Light-curing thermoplastic epoxy resin adhesive

1. A polymerizable composition for processing optical components consisting of:

an amount of a cycloaliphatic diepoxide and a cycloaliphatic monoepoxide wherein the molar ratio of the cycloaliphatic diepoxide compound to the cycloaliphatic monoepoxide compound is 1:1 to 10:1;

an amount of a monovalent alcohol having the following structure: R—(CH 2 ) n —OH where n is 1 to 6, R is chosen from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, and a cycloalkyl;

a photopolymerization initiator; and

a resin component chosen from the group consisting of a natural resin, a synthetic resin, and mixtures thereof, wherein the polymerizable composition forms an adhesive thermoplastic oligomer or polymer and the resin component is capable of softening the adhesive thermoplastic oligomer or polymer after polymerization; and optionally

a filler;

a highly disperse silicic acid as a consistency regulator;

a dye;

a solid plasticizer; and

wherein the ratio of the total moles of epoxide groups provided by the amount of the cycloaliphatic diepoxide and cycloaliphatic monoepoxide compounds to the total moles of hydroxyl groups provided by the amount of the monovalent alcohol is from 0.9:1.0 to 4.0:1.0; and

the hydroxyl functionality of all organic compounds of the polymerizable composition having OH group(s) is in the range of from 1.0 to 1.25.

2. The polymerizable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the polymerizable composition does not contain a polyol.

3. The polymerizable composition according to claim 2 , wherein the cycloaliphatic diepoxide and cycloaliphatic monoepoxide compounds are selected from 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl-3,4-epoxycyclohexane carboxylate, bis(3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl) adipate, 2-(3,4-epoxy)cyclohexyl-5,5-spiro(3,4-epoxy)cyclohexane-1,3-dioxane, cyclohexene oxide, vinyl cyclohexene dioxide, vinyl cyclohexene monoxide, or mixtures thereof.

4. The polymerizable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the softening point of a thermoplastic oligomer or polymer obtained from the polymerizable composition, measured according to the ring-and-ball method, is in the range of from 35° C. to 90° C.; and wherein R is chosen from the group consisting of an alkyl and cycloalkyl.

5. The polymerizable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the photopolymerization initiator is chosen from the group consisting of an arylonium salt, a ferrocenium salt, and mixtures thereof.

6. The polymerizable composition according to claim 5 , wherein the photopolymerization initiator is selected from the group consisting of an arylsulfonium hexafluoroantimonate, an arylsulfonium hexafluorophosphate, and mixtures thereof.

7. The polymerizable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of the epoxide groups of the cycloaliphatic diepoxide and cycloaliphatic monoepoxide compounds to the hydroxyl groups of the monovalent alcohol is 1.0:1.0 to 4.0:1.0.

8. The polymerizable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the hydroxyl functionality of all organic compounds of the polymerizable composition having OH group(s) is 1.0.

9. The polymerizable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the resin component comprises at least one resin chosen from the group consisting of a ketone resin, a hydrogenated ketone resin, an aldehyde resin, a hydrogenated colophony, and a pentaerythrol ester colophony.

10. The polymerizable composition according to claim 1 further comprising a filler selected from the group consisting of quartz, glass beads, glass fibers and mixtures thereof and the polymerizable composition further comprises a highly disperse silicic acid as a consistency regulator.

11. The polymerizable composition according to claim 1 further comprising a dye having a low absorption coefficient in the range of 360 to 380 nm and a solid plasticizer and wherein a thermoplastic oligomer or polymer obtained from the polymerizable composition has a softening point, measured according to the ring-and-ball method, in the range of 40° C. to about 80° C.

12. The polymerizable composition according to claim 1 further comprising a solid plasticizer.

13. The polymerizable composition according to claim 9 further comprising a solid plasticizer and the resin component does not have any amine, amide, nitrile, isocyanate, nitro, or carbonyl groups.

14. The polymerizable composition according to claim 13 further comprising a highly disperse silicic acid capable of regulating the consistency of the polymerizable composition.

15. The polymerizable composition according to claim 14 further comprising a filler selected from the group consisting of quartz, glass beads, glass fibers and mixtures thereof.

16. The polymerizable composition according to claim 15 , wherein the molar ratio of the epoxide groups of the cycloaliphatic diepoxide and cycloaliphatic monoepoxide compounds to the hydroxyl groups of the monovalent alcohol is 1.0:1.0 to 4.0:1.0.

17. The polymerizable composition according to claim 9 further comprising a highly disperse silicic acid capable of regulating the consistency of the polymerizable composition.

18. The polymerizable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the resin component comprises a hydrogenated ketone resin, hydrogenated colophony or mixtures thereof.

19. The polymerizable composition according to claim 18 further comprising a highly disperse silicic acid capable of regulating the consistency of the polymerizable composition, a hydrophobized filler, and a solid plasticizer and wherein the molar ratio of the epoxide groups of the cycloaliphatic epoxide compound to the hydroxyl groups of the monovalent alcohol is 1.0:1.0 to 4.0:1.0.

20. The polymerizable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the monovalent alcohol comprises at least one monovalent alcohol chosen from the group consisting of: ethylene glycol monoalkyl ether, diethylene glycol monoalkyl ether, ethylene glycol monoaryl ether, diethylene glycol monoaryl ether, n-hexanol, n-octanol, methoxybutanol, benzyl alcohol, TCD alcohol M (8-hydroxymethyltricyclo[5.2.1.0 2,6 ]decane), cyclohexylmethanol, 2-cyclohexylethanol, and 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol.