Formulations, methods, and apparatus for remote triggering of frontally cured polymers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10975266-B2
Application number	US-201816143637-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2018
Priority date	Nov 30, 2013
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

In some variations, the invention provides a curable adhesive formulation comprising a curable liquid precursor capable of frontal polymerization, wherein the liquid precursor comprises a monomer and a polymerization catalyst, and frontal-polymerization-triggering susceptors in contact with, or contained within, the liquid precursor. The susceptors may include conducting and/or magnetic solid particles capable of induction heating in the presence of a remotely applied electromagnetic field. Other variations provide a polymer-curing system comprising a curable liquid precursor, frontal-polymerization-triggering susceptors, and an apparatus configured to remotely produce an alternating electromagnetic field in line-of-sight with the susceptors (but not necessarily in line-of-sight with the liquid precursor), thereby generating induction heating to initiate the frontal polymerization. The susceptors may be about 0.1 wt % to about 50 wt % of the curable formulation. Other variations provide a method of curing an adhesive joint through an opaque barrier.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of curing an adhesive joint, said method comprising:
(a) selecting a curable liquid precursor capable of frontal polymerization, wherein said liquid precursor comprises a monomer and a polymerization catalyst;
(b) selecting frontal-polymerization-triggering susceptors to initiate polymerization upon remote command, wherein said susceptors comprise conducting and/or magnetic solid particles capable of induction heating in the presence of an electromagnetic field;
(c) combining said curable liquid precursor and said susceptors, to generate a mixture;
(d) transferring said mixture to an adhesive joint; and
(e) applying an electromagnetic signal to remotely initiate polymerization of said precursor,
wherein said electromagnetic signal is not in line-of-sight with said curable liquid precursor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said susceptors are present at a concentration from about 0.1 wt % to about 50 wt % in said mixture.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said mixture comprises a single susceptor region or layer adjacently disposed in contact with said liquid precursor.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said mixture comprises multiple susceptors dissolved and/or suspended within said liquid precursor.

5. A method of curing an adhesive joint, said method comprising:
(a) selecting a curable liquid precursor capable of frontal polymerization, wherein said liquid precursor comprises a monomer and a polymerization catalyst;
(b) selecting frontal-polymerization-triggering susceptors to initiate polymerization upon remote command, wherein said susceptors comprise conducting and/or magnetic solid particles capable of induction heating in the presence of an electromagnetic field;
(c) combining said curable liquid precursor and said susceptors, to generate a mixture;
(d) transferring said mixture to an adhesive joint; and
(e) applying an electromagnetic signal to remotely initiate polymerization of said precursor,
wherein said electromagnetic signal, due to an opaque barrier, is not in line-of-sight with any of said curable liquid precursor.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said susceptors are present at a concentration from about 0.1 wt % to about 50 wt % in said mixture.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein said mixture comprises a single susceptor region or layer adjacently disposed in contact with said liquid precursor.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein said mixture comprises multiple susceptors dissolved and/or suspended within said liquid precursor.

Assignees

• Hrl Lab Llc

Inventors

• Xie Tao
• Nowak Andrew P
• Boundy Thomas

Classifications

• C09J163/00

  Adhesives based on epoxy resins; Adhesives based on derivatives of epoxy resins · CPC title

• C09J5/06 Primary

  involving heating of the applied adhesive · CPC title