Photocurable compositions with alicyclic epoxides of high monomer purity

Abstract

The present invention relates to novel resin compositions containing at least one solid or liquid actinic radiation-curable and cationically polymerizable organic substance, an actinic radiation-sensitive initiator for cationic polymerization, an actinic radiation-curable and radical-polymerizable organic substance and an actinic radiation-sensitive initiator for radical polymerization. The actinic radiation-curable and cationically polymerizable organic substance is at least one glycidylether of a polyhydric aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic alcohol having at least three epoxy groups with epoxy equivalent weight between 90 and 800 grams per equivalent, at least one solid or liquid alicyclic epoxide with an epoxy equivalent weight between 90 and 330 grams per equivalent having at least two epoxy groups and monomer purity greater than about 90% by weight, or at least a solid or liquid epoxycresol novolac or epoxyphenol novolac having epoxy equivalent weight between 130 and 350, or mixtures thereof. The use of the above-mentioned cationically polymerizable components substantially increases the heat deflection temperature of the cured articles while maintaining high photospeed, accuracy, wetting-recoatability, water resistance and good side wall finish. The present invention further relates to a method of producing a cured product, particularly a three-dimensional article, in which a compositions described above are treated with actinic radiation.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A novel resin composition comprising 
 a) 55-90% by weight of at least one solid or liquid actinic radiation-curable and cationically polymerizable organic substance;    b) 0.05 to 10% by weight an actinic radiation-sensitive initiator for cationic polymerization;    c) 5% to 25% by weight of an actinic radiation-curable and radical-polymerizable organic substance; and    (d) 0.02 to 10% by weight an actinic radiation-sensitive initiator for radical polymerization, wherein component (a) comprises at least one glycidylether of a polyhydric aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic alcohol having at least three epoxy groups with epoxy equivalent weight between 90 and 800 g/equivalent and at least one solid or liquid alicyclic epoxide with epoxy equivalent weight between 80 and 330 having at least two epoxy groups with a monomer purity of at least about 80% by weight, or mixtures thereof    with the sum total of components (a) through (d) being 100 percent by weight.    
     
     
         2 . A liquid composition according to  claim 1  wherein component (a) comprises the at least one solid or liquid alicyclic epoxide having at least two epoxy groups, or mixtures thereof, at between 20 and 75% by weight.  
     
     
         3 . A liquid composition according to  claim 1  wherein component (a) further comprises not more than 20% by weight of at least one liquid or solid vinylether compound having at least two cationically-reactive groups in the molecule or a hydroxy-functionalized mono(poly)vinylether or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         4 . A liquid composition according to  claim 1  wherein component (a) further comprises at least one liquid or solid epoxy cresol novolac, epoxy phenol novolac, oxetane or spiro-ortho ester compound having at least two cationically-reactive groups in the molecule, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         5 . A liquid composition according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one glycidylether of a polyhydric aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic alcohol having at least three epoxy groups is between 3 and 90% by weight of the at least one alicylic epoxide having at least two epoxy groups.  
     
     
         6 . A liquid composition according to  claim 5  wherein the at least one glycidylether of a polyhydric alcohol having at least three epoxy groups comprises at least 15% by weight of the at least one alicylic epoxide having at least two epoxy groups.  
     
     
         7 . A novel resin composition comprising 
 a) 55-90% by weight of at least one solid or liquid actinic radiation-curable and cationically polymerizable organic substance;    b) 0.05 to 10% by weight an actinic radiation-sensitive initiator for cationic polymerization;    c) 5-25% by weight of an actinic radiation-curable and radical-polymerizable organic substance; and    (d) 0.02 to 10% by weight an actinic radiation-sensitive initiator for radical polymerization, wherein component (a), comprises of at least one glycidylether of a polyhydric aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic alcohol having at least three epoxy groups with epoxy equivalent weight between 90 and 800 g/equivalent and at least one solid or liquid epoxy cresol novolac, or epoxy phenol novolac with epoxy equivalent weight between 130 and 350 having at least two functional groups, or mixtures thereof    with the sum total of components (a) through (d) being 100 percent by weight.    
     
     
         8 . A liquid composition according to  claim 7  wherein component (a) comprises the at least one solid or liquid epoxy cresol novolac, epoxy phenol novolac having at least two functional groups, or mixtures thereof between 2 and 50% by weight.  
     
     
         9 . A novel composition according to  claim 7  wherein component (a) further comprises not more than 20% by weight of at least one liquid or solid vinylether compound having at least two cationically-reactive groups in the molecule, or a hydroxy-functionalized mono(poly)vinylether, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         10 . A novel composition according to  claim 7  wherein component (a) further comprises at least one liquid or solid alicyclic polyfunctional epoxide, oxetane or spiro-ortho ester compound having at least two cationically-reactive groups in the molecule, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         11 . A liquid composition according to  claim 7  wherein the at least one glycidylether of a polyhydric aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic alcohol having at least three epoxy groups is between 3 and 90% by weight of the at least one solid or liquid epoxy cresol novolac, epoxy phenol novolac having at least two functional groups.  
     
     
         12 . A curable composition according to  claim 7  wherein the at least one glycidylether of a polyhydric aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic alcohol having at least three epoxy groups is at least 15% by weight of the at least one solid or liquid epoxy cresol novolac, epoxy phenol novolac having at least two functional groups.  
     
     
         13 . A curable composition according to  claim 7  wherein the at least one solid or liquid epoxy cresol novolac or epoxy phenol novolac having at least two functional groups has an epoxy functionality at least 4.5.  
     
     
         14 . A curable composition according to  claim 1  wherein the composition further comprises: 
 e) 0.5 to about 40 percent by weight of at least one solid or liquid cationic reactive modifier-flexibilizer.  
 
     
     
         15 . A curable composition according to  claim 14  wherein the at least one solid or liquid cationic reactive modifier is a reactive epoxy modifier or reactive vinylether modifier or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         16 . A curable composition according to  claim 14  wherein the reactive modifier-flexibilizer comprises at least one cationically reactive bifunctional aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic compound containing a chain extension segment connected to the cationic reactive group with a molecular weight of at least about 100 and not more than 2000.  
     
     
         17 . A curable composition according to  claim 7  wherein the composition further comprises: 
 e) 0.5 to about 40 percent by weight of at least one solid or liquid cationic reactive modifier-flexibilizer.  
 
     
     
         18 . A curable composition according to  claim 17  wherein the at least one solid or liquid cationic reactive modifier is a reactive epoxy modifier or reactive vinylether modifier or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         19 . A curable composition according to  claim 17  wherein the reactive modifier-flexibilizer comprises at least one cationically reactive bifunctional aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic compound containing a chain extension segment connected to the cationic reactive group with a molecular weight of at least about 100 and not more than 2000.  
     
     
         20 . A curable composition according to  claim 1  wherein the composition contains about 4 to 30% by weight of a free radically curable component comprising at least 4% by weight one mono- or di(meth)acrylate and at least 4% by weight a poly(meth)acrylate having (meth)acrylate functionality greater than or equal to 3.  
     
     
         21 . A method of producing a cured product, in which a composition according to  claim 1  is treated with actinic radiation.  
     
     
         22 . A method of producing a cured product, in which a composition according to  claim 7  is treated with actinic radiation.  
     
     
         23 . A method for producing three-dimensional shaped articles comprising: 
 a) treating a radiation-curable composition according to  claim 1  with actinic radiation to form an at least partially cured layer on the surface of said composition within a surface region corresponding to a desired cross-sectional area of the three-dimensional article to be formed,    b) covering the at least partially cured layer produced in step a) with a new layer of said radiation-curable composition, and    c) repeating steps a) and b) until an article having the desired shape is formed, and optionally,    d) post-curing the resulting article.    
     
     
         24 . A method for producing three-dimensional shaped articles comprising: 
 a) treating a radiation-curable composition according to  claim 7  with actinic radiation to form an at least partially cured layer on the surface of said composition within a surface region corresponding to a desired cross-sectional area of the three-dimensional article to be formed,    b) covering the at least partially cured layer produced in step a) with a new layer of said radiation-curable composition, and    c) repeating steps a) and b) until an article having the desired shape is formed, and optionally,    d) post-curing the resulting article.