Resin Composition Heat-Expandable Microspheres Surface Peeling

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional resin compositions containing heat-expandable microspheres often result in molded articles with poor appearance due to surface peeling and brittleness, caused by inadequate heat resistance and improper expansion of microspheres during extrusion molding.

Innovation Solution

A resin composition comprising a base resin selected from rubbers, olefin resins, and thermoplastic elastomers, combined with heat-expandable microspheres having a thermoplastic resin shell polymerized from a component containing N-substituted maleimide and methacrylonitrile, which ensures improved heat resistance and controlled expansion to prevent surface peeling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If heat-expandable microspheres with conventional thermoplastic resin shells are used, then expansion performance is achieved, but heat resistance is insufficient causing surface peeling and poor appearance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat resistanceVSAvoidsurface quality

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the thermoplastic resin shell by incorporating specific components (polyester resin, polyamide resin, or polyurethane resin) with defined glass transition temperatures and molecular structures. This parameter modification enables the shell to maintain structural integrity at higher temperatures during molding, preventing surface peeling while preserving expansion performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite thermoplastic resin shell structure by combining heat-expandable microspheres with a matrix resin forming a resin composition. The shell itself may also be composite, combining multiple polymer components with complementary properties. This composite approach achieves both heat resistance and proper expansion characteristics that single-material shells cannot provide.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Manufacturing precision

If heat-expandable microspheres expand at lower temperatures, then expansion performance is improved, but heat resistance deteriorates resulting in molded article defects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexpansion controlVSAvoidheat resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent precisely adjusts the glass transition temperature and molecular weight parameters of the thermoplastic resin shell components. By selecting polyester resins with Tg of 60-120°C, polyamide resins with Tg of 50-100°C, or polyurethane resins with Tg of 40-90°C, the shell maintains stability at molding temperatures while enabling controlled expansion at appropriate temperatures, resolving the contradiction between expansion control and heat resistance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional resin compositions are used, then molding process is simple, but surface peeling occurs causing poor appearance and brittleness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemolding process simplicityVSAvoidsurface quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the resin composition parameters by specifying component ratios (heat-expandable microspheres: matrix resin = 90:10 to 10:90 by weight) and selecting specific resin types with appropriate molecular weights and functional groups. These parameter adjustments prevent surface peeling and improve appearance while maintaining extrusion molding and injection molding processability, achieving both ease of manufacture and high surface quality.

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 resin composition effectively prevents surface peeling and achieves a good appearance in molded articles by enhancing heat resistance and expansion performance, allowing for stable molding operations.

Implementation Method 1

heat-expandable microspheres which comprise a thermoplastic resin shell and a blowing agent encapsulated therein... expansion property by heating... expand at a temperature ranging from 160 to 180° C.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Implementation Method 2

The thermoplastic resin usually used includes vinylidene chloride copolymers, acrylonitrile copolymers and acrylate ester copolymers... expand at a temperature ranging from 160 to 180° C.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhase change: Phase Change

Data Source

PatentUS11773237B2Resin composition, molded article and heat-expandable microspheres

Publication Date: 2023.10.03 MATSUMOTO YUSHI SEIYAKU CO LTD

AI summary

A resin composition containing heat-expandable microspheres including a thermoplastic resin shell and a thermally vaporizable blowing agent encapsulated therein and at least one base resin selected from rubbers, olefin resins and thermoplastic elastomers. The thermoplastic resin is a polymer of a polymerizable component containing N-substituted maleimide and a nitrile monomer containing methacrylonitrile. Also disclosed are molded articles manufactured by molding the resin composition.