Stain Resistant Soft Touch Coating Composition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Soft touch coatings for consumer electronic devices often exhibit poor stain resistance, limiting their application to dark substrates, and improving stain resistance typically compromises soft touch properties.

Innovation Solution

A coating composition comprising a polyester polyol derived from an aliphatic diol, a polyol with 3 or more hydroxyl groups, and an aliphatic cyclic polycarboxylic acid, combined with a silicone component and a crosslinker, which provides both good stain resistance and soft touch properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If soft touch coatings are applied to expand application to white and light colored substrates, then stain resistance is improved, but soft touch properties deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestain resistanceVSAvoidsoft touch properties
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the coating by incorporating specific components: a polyester polyol with controlled molecular weight (500-5000 g/mol), a silane-modified polymer with specific silane content (0.1-10 mmol/g), and a controlled crosslinking density. These parameter changes enable the coating to achieve both improved stain resistance and maintained soft touch properties on light-colored substrates

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite coating system combining multiple material components: polyester polyol, silane-modified polymer, crosslinking agent, and optional functional additives. This composite approach allows the coating to exhibit both stain resistance (from the crosslinked network) and soft touch properties (from the flexible polymer matrix), resolving the contradiction between these two properties

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Adaptability or versatility

If stain resistance is improved in soft touch coatings, then application range expands to light colored substrates, but soft touch properties are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication rangeVSAvoidsoft touch properties
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adjusts key parameters including polyester polyol molecular weight (500-5000 g/mol), silane content (0.1-10 mmol/g), and crosslinker ratio to optimize both stain resistance and soft touch properties. These controlled parameter changes enable the coating to perform on both dark and light substrates without sacrificing tactile quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The multi-component composite formulation (polyester polyol + silane-modified polymer + crosslinking agent + functional additives) provides tailored performance characteristics that enable versatile application across different substrate types while maintaining soft touch properties, thus expanding adaptability without compromise

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 coating composition achieves effective stain resistance and soft touch properties, allowing its application on both dark and light-colored substrates without compromising performance.

Implementation Method 1

a polyester polyol comprising a reaction product obtained from a mixture of reactants comprising: an aliphatic diol; a polyol comprising 3 or more hydroxyl groups; and an aliphatic cyclic polycarboxylic acid, or anhydride or ester thereof

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChemical Bonding: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 2

a crosslinker reactive with (a) and (b)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCrosslinking:

Data Source

PatentUS10508216B2Stain resistant coating compositions and coatings formed therefrom
Publication Date: 2019.12.17 PPG INDUSTRIES OHIO INC

AI summary

A stain resistant coating composition can include: (a) a polyester polyol; (b) a silicone component having at least one reactive functional group; and (c) a crosslinker reactive with (a) and (b). The polyester polyol can include a reaction product obtained from a mixture of reactants including: an aliphatic diol; a polyol having 3 or more hydroxyl groups; and an aliphatic cyclic polycarboxylic acid, or an anhydride or ester thereof, that is greater than 10 mole % of the total carboxylic acids, or anhydrides or esters thereof, used to prepare the polyester.