Resin Blend Layer Separation for Scratch Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Resins used in various applications face challenges with weather resistance and strength due to degradation from oxygen, ozone, and light, often requiring additional coating or plating processes that decrease manufacturing efficiency and increase costs, while methods to improve scratch and heat resistance without these processes either compromise processability or do not adequately enhance surface hardness.

Innovation Solution

A resin blend for a melting process is developed, comprising a first resin and a second resin with an organic functional group containing one oxygen atom, which has a difference in melt viscosity and glass transition temperature, allowing for layer separation during processing, thereby enhancing mechanical and surface characteristics without the need for additional coatings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If additional coating or plating process is applied to improve surface characteristic and weather resistance, then scratch resistance and strength are improved, but manufacturing efficiency deteriorates and manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescratch resistanceVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the base resin and surface treatment resin into a single blend material that is processed together in one injection molding cycle. The surface treatment resin is incorporated into the blend in advance, eliminating the need for separate coating and curing steps, thus improving manufacturing efficiency while maintaining scratch resistance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The surface treatment resin is pre-mixed with the base resin before injection molding. This preliminary incorporation of the surface treatment component into the blend ensures that the surface characteristic improvement is achieved during the primary manufacturing process, avoiding subsequent additional processing steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If additional coating or plating process is applied to improve surface characteristic and weather resistance, then strength and weather resistance are improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweather resistanceVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the base resin and surface treatment resin into a single blend that is processed together, eliminating multiple manufacturing steps. This integration reduces overall manufacturing cost while achieving improved weather resistance through the surface treatment resin's UV absorptive properties

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The surface treatment resin serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides UV absorption for weather resistance, creates a scratch-resistant surface layer, and is integrated into the base resin matrix. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate coating processes, reducing manufacturing cost

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Strength

If inorganic particle is added to improve wear resistance and hardness, then physical properties are improved, but processability and impact strength deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidprocessability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the approach from adding inorganic particles to using organic functional groups (carboxyl, hydroxyl, amine, or isocyanate groups) attached to resin molecules. These organic functional groups provide intermolecular bonding capabilities that improve wear resistance and hardness while maintaining good processability and impact strength, avoiding the drawbacks of inorganic particle addition

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Strength

If resin with excellent scratch resistance or heat resistance is added to improve surface characteristic, then surface hardness is improved, but additional curing process is required and physical properties are not sufficiently improved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface hardnessVSAvoidadditional process
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the base resin and surface treatment resin into a single blend that cures simultaneously during the injection molding process. This eliminates the need for separate curing steps after injection, reducing process complexity while achieving sufficient surface hardness improvement through the surface treatment resin's functional groups

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 resin blend improves mechanical and surface characteristics of the resin article, reducing manufacturing time and cost by eliminating the need for coatings, while increasing productivity through layer separation during extrusion or injection, resulting in a resin article with enhanced hardness and resistance.

Implementation Method 1

a second resin that comprises a resin to which an organic functional group containing one oxygen atom or more is introduced, and that has a difference in melt viscosity from the first resin of 0.1 to 1000 pa*s at a shear rate of 100 to 1000 s -1

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMelt viscosity difference:

Data Source

PatentEP2628773B1Resin blend for melting process
Publication Date: 2016.03.30 LG CHEM LTD
  • EP2628773B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

Provided are a resin blend for a melting process, a method of preparing the same and a resin article having a certain layer separated structure. The resin blend may include a first resin, and a second resin that comprises a resin to which an organic functional group containing one oxygen atom or more is introduced, and that has a difference in melt viscosity from the first resin of 0.1 to 3000 pa*s at a shear rate of 100 to 1000 s-1 and a processing temperature of the resin blend. The resin blend can improve mechanical and surface characteristics of a resin article. Further, since coating or plating is not required for manufacturing a resin article, a manufacturing time and/or cost can be reduced, and productivity can be increased.