UV-curable inorganic-organic hybrid resin and method for preparation thereof

摘要

The present invention relates to a method for preparation of an ultraviolet (UV)-curable inorganic-organic hybrid resin containing about or less than 4% volatiles and less than 30% organic residues. The UV-curable inorganic-organic hybrid resin obtained according to this method can be UV-cured within a markedly very short time and enables, upon curing, the formation of a transparent shrink-and crack-free glass-like product having high optical quality, high thermal stability and good bonding properties. In view of these properties, this hybrid resin can be used in various applications such as electro-optic, microelectronic, stereolithography and biophotonic applications.

主权项

1. A method for preparation of a UV-curable resin product or solution thereof, said method comprising the steps:
(i) providing (a) a first monomer or first mixture of monomers each independently being a metal alkoxide; (b) a second monomer or second mixture of monomers each independently being a metal alkoxide in which at least one but not all the alkoxyl groups is substituted by a non-polymerizable group; and (c) a third monomer or third mixture of monomers each independently being a metal alkoxide in which at least one but not all the alkoxyl groups is substituted by a non-hydrolyzable polymerizable group; (ii) performing hydrolysis and poly-condensation of said monomers or mixtures of monomers of (a), (b) and (c) in the presence of water and an hydrolysis catalyst, in a closed system, at an elevated temperature and pressure, to thereby release an alcohol that serves as a common solvent, while said temperature is kept above the boiling point of said alcohol and below the boiling point of said monomers, and vapors of said solvent and the water are removed, thus keeping a constant pressure; and (iii) reducing the pressure in said system below atmospheric pressure, thus evacuating remaining vapors of said solvent and the water to thereby obtain a resin product, wherein either: a photo-initiator is added to one of the monomers or mixtures of monomers in step (i) or to the water in step (ii) to thereby obtain, following step (iii), the UV-curable resin product; or the resin product obtained in step (iii) is dissolved in a solution comprising a solvent capable of preventing or delaying polymerization and a photo-initiator, and optionally subsequently filtered, to thereby obtain a solution of the UV-curable resin product capable of long-term storage without polymerizing.