Non-aqueous compositions and articles using stannous alkoxides
A non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition comprises: component (a) comprising a water-insoluble stannous alkoxide complex comprising stannous ions in an amount of at least 1 weight %, and a photocurable component (b), non-photocurable water-insoluble polymer component (c) having a molecular weight of at least 10,000, or both the photocurable component (b) and the non-photocurable water-insoluble polymer component (c). When photocurable component (b) is present, the non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition further comprises photosensitizer component (d) that is different from all of components (a) through (c), in an amount of at least 1 weight %. These compositions can be used to prepare silver particles as “seed” catalysts in various articles that can then be used for other purposes such as electroless plating.
1. A non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition comprising:
component (a) comprising a water-insoluble stannous alkoxide complex comprising stannous ions, which is present in an amount of at least 1 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition, and
a photocurable component (b) including a free radical photoinitiator, or both the photocurable component (b) including the free radical photoinitiator, and a non-photocurable water-insoluble polymer component (c) having a molecular weight of at least 10,000, wherein the non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition further comprises photosensitizer component (d) that is different from all of components (a) through (c), in an amount of at least 1 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition.
2. The non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition of claim 1 , wherein the water-insoluble stannous alkoxide complex is represented by the following Structure (I):
R 1 O—Sn—OR 2 (I)
wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently substituted or unsubstituted alkyl groups comprising 1 to 12 carbon atoms.
3. The non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition of claim 1 , wherein the water-insoluble stannous alkoxide complex has a molecular weight of 3,000 or less.
4. The non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition of claim 1 wherein the water-insoluble stannous alkoxide complex is attached to a free radically photocurable material that is the same as or different from the photocurable component (b).
5. The non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition of claim 1 , wherein the water-insoluble stannous alkoxide complex is present in an amount of at least 1 weight % and up to and including 30 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition.
6. The non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition of claim 1 , wherein the photocurable component (b) includes the free radical photoinitiator in an amount of at least 0.1 weight % and up to and including 10 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition.
7. The non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition of claim 1 , further comprises an inert solvent.
8. The non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition of claim 1 , comprising photocurable component (b) that also acts as an organic solvent for the water-insoluble stannous alkoxide composition and no inert organic solvents are purposely added to the water-insoluble stannous alkoxide composition.
9. The non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition of claim 1 , further comprising one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: carbon black, graphite, graphene, carbon nanotubes, carbon-coated copper nanoparticles, and carbon-coated silver nanoparticles, each in an amount of at least 0.5 weight % based on the total weight of the water-insoluble stannous alkoxide composition.
10. A precursor article comprising a substrate and having disposed on at least one supporting surface thereof, a non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition comprising:
component (a) comprising a water-insoluble stannous alkoxide complex comprising stannous ions, which is present in an amount of at least 1 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition, and
a photocurable component (b) including a free radical photoinitiator or both the photocurable component (b) including the free radical photoinitiator, and a non-photocurable water-insoluble polymer component (c) having a molecular weight of at least 10,000, wherein the non-aqueous
stannous alkoxide composition further comprises photosensitizer component (d) that is different from all of components (a) through (c), in an amount of at least 1 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition.
11. The precursor article of claim 10 , wherein the non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition is disposed on the at least one supporting surface of the substrate in a patternwise fashion.