Curable composition

Claim 2

A composition comprising (a) a curable polyimide soluble in organic solvents and (b) a polymerization initiator as essential components, said polyimide consisting of recurring units represented by the formula wherein, each of X, X l , X 2 , X 3 and X 4 is a tetravalent carbocyclic or heterocyclic residue, each of Y I , Y 2 and Y 3 is a divalent carbocyclic or heterocyclic residue, at least one of Z 1 and Z 2 is a residue having a reactive carbon-carbon double bond, and each of I, m, and n is 0 or an integer of up to 20.

Claim 3

The curable composition of Claim 1, wherein X in formula [I] is a residue represented by the formula wherein a is 0 or 1 and X' is

Claim 4

The curable composition of Claim 1 or 2, wherein X in formula [I] is a residue represented by the following formula X(A) or X(B):

Claim 5

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 3, wherein each of X 1 , X 2 , X 3 and X 4 in formula [I] is an aromatic hydrocarbon residue of 6 to 20 carbon atoms or a residue represented by the formula wherein b is 0 or 1 and X" is

Claim 6

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 4, wherein each of X 1 , X 2 , X 3 and X 4 in formula [I] is a residue represented by the following formula X(C) of X(D):

Claim 7

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 5, wherein at least one of Z 1 and Z 2 in formula [I] is a residue represented by the following formula (Za) to (Zf): wherein each of R 5 and R 6 is wherein R 7 is

Claim 8

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 6, wherein at least one of Z 1 and Z 2 in formula [I] is a residue represented by the following formula Z(A), Z(B) or Z(C):

Claim 9

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 7, wherein Z 1 or Z 2 , in formula [I], having no reactive carbon-carbon double bond is an aromatic hydrocarbon residue of 6 to 30 carbon atoms.

Claim 10

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 8, wherein Z 1 or Z 2 , in formula [I], having no reactive carbon-carbon double bond is a residue represented by the following formula Z(A) to Z(D):

Claim 11

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 9, wherein I, m, and n in formula [I] are all 0.

Claim 12

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 10, wherein each of Y 1 , Y 2 and Y 3 in formula [I] is a residue represented by the formula wherein c is 0 or 1, Y' is each of R 1 and R 3 is alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and each of R 2 and R 4 is hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

Claim 13

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 11, wherein each of Y 1 , Y 2 and Y 3 in formula [I] is a residue represented by the formula wherein each of R 1 and R 3 is ―CH 3 , ―CH 2 CH 3 , or ―CH(CH 3)2 and each of R 2 and R 4 is ―H, ―CH 3 , ―CH 2 CH 3 , or -CH(CH 3 ) 2 , preferably a residue represented by the formula

Claim 14

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 10, wherein each of Y 1 , Y 2 and Y 3 in formula [I] is a residue represented by the formula wherein X is as defined in Claim 1 and Y" is an aromatic hydrocarbon residue of 6 to 30 carbon atoms.

Claim 15

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 10, wherein each of Y 1 , Y 2 and Y 3 in formula [I] is a residue represented by the formula wherein m is 0 or 1 and Y" is

Claim 16

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 14, which further comprises a compound having at least one active carbon-carbon double bond.

Claim 17

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 15, which comprises further a polyacrylate compound.

Claim 18

The curable composition of Claims 1 to 16, which comprises further a compound represented by the formula wherein n is a number of 1 to 10, which preferably is tetraethylene glycol diacrylate.

Claim 19

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 17, which comprises further an imide compound represented by the formula wherein R 8 is an organic residue containing no reactive carbon-carbon double bond.

Claim 20

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 18, which comprises further a photosensitive polyimide precursor consisting of recurring units represented by the formula wherein X is a (2 + n)-valent carbocyclic or heterocyclic residue, Y is a (2 + m)-valent carbocyclic or heterocyclic residue, Z is R is hydrogen or a hydrocarbon residue, W is a residue which, on heat treatment, reacts with the carbonyl of COOR to release ROH and form a ring, n is 1. or 2, m is 0, 1 or 2 and COOR and Z are at positions ortho or peri to each other.

Claim 21

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 19, in which said polymerization initiator is an oxime type initiator represented by the formula - wherein each of Rg, R io and R 11 is a residue containing no reactive carbon-carbon bond, preferably 1,3-diphenyl-propanetrione-2-(O-ethoxycarbonyl)oxime.

Claim 22

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 20, wherein the content of the polymerization initiator is from 0.1 to 15% by weight, preferably from 0.1 to 10% by weight based on the polyimide used as component (a).

Claim 23

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 21, wherein the content of the compound having at least one active carbon-carbon double bond is up to 20% by weight based on the polyimide used as component (a).

Claim 24

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 22, wherein the content of the photosensitive polyimide precursor is up to 50% by weight based on the polyimide used as component (a).

Claim 25

The curable composition of any of the Claims 1 to 23, which comprises further as a sensitizer a combination of bis(dialkylamino)benzophenone, a mercapto-containing aromatic heterocyclic compound, and a compound represented by the formula

Claim 26

wherein R 12 is hydrogen or an aliphatic or aromatic residue which may or may not contain hydroxyl(s), preferably a combination of 4,4'-bis-(diethylamino)benzophenone, 1-phenyl-5-mercapto-1H-tetrazole, and N-phenylethanolamino.

Claim 27

wherein R 12 is hydrogen or an aliphatic or aromatic residue which may or may not contain hydroxyl(s), preferably a combination of 4,4'-bis-(diethylamino)benzophenone, 1-phenyl-5-mercapto-1H-tetrazole, and N-phenylethanolamino.

Claim 28

Use of the curable composition according to any of the Claims 1 to 24, for manufacturing heat-resistant films on which images are printable by an optical means.