Documents 3 to 6
Data Source
AI summary
A photocurable material for sealing including (A) an oligomer having a weight average molecular weight of 10,000 to 30,000 and having (meth)acryloyl group(s), (B) a (meth)acrylate monomer, (C) a polythiol compound, and optionally (D) a carbodiimide compound enables the provision of a sealing material that has high compression recovery performance, high tensile strength and excellent flexibility, can have low hardness if required, and therefore has excellent sealing properties including air-tightness performance and water-proof performance and undergoes the formation of little surface tacks and the like.