Urethane Acrylate Polymers with Balanced Elongation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional urethane acrylate oligomers and polymers face limitations in achieving a balance between hardness and flexibility, lacking both elongation and abrasion resistance, and do not possess self-healing properties upon curing.
Innovation Solution
A novel curable polymer is developed, comprising a reaction product of co-polymeric polycarbonate polyols, organic diisocyanates, and hydroxy-functional acrylates or methacrylates, forming a co-reacted urethane acrylate structure with a balanced molecular weight and viscosity, which can be cured using radiation to achieve enhanced elongation, abrasion resistance, and self-healing capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional urethane acrylate oligomers or polymers are used to achieve hardness, then the material has good hardness, but it lacks flexibility or toughness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure consisting of hard segments (urethane acrylate units) and soft segments (polycarbonate polyol units) to create a material that exhibits both hardness and flexibility. The phase-separated morphology allows hard domains to provide structural integrity while soft domains provide flexibility and toughness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates local regions with different properties within the polymer structure - hard urethane acrylate domains provide hardness and structural support, while soft polycarbonate domains provide flexibility. This local differentiation of properties resolves the contradiction between hardness and flexibility.
2Strength
If conventional urethane acrylates are designed to have low molecular weight and limited viscosity, then the material achieves good hardness, but it lacks elongation
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented structure combining rigid urethane acrylate segments with flexible polycarbonate segments enables the material to achieve both hardness and elongation. The soft segments act as flexible spacers between hard segments, allowing the material to stretch and recover.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes parameters including the ratio of hard to soft segments, molecular weight of polyol components, and functionality of acrylate groups to achieve the desired balance between hardness and elongation. By adjusting these parameters, the material properties can be tuned to meet specific requirements.
3Device complexity
If conventional polycarbonate-containing acrylate polymers with single homopolycarbonate moiety are used, then the structure is simple, but the material lacks balanced properties of elongation and abrasion resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite polymer structure with multiple types of polycarbonate polyols (different molecular weights, functionalities, and chemical compositions) combined with urethane acrylate units. This composite structure provides balanced properties including elongation, abrasion resistance, and self-healing capabilities that cannot be achieved with single-moiety polymers.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-component polycarbonate polyol system provides multiple functions within a single polymer structure: elongation through flexible chains, abrasion resistance through strong intermolecular interactions, and self-healing through reversible bonding. This multi-functionality resolves the limitation of single-moiety polymers.
4Productivity
If conventional urethane acrylates are formulated for high productivity, then the manufacturing efficiency is improved, but the material lacks self-healing properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates self-healing functionality into the polymer structure itself through the inclusion of reversible bonding mechanisms in the polycarbonate-urethane acrylate system. The material can autonomously repair damage without external intervention, combining high productivity with self-healing properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adjusts chemical composition parameters and molecular structure to enable self-healing while maintaining manufacturing efficiency. The specific ratio of polyol to isocyanate, the choice of acrylate functionality, and the molecular weight distribution are optimized to achieve both rapid curing and self-healing capabilities.
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 polymer exhibits superior physical properties with balanced elongation and abrasion resistance, along with excellent tensile strength and self-healing properties, surpassing conventional products in these aspects.
Implementation Method 1
Ultraviolet (UV) light and electron beam (EB) are the most typical forms of radiation which are used to generate free radicals which initiate the polymerization or cure
Implementation Method 2
Ultraviolet (UV) light and electron beam (EB) are the most typical forms of radiation which are used to generate free radicals which initiate the polymerization or cure
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A polymer comprising a reaction product of the ingredients including [i] a first homopolymeric or co-polymeric polycarbonate polyol; [ii] an organic polyisocyanate; and [iii] a hydroxy-functional (meth)acrylate having the given formula; and with the proviso that when the first polycarbonate polyol is not co-polymeric, then the ingredients further includes [iv] a second homopolymeric or co-polymeric polycarbonate polyol different from the first one, and wherein the polycarbonate polyol(s) is/are linked to the polyisocyanate via a urethane linkage, and wherein the polyisocyanate is linked to the alkyl moiety of the (meth)acrylate via a urethane linkage.