Inks for in-mould decoration
AssigneeSun Chemical Corporation
InventorsStewart Kessel, Clive Lawrence, Nandakumar Menon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An energy-core ink or varnish composition is provided for use in an in-mould decoration (IMD) process, comprising an energy-curable resin, additional reactive monomers and/or oligomers and, optionally and in an amount not exceeding 10% by weight, a solvent, wherein the resin comprises a urethane acrylate oligomer having an aromatic or aliphatic polycarbonate backbone. For inks, the composition additionally includes a pigment or dye. For photocure compositions, a photoinitiator is also included. Also provided is an in-mould decoration (IMD) process employing the ink or varnish composition.
Claims18
An energy-cure ink or varnish composition for use in an in-mould decoration (IMD) process, comprising an energy-curable resin, additional reactive monomers and/or oligomers and optionally and in an amount not exceeding 10% by weight of the composition, a solvent, wherein the energy-curable resin comprises a urethane acrylate oligomer having an aromatic or aliphatic polycarbonate backbone.
A composition according to any preceding claim wherein the composition is a photocure composition and further comprises a photoinitiator.
A composition according to any preceding claim wherein the polycarbonate backbone is aliphatic.
A composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the polycarbonate backbone is linear.
A composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the polycarbonate-backboned urethane acrylate oligomer has a molecular weight of from 1,000 to 30,000, preferably from 3,000 to 15,000, and more preferably from 6,500 to 10,000.
A composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the polycarbonate-backboned urethane acrylate component is present in an amount of from 5 to 70% by weight of the composition.
A composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the polycarbonate-backboned urethane acrylate oligomer is of the general formula (I) or (II):
- wherein:
- R2 and R3 are such that OCN—R—NCO (where R=R2 or R3) represents a diisocyanate;
- Y represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group;
- R1 and R4 together with their attached (meth)acrylate group represent the residue of a hydroxy (meth)acrylate functional unsaturated monomer.
A composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the composition comprises additional acrylate monomer and/or oligomer and the acrylate monomer and/or oligomer is present in an amount of from 0 to 80% by weight of the composition.
A composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the composition comprises the reactive monomer N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP), in an amount not exceeding 10%, preferably not exceeding 5%, by weight of the composition.
A method of in-mould decoration employing an ink or varnish composition as defined in any of the preceding claims.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.