# US 9,434,852 B2 · Photocurable compositions with dispersed carbon-coated metal particles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,434,852 B2 - Document ID: US9434852B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/514,492 - Filed: 2014-10-15 - Published: 2016-04-21 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-15 - Assignees: Eastman Kodak Company - Applicants: Eastman Kodak Company - Inventors: Karen M. Kosydar; Gary L. Slater; Mary Christine Brick; Christine Joanne Landry-Coltrain - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434852B2 ## CPC - C09D 11/52: Electrically conductive inks - C09D 11/037: characterised by the pigment - C09D 11/101: Inks specially adapted for printing processes involving curing by wave energy or particle radiation, e.g. with UV-curing following the printing - C09D 11/102: containing macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions other than those only involving unsaturated carbon-to-carbon bonds - C09D 11/104: Polyesters - C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D) ## Abstract A non-aqueous photocurable composition contains dispersed carbon-coated metal particles in an amount of at least 10 weight %, and the dispersed carbon-coated metal particles have a median diameter of less than 0.6 μm. These particles are dispersed with a particle dispersing agent that has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of at least 2,000 and up to and including 100,000 and comprises nitrogen-containing units. Such compositions include an organic diluent as well as suitable photocurable components that can be used for example in acid-catalyzed or free radical chemistries. When the non-aqueous photocurable composition contains up to and including 25 weight % of the dispersed carbon-coated metal particles, it exhibits no visual settling when subjected to a settling test of at least 24 hours at 20° C. The non-aqueous photocurable compositions can be used to provide photocured metallic patterns for various devices that have a touch screen display. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A non-aqueous photocurable composition comprising: (a) a photopolymerizable epoxy material, (b) a photoacid generator, (c) an optional electron donor photosensitizer, and (d) dispersed carbon-coated metal particles present in an amount of at least 10 weight % based on the total weight of the non-aqueous photocurable composition, and the dispersed carbon-coated metal particles having a median diameter of less than 0.6 μm, and being dispersed with a particle dispersing agent that has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of at least 2,000 and up to and including 100,000 and comprises nitrogen-containing units, the median diameter being determined using a dynamic light scattering method, (e) an organic diluent, (f) optionally, one or more free-radically polymerizable materials, and (g) optionally, one or more free radical photoinitiators, wherein, when the non-aqueous photocurable composition contains up to and including 25 weight % of the dispersed carbon-coated metal particles, it exhibits no visual settling when subjected to a settling test of at least 24 hours at 20° C. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The non-aqueous photocurable composition of claim 1, comprising dispersed carbon-coated silver particles or dispersed carbon-coated copper particles, or a mixture of both dispersed carbon-coated silver particles and dispersed carbon-coated copper particles. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The non-aqueous photocurable composition of claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of the particle dispersing agent to the dispersed carbon-coated metal particles is at least 1:100 and up to and including 30:100. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The non-aqueous photocurable composition of claim 1, wherein the dispersed carbon-coated metal particles are present in an amount of at least 15 weight % and up to and including 60 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-aqueous photocurable composition, and the dispersed carbon-coated metal particles have a median diameter of less than 0.5 μm as determined using a dynamic light scattering method. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The non-aqueous photocurable composition of claim 1, wherein the particle dispersing agent is an organic polymer comprising ester units. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The non-aqueous photocurable composition of claim 1, wherein the particle dispersing agent is an organic polymer that comprises units chosen from at least one of the following classes (i) through (iv): (i) pyridine units; (ii) imine units; (iii) imide units; and (iv) amine units. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The non-aqueous photocurable composition of claim 1, wherein the organic diluent comprises at least one of 2-ethoxyethanol, 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethanol, 2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethanol, 1-methoxy-2-propanol, 4-heptanone, 3-heptanone, 2-heptanone, cyclopentanone, cyclohexanone, diethyl carbonate, 2-ethoxyethyl acetate, N-butyl butyrate, and methyl lactate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The non-aqueous photocurable composition of claim 1 further comprising dispersed carbon black in an amount of up to and including 20 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-aqueous photocurable composition. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The non-aqueous photocurable composition of claim 1, comprising all of components (a) through (g), and wherein: the photopolymerizable epoxy material has at least two polymerizable epoxy groups per molecule, the photoacid generator is an iodonium or sulfonium, and the dispersed carbon-coated metal particles are dispersed carbon coated-silver particles that have a median diameter equal to or less than 0.5 μm as determined using a dynamic light scattering method. ### Claim 10 A non-aqueous photocurable composition comprising: one or more free-radically polymerizable materials, one or more free radical photoinitiators, an organic diluent, dispersed carbon-coated metal particles present in an amount of at least 10 weight % based on the total weight of the non-aqueous photocurable composition, and the dispersed carbon-coated metal particles having a median diameter of less than 0.6 μm, and being dispersed with a particle dispersing agent that has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of at least 2,000 and up to and including 100,000 and comprises nitrogen-containing units, the median diameter being determined using a dynamic light scattering method, wherein, when the non-aqueous composition contains up to and including 25 weight % of the dispersed carbon-coated metal particles, it exhibits no visual settling when subjected to a settling test of at least 24 hours at 20° C. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The non-aqueous photocurable composition of claim 10, comprising dispersed carbon-coated silver particles or dispersed carbon-coated copper particles, or a mixture of both dispersed carbon-coated silver particles and dispersed carbon-coated copper particles. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The non-aqueous photocurable composition of claim 10, wherein the weight ratio of the particle dispersing agent to the dispersed carbon-coated metal particles is at least 1:100 and up to and including 30:100. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The non-aqueous photocurable composition of claim 10, wherein the dispersed carbon-coated metal particles are present in an amount of at least 15 weight % and up to and including 60 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-aqueous photocurable composition, and the dispersed carbon-coated metal particles have a median diameter of less than 0.5 μm as determined using a dynamic light scattering method. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The non-aqueous photocurable composition of claim 10, wherein the particle dispersing agent is an organic polymer comprising ester units. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The non-aqueous photocurable composition of claim 10, wherein the particle dispersing agent is an organic polymer that comprises units chosen from at least one of the following classes (i) through (iv): (i) pyridine units; (ii) imine units; (iii) imide units; and (iv) amine units. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The non-aqueous photocurable composition of claim 10, wherein the organic diluent is an organic solvent medium that comprises at least one of 2-ethoxyethanol, 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethanol, 2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethanol, 1-methoxy-2-propanol, 4-heptanone, 3-heptanone, 2-heptanone, cyclopentanone, cyclohexanone, diethyl carbonate, 2-ethoxyethyl acetate, N-butyl butyrate, and methyl lactate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The non-aqueous photocurable composition of claim 10 further comprising dispersed carbon black in an amount of up to and including 20 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-aqueous photocurable composition. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The non-aqueous photocurable composition of claim 10, comprising an acrylate as a free radically polymerizable component, and the dispersed carbon-coated metal particles are dispersed carbon-coated silver particles that have a median diameter equal to or less than 0.5 μm as determined using a dynamic light scattering method.