Adhesive Compositions, Micro-Fluid Ejection Devices, and Methods for Attaching Micro-Fluid Ejection Heads

Abstract

Adhesive compositions, micro-fluid ejection devices, and methods for attaching micro-fluid ejection heads to devices. One such adhesive composition is provided for use in attaching a micro-fluid ejection head to a device, such as to reduce chip bowing and/or to decrease chip fragility upon curing of the adhesive. Such an exemplary composition may include one having from about 50.0 to about 95.0 percent by weight of at least one cross-linkable resin selected from the group consisting of epoxy resins, siloxane resins, urethane resins, and functionalized olefin resins; from about 0.1 to about 25.0 percent by weight of at least one thermal curative agent; and from about 0.0 to about 30.0 percent by weight filler, and exhibit a relatively low shear modulus upon curing (e.g., less than about 10.0 MPa at 25° C.).

1 . A thermally curable adhesive composition for attaching a micro-fluid ejection head to a device, the adhesive comprising 
 a. from about 50.0 to about 95.0 percent by weight of at least one cross-linkable resin selected from the group consisting of epoxy resins, siloxane resins, urethane resins, and functionalized olefin resins;    b. from about 0.1 to about 25.0 percent by weight of at least one thermal curative agent; and    c. from about 0.0 to about 30.0 percent by weight filler, wherein the composition exhibits a relatively low shear modulus upon curing.    
   
   
       2 . The adhesive composition of  claim 1  wherein the at least one thermal curative agent comprises a curative agent selected from the group consisting of imidazoles, amines, peroxides, organic accelerators, and sulfur.  
   
   
       3 . The adhesive composition of  claim 1 , further comprising from about 0.1 to about 10.0 percent by weight silane coupling agent.  
   
   
       4 . The adhesive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the filler further comprises 
 a. from about 0.0 to about 20.0 percent by weight epoxy silane;    b. from about 0.0 to about 30.0 percent by weight titanium dioxide; and    c. from about 0.0 to about 30.0 percent by weight fumed silica.    
   
   
       5 . The adhesive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive composition comprises 
 a. from about 36.0 to about 39.0 percent by weight multi-functional epoxy resin;    b. from about 36.0 to about 39.0 percent by weight aliphatic di-functional epoxy resin;    c. from about 7.0 to about 10.0 percent by weight phenolic cross-linking agent; and    d. from about 7.0 to about 12.0 percent by weight of at least one thermal curative agent.    
   
   
       6 . The adhesive composition of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one thennal curative agent comprises an imidazole catalyst.  
   
   
       7 . The adhesive composition of  claim 6 , further comprising from about 0.1 to about 10.0 percent by weight silane coupling agent.  
   
   
       8 . The adhesive composition of  claim 7 , further comprising 
 a. from about 0.0 to about 30.0 percent by weight titanium dioxide; and    b. from about 0.0 to about 30.0 percent by weight fumed silica.    
   
   
       9 . The adhesive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive composition comprises 
 a. from about 77.0 to about 82.0 percent by weight diphenyl siloxane resin, and    b. from about 5.0 to about 10.0 percent by weight of at least one thermal curative agent.    
   
   
       10 . The adhesive composition of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one thermal curative agent comprises tetraethylenepentamine.  
   
   
       11 . The adhesive composition of  claim 10 , further comprising from about 0.1 to about 10.0 percent by weight silane coupling agent.  
   
   
       12 . The adhesive composition of  claim 11 , further comprising 
 a. from about 0.0 to about 30.0 percent by weight titanium dioxide; and    b. from about 0.0 to about 30.0 percent by weight fumed silica.    
   
   
       13 . The adhesive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive composition comprises 
 a. from about 18.0 to about 22.0 percent by weight multi-functional epoxy resin;    b. from about 18.0 to about 22.0 percent by weight epoxy siloxane resin;    c. from about 38.0 to about 42.0 percent by weight carboxyl terminated butadiene; and    d. from about 9.0 to about 13.0 percent by weight of at least one thermal curative agent.    
   
   
       14 . The adhesive composition of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one thermal curative agent comprises amine adduct.  
   
   
       15 . The adhesive composition of  claim 14 , further comprising from about 0.1 to about 10.0 percent by weight silane coupling agent.  
   
   
       16 . The adhesive composition of  claim 15 , further comprising 
 a. from about 0.0 to about 30.0 percent by weight titanium dioxide; and    b. from about 0.0 to about 30.0 percent by weight fumed silica.    
   
   
       17 . The adhesive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive composition comprises 
 a. from about 1.0 to about 50.0 percent by weight epoxidized butadiene resin;    b. from about 1.0 to about 75.0 percent by weight anhydride functional butadiene;    c. from about 0.1 to about 20.0 percent by weight anhydride cross-linking agent; and    d. from about 0.1 to about 20.0 percent by weight of at least one thermal curative agent.    
   
   
       18 . The adhesive composition of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one thermal curative agent comprises azine imidazole.  
   
   
       19 . The adhesive composition of  claim 18 , further comprising from about 0.1 to about 10.0 percent by weight silane coupling agent.  
   
   
       20 . The adhesive composition of  claim 19 , further comprising 
 a. from about 0.0 to about 30.0 percent by weight titanium dioxide; and    b. from about 0.0 to about 30.0 percent by weight fumed silica.    
   
   
       21 . The adhesive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive composition comprises 
 a. from about 50.0 to about 95.0 percent by weight methacrylated butadiene resin, and    b. from about 0.1 to about 15.0 percent by weight of at least one thermal curative agent.    
   
   
       22 . The adhesive composition of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one thennal curative agent comprises peroxide catalyst.  
   
   
       23 . The adhesive composition of  claim 22 , further comprising from about 0.1 to about 10.0 percent by weight silane coupling agent.  
   
   
       24 . The adhesive composition of  claim 23 , further comprising 
 a. from about 0.0 to about 30.0 percent by weight titanium dioxide; and    b. from about 0.0 to about 30.0 percent by weight fumed silica.    
   
   
       25 . A micro-fluid ejection device comprising an ejector chip and a thermally curable adhesive attached thereto, the adhesive having a shear modulus of less than about 10.0 MPa at 25° C.  
   
   
       26 . The micro-fluid ejection device of  claim 25 , wherein the adhesive comprises an adhesive having a shear modulus of less than about 3.0 MPa at 25° C.  
   
   
       27 . The micro-fluid ejection device of  claim 25 , wherein the adhesive comprises an adhesive having a shear modulus of less than about 1.0 MPa at 25° C.  
   
   
       28 . A micro-fluid ejection device comprising an ejector chip and a thermally curable adhesive attached thereto, the adhesive having a glass transition temperature of less than about 65° C.  
   
   
       29 . The micro-fluid ejection device of  claim 28 , wherein the adhesive comprises an adhesive having a glass transition temperature of less than about 50° C.  
   
   
       30 . The micro-fluid ejection device of  claim 28 , wherein the adhesive comprises an adhesive having a glass transition temperature of less than about at 25° C.  
   
   
       31 . A method for attaching a micro-fluid ejection head to a device comprising: 
 a. attaching a micro-fluid ejection head to a device with a thermally curable adhesive disposed between the ejection head and the device, the thermally curable adhesive composition comprising 
 i. from about 50.0 to about 95.0 percent by weight of at least one cross-linkable resin selected from the group consisting of epoxy resins, siloxane resins, urethane resins, and functionalized olefin resins,  
 ii. from about 0.0 to about 25.0 percent by weight of at least one thermal curative agent; and  
 iii. from about 0.0 to about 30.0 percent by weight filler, wherein the composition exhibits a relatively low shear modulus upon curing; and  
   b. curing the adhesive composition to provide a micro-fluid ejection device.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the adhesive composition comprises a mixture having a shear modulus of less than 10.0 MPa at 25° C.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the adhesive composition comprises a mixture having a shear modulus of less than 3.0 MPa at 25° C.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the adhesive composition comprises a mixture having a shear modulus of less than 1.0 MPa at 25° C.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the adhesive composition comprises a mixture having a glass transition temperature of less than 65° C.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the adhesive composition comprises a mixture having a glass transition temperature of less than 25° C.