Latent hardener with improved barrier properties and compatibility

Abstract

A curing agent for epoxy resins that is comprised of the reaction product of an amine, an epoxy resin, and an elastomer-epoxy adduct; compositions containing the curing agent and an epoxy resin; the compositions are useful in electronic displays, circuit boards, semi conductor devices, flip chips and other applications.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 .- 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A composition comprising an epoxy resin and a curing agent that is comprised of the reaction product of:
 (a) an amine, and   (b) an epoxy resin, and   (c) an elastomer-epoxy adduct.   
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 10  wherein the curing agent is the reaction product of:
 (a) an amine, and 
 (b) an epoxy resin, and 
 (c) a carboxyl-terminated butadiene-acrylonitrile (CTBN)-epoxy adduct; wherein the elastomer-epoxy adduct is a carboxyl-terminated butadiene-acrylonitrile (CTBN)-epoxy adduct which functions as a dispersant; wherein the amine and the epoxy resin are reacted in the presence of the dispersant to produce a dispersion of epoxy resin particles; wherein the particles are encapsulated in a polymer shell. 
 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 11  wherein the nitrile content of the CTBN is about 12-35% by weight. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 12  wherein the wherein the nitrile content is about 20-33% by weight. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 10  wherein the composition is formulated such that it is functional as an adhesive, a conducting adhesive, a composite, a molding compound, an anisotropic conducting film (ACF) adhesive, a non-random array ACF, a non-conductive adhesive film (NCF), a coating, an encapsulant, an underfill material, or as a lead free solder. 
     
     
         15 . An electronic display comprising an electronic component affixed to a substrate by an epoxy adhesive wherein the epoxy adhesive incorporates the curing agent of claim  1 . 
     
     
         16 . A circuit board comprising an electronic component affixed to a board substrate with an epoxy adhesive, the epoxy adhesive incorporating the curing agent of claim  1 . 
     
     
         17 . A flip chip comprising an integrated circuit chip mounted to a substrate with an epoxy adhesive, wherein the epoxy adhesive comprises the curing agent of claim  1 . 
     
     
         18 . A semiconductor device comprising an electronic component affixed to a substrate with an epoxy adhesive wherein the epoxy adhesive includes the curing agent of claim  1 . 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 10  wherein the composition is a 1-part adhesive composition. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 19  wherein the composition shows adhesion after cure at interfaces, low shrinkage on cure, and low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). 
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 19  wherein the composition is formulated such that it is useful as a matrix for a composite material or molding compound. 
     
     
         22 . A fixed array ACF comprising gold particles dispersed in the adhesive film in a predetermined pattern, the adhesive film comprising an epoxy adhesive and a curing agent wherein the curing agent is the reaction product of an amine, an epoxy resin, and an elastomer-epoxy adduct. 
     
     
         23 . The composition of  claim 10  wherein the composition is formulated such that it is useful as a High Tg 1-part molding compound comprising a protected phenolic compound, where the protected phenolic compound comprises an aryl glycidyl carbonate moiety. 
     
     
         24 . The composition of  claim 23  wherein the composition is formulated such that it is useful as a sheet molding compound (SMC), a bulk molding compound (BMC), or a dough molding compound (DMC).