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Research Article

Analyzing Deformation of a Cationic Photopolymerized Epoxy Adhesive during the Curing Process in UV Irradiation and Dark Reaction based on Finite Element Method and Measurement

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Pages 599-615 | Received 04 Jun 2023, Accepted 16 Jul 2023, Published online: 21 Jul 2023
 

ABSTRACT

In the manufacturing of optical products, precise adjustments are made to maintain the optical axis alignment of optical components, which are then securely positioned using adhesives. To achieve positional accuracy at the micron level, it is essential to comprehend the deformation of the adhesive joint over time during processing. This study focuses on investigating the displacement of optical components resulting from the deformation of a cationic photopolymerized epoxy adhesive, which cures under ultraviolet (UV) radiation. First, the conversion of the adhesive was formulated based on a curing reaction model. This conversion can be divided into three stages: the initial reaction during UV irradiation, the subsequent dark reaction, and the reaction induced by heating. Moreover, formulations were developed to describe changes in curing shrinkage, thermal expansion, and viscoelasticity in relation to the conversion. These equations, governing the adhesive properties, were then used to perform finite element method (FEM) simulations to analyze the position of the optical component. Experimental tests on adhesively bonded components were conducted under conditions identical to those employed in the simulation. Throughout the curing process of the adhesive, the optical component was continuously imaged using a coherence-scanning interferometer, enabling the quantification of its displacement from the acquired images. The results of the FEM simulation and experimental analysis exhibited a consistent trend, indicating the effectiveness of the modeling and simulation methods employed in this study. The majority of the displacement of the optical component occurred over several hours during the dark reaction stage, rather than during UV irradiation. Notably, the movement of the optical component was not limited solely to the thickness direction of the adhesive layer because of curing shrinkage but also extends to the in-plane direction because of the non-uniform distribution of the UV irradiation intensity.

Acknowledgments

The authors express their sincere appreciation to Dr. Koyo Ido (Fujikura Ltd.) for creating the program to analyze the images obtained using a coherence-scanning interferometer. Rheological measurements were performed using a rheometer provided by Anton Paar Japan; we express our deep appreciation for this support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Any and all ANSYS, Inc. brand, product, service and feature names, logos and slogans such as Ansys, CFX, Fluent are registered trademarks or trademarks of ANSYS, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States or other countries.