Low Toxicity Solvent System for Polyamideimide Resin Coating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current solvent systems for manufacturing and dissolving polyamideimide (PAI) resins are toxic, leading to health and safety concerns, and existing alternatives often have drawbacks such as low polymer solubility, poor storage stability, or high costs, making them unsuitable for industrial use.

Innovation Solution

A solvent system comprising aprotic dialkylamide solvents, such as N-formyl morpholine and diethyl acetamide, combined with dipolar aprotic co-solvents like ethyl acetate, is used to achieve lower toxicity, higher molecular weight, and improved processing conditions, reducing viscosity and fuming during curing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If conventional polar aprotic solvents (NMP, DMF, DMAc) are used for manufacturing and dissolving PAI resins, then good polymer solubility and processing are achieved, but high toxicity and health safety risks occur

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovetoxicityVSAvoidpolymer solubility
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the solvent system by transitioning from conventional polar aprotic solvents (NMP, DMF, DMAc) to a novel solvent system comprising cyclic carbonate esters (ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate) combined with dipolar aprotic co-solvents. This parameter change maintains polymer solubility while dramatically reducing toxicity, as the cyclic carbonate ester solvent system achieves comparable or superior solubility characteristics without the harmful effects of conventional solvents.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs solvents with favorable environmental and safety profiles that can be more easily disposed of or degraded. Cyclic carbonate esters are inherently more environmentally benign than conventional amide solvents, and the solvent system is designed to allow for safer handling, processing, and disposal while maintaining effective polymer dissolution and coating performance throughout the manufacturing lifecycle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If alternative solvents (tetrahydrofuran, methyl ethyl ketone, gamma-butyrolactone, dimethyl sulfoxide) are used to replace conventional solvents, then toxicity is reduced, but polymer solubility or storage stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovetoxicityVSAvoidstorage stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a composite solvent system that combines cyclic carbonate ester solvents (ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate) with dipolar aprotic co-solvents. This composite approach leverages the complementary strengths of each component: the cyclic carbonate esters provide low toxicity and good solubility, while the dipolar aprotic co-solvents enhance polymer compatibility and stabilize the solution during storage, achieving a balance that neither solvent class could accomplish alone.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the compositional parameters of the solvent system by specifying particular ratios and combinations of cyclic carbonate esters and dipolar aprotic co-solvents. This parameter optimization ensures that the solvent mixture maintains adequate polymer solubility, prevents precipitation during storage, and provides long-term compositional stability while retaining the low toxicity advantages of the cyclic carbonate ester base system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If alternative solvents (gamma-butyrolactone, dimethyl sulfoxide) are used to reduce toxicity, then health risks are lowered, but processing temperature or fuming characteristics worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehealth risksVSAvoidprocessing temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the volatility and boiling point parameters of the solvent system by selecting cyclic carbonate esters (ethylene carbonate bp 126°C, propylene carbonate bp 241°C) combined with dipolar aprotic co-solvents having appropriate volatility characteristics. This parameter selection achieves an optimal balance: the solvents are sufficiently volatile to allow complete evaporation and curing at practical processing temperatures without excessive fuming, yet have high enough boiling points to maintain solution stability during application and curing, thereby reducing health risks while enabling practical processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 solvent system minimizes health and safety risks while maintaining or exceeding the performance characteristics of conventional PAI resins, including tensile strength, modulus, and adhesion, with improved flowability and reduced color and odor during curing.

Implementation Method 1

A solvent system comprising aprotic dialkylamide solvents, such as N-formyl morpholine and diethyl acetamide, combined with dipolar aprotic co-solvents like ethyl acetate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSolvation: Solvation

Data Source

PatentEP3131989B1Low toxicity solvent system for polyamideimide and polyamide amic acid resin coating
Publication Date: 2022.11.09 CYMER-DAYTON LLC
  • EP3131989B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3131989B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP3131989B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

A polyamideimide and polyamide amic acid resin polymer that allows for reduced levels of toxicity in manufacturing. In an embodiment, a coating composition comprises at least one polyamideimide resin, at least one aprotic dialkylamide solvent and at least one co-solvent. In another embodiment, the at least one co-solvent is selected from a group consisting of methyl actetate, n-propyl acetate, t-butyl acetate, iso-butyl acetate, ethyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, methyl lactate, ethyl lactate, n-propyl lactate, isopropyl lactate, n-butyl lactate, isobutyl lactate, t-butyl lactate, cyclohexanone, cyclopentanone, n-butyl acetate, methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, n-acetyl morpholine, ?-caprolactone and methylcyclohexane.