Polypropylene Resin Composition for Precision Optical Molding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Precision-injection-molded bodies made from polypropylene resin compositions tend to deform after molding, which can alter their shape and compromise their precision.

Innovation Solution

A polypropylene resin composition with a propylene-based polymer copolymerized with ethylene or α-olefins, containing 3-5% monomer units by mass, and incorporating a nucleating agent such as metal salts or amide-based organic compounds, with a molecular weight distribution of 3 or less and a crystallization half-time of 20 seconds or shorter, is used to reduce deformation by controlling crystal size and rapid crystallization during injection molding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If polypropylene resin composition is used as molding material, then cost is reduced, but deformation after molding occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecost reductionVSAvoiddimensional precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the copolymerization monomer content (3-5% by mass) and molecular weight distribution (3 or less) of the polypropylene-based polymer, and by optimizing the nucleating agent content (50-3500 ppm), to achieve rapid crystallization (half-time ≤20 seconds) that prevents post-molding deformation while maintaining cost-effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite materials by combining polypropylene-based polymer with specific copolymerization monomers (ethylene or α-olefins) and nucleating agents to create a resin composition that achieves both low cost and high dimensional precision through controlled crystallization behavior

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Manufacturing precision

If rapid crystallization is achieved, then deformation is reduced, but crystal size control becomes critical

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeformation reductionVSAvoidcrystal size control
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent controls crystal size through parameter changes by adjusting the copolymerization monomer content to 3-5% by mass, which modifies the polymer chain structure to promote formation of numerous small crystals rather than few large crystals, achieving rapid crystallization with half-time of 20 seconds or less

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 solution significantly reduces deformation in precision-injection-molded bodies, enhancing their mechanical strength, transparency, and stability, allowing for the production of optical members with high dimensional precision.

Implementation Method 1

The crystallization half-time at 110°C of the polypropylene resin composition is 20 seconds or shorter

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCrystallization: Crystallisation

Implementation Method 2

As the proportion of monomer units derived from the copolymerization monomer is 3 to 5% by mass, there is a tendency that size of crystals formed in a molded body is small

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCrystallization: Crystallisation

Data Source

PatentEP3450497B1Polypropylene resin composition, precision-injection-molded object, mold for molding optical member, and process for producing optical member
Publication Date: 2022.11.23 SUMITOMO CHEM CO LTD
  • EP3450497B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3450497B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3450497B1 patent drawing

AI summary

Disclosed is a polypropylene resin composition which contains a polypropylene-based polymer containing, as monomer units, propylene and at least one copolymerization monomer of ethylene or α-olefins with carbon atom number of 4 or more. Proportion of the monomer units derived from the copolymerization monomer in the polypropylene-based polymer is 2 to 10% by mass based on the mass of the polypropylene-based polymer. A crystallization half-time at 110°C of the polypropylene resin composition is 20 seconds or shorter.