Polymerisation initiators, polymerisable compositions, and uses thereof for bonding low surface energy substrates

1. A polymerisable adhesive composition for bonding a low surface energy substrate to a similar or different substrate, comprising:

a) at least one free-radically polymerisable monomer component,

b) an effective amount of an initiator system for initiating polymerisation of the free-radically polymerisable monomer, wherein said initiator system comprises a compound of the formula I:

 wherein R 1 is C 1 –C 10 alkyl,

R 2 , R 3 and R 4 , which may be the same or different, are selected from the group consisting of C 1 –C 10 alkyl or C 3 –C 10 cycloalkyl, phenyl, and phenyl-substituted C 1 –C 10 alkyl or C 3 –C 10 cycloalkyl, provided that any two of R 1 –R 4 may optionally be part of a carbocyclic ring, and

M + is a metal ion, or a quaternary ammonium cation, and

c) an aziridine-functional material.

2. A composition according to claim 1 which is a two-part composition in which the free-radically polymerisable monomer component is provided in one part and the initiator compound of the formula I is provided in the other part.

3. A two-part polymerisable adhesive composition according to claim 1 comprising:

part A) an effective amount of a polymerisation initiator comprising a compound of the formula I as defined above, and a carrier which is inert to the compound of formula I;

part B) at least one (meth)acrylate monomer, optionally with a toughener, acidic monomer, filler or thickener.

4. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the initiator compound is of formula I in which each of R 1 –R 4 is a C 2 –C 6 alkyl group.

5. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the initiator compound is of formula I in which each of R 1 R 4 is a C 2 –C 4 alkyl group.

6. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the initiator compound is of formula I in which M+ is an alkali metal ion.

7. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the initiator compound is of formula I in which M+ is a quaternary ammonium cation of the formula II:

wherein R 5 –R 8 , which may be the same or different, are C 1 –C 10 alkyl, C 1 –C 10 alkenyl, C 3 –C 10 cycloalkyl, aryl, C 1 –C 10 alkylaryl, arylC 1 –C 10 alkyl or arylC 1 –C 10 cycloalkyl, provided that any two of R 5 –R 8 may be part of an optionally unsaturated carbocyclic ring.

8. A composition according to claim 6 wherein the alkali metal salt is selected from sodium tetraethylborate and lithium tetraethylborate.

9. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the initiator compound is of formula I in which three of R 1 –R 4 are the same C 1 –C 10 alkyl group and one of R 1 –R 4 is phenyl or phenyl-substituted C 1 –C 10 alkyl.

10. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the initiator compound is of formula I in which three of R 1 –R 4 are the same C 2 –C 4 alkyl group and one of R 1 –R 4 is phenyl.

11. A composition according to claim 9 wherein the initiator compound is selected from the group consisting of lithium phenyl triethyl borate and sodium phenyl triethyl borate.

12. A composition according to claim 1 , further comprising a polyolefin filler.

13. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the free-radically polymerisable monomer component comprises a (meth)acrylic monomer.

14. A composition according to claim 12 , wherein the free-radically polymerisable monomer component comprises at least two (meth)acrylic monomers.

15. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the quantity of the initiator compound of formula I is such as to provide 0.01% to 5% by weight, particularly 0.01% to 2% by weight of boron in the total composition.

16. A composition according to claim 1 , which includes an acidic monomer which is free-radically polymerisable.

17. A method for bonding a low surface energy substrate to a similar or different substrate, wherein the method comprises applying a composition according to claim 1 to at least one of the substrates, bringing the substrates together with the composition between them and allowing the composition to cure.

18. A method for bonding a low surface energy substrate to a similar or different substrate, wherein the method comprises mixing parts A and B of a two part adhesive composition according to claim 2 immediately prior to use in order to initiate polymerisation, applying the mixed adhesive composition to at least one of the substrates, bringing the substrates together and allowing the composition to cure by completion of the polymerisation initiated on mixing of the two parts A and B.

19. A cured adhesive composition comprising the polymerisation product of a composition according to claim 1 .

20. A bonded article comprising two substrates bonded by the polymerisation product of a composition according to claim 1 .

21. A bond formed between two substrates by the polymerisation product of a composition according to claim 1 .

22. A composition, according to claim 1 , further comprising

d) an effective amount of a compound that is reactive with the compound of formula I to free an organoborane from the compound of formula I and thus to initiate polymerisation of the at least one free-radically polymerisable monomer.

23. A system capable of initiating the polymerisation of a (meth)acrylic monomer for bonding a low surface energy substrate to a similar or different substrate, the system comprising:

a) a composition according to claim 1 ; and

b) an effective amount of a compound that is reactive with the compound of formula I to free an organoborane from the compound of formula I.

24. A composite article comprising a first substrate and a second substrate bonded to the first substrate by an acrylic adhesive, wherein at least one of the first or second substrates is a low surface energy substrate and wherein the acrylic adhesive comprises the polymerisation product of a polymerisable acrylic composition that comprised:

a) a composition according to claim 1 , and

b) an effective amount of a compound that is reactive with the compound of formula I to free an organoborane from the compound of formula I and thus to initiate polymerisation of the at least one (meth)acrylic monomer.

25. A method of bonding a low surface energy polymer to a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:

i) providing a low surface energy polymer;

ii) providing a substrate;

iii) providing an adhesive composition according to claim 22 ;

iv) applying the adhesive composition to either the low surface energy polymer or the substrate;

v) joining the low surface energy polymer and the substrate with the adhesive composition therebetween; and

vi) permitting the adhesive composition to cure to adhesively bond the low surface energy polymer and the substrate.