Our company is Yixing Wencheng Chemical Co., Ltd., a manufacturer of acrylate series including 2-phenoxyethyl acrylate. We have been engaged in the production and sales of acrylate series and their derivatives for more than 15 years. 2-Phenoxyethyl acrylate (PHEA) is an aromatic monofunctional reactive diluent monomer, suitable for high-end electronic formulations such as liquid photosensitive solder resist, FPC flexible ink, high-density circuit photolithography imaging ink, and AI server PCB photosensitive ink. Unlike polyether monomers such as DPGDA and TPGDA, it is a functional reinforcing monomer in electronic photosensitive inks.

2-Phenoxyethyl acrylate (PHEA) plays multiple core roles in electronic photosensitive ink formulations. This monomer has low viscosity, which can effectively reduce the viscosity of epoxy acrylic photosensitive resin systems and optimize the flowability of screen printing and spray coating. At the same time, it has its own acrylic active double bonds, which can participate in UV cross-linking and curing, avoiding defects such as pinholes and bubbles caused by the evaporation of ordinary solvents. Its unique phenoxy structure can significantly improve the wetting ability and adhesion of inks to copper foil, PI film, FR-4 substrate, and aluminum substrate, and improve defects such as oil floating, film peeling, and edge lifting after development. The benzene ring in its molecular structure provides film rigidity, while the ether linkage imparts flexibility; this perfect balance addresses the brittleness often found in rigid board inks while meeting the flexibility requirements of FPC inks, ensuring they do not crack during bending. Meanwhile, PHEA has an extremely low curing volume shrinkage rate, which can effectively reduce line offset, edge shrinkage and distortion problems during exposure and development, and greatly improve the imaging resolution of fine lines and narrow-pitch lines, making it suitable for high-density PCB manufacturing processes; with a high refractive index of 1.516-1.518, it can optimize the light absorption efficiency of photosensitive resin, making the exposure energy distribution more uniform and significantly improving the imaging clarity of fine lines. Furthermore, its aromatic backbone offers excellent hydrophobicity and chemical stability, effectively boosting the cured film's resistance to water, acidic/alkaline developers, electroless nickel/immersion gold (ENIG) processes, and soldering heat; this prevents failures such as ink seepage and blistering during subsequent electroplating and assembly, comprehensively enhancing the reliability of the finished ink product.

Compared to conventional UV monomers, 2-phenoxyethyl acrylate (PHEA) has outstanding formulation compatibility advantages. This monomer system has excellent compatibility and is well miscible with epoxy acrylic, phenolic epoxy, modified polyurethane photosensitive resin, photoinitiator, pigment and various reactive diluents, effectively avoiding problems such as formulation layering and precipitation. Its monofunctional structure has mild crosslinking and low curing internal stress, which can effectively improve micropores and fine cracks after thick oil layer curing, and improve the appearance yield of the board. At the same time, it has lower odor and lower volatility, which is suitable for the production requirements of electronic cleanrooms and effectively reduces VOC control pressure. It should be noted that due to its aromatic structure, it is prone to yellowing under long-term outdoor ultraviolet radiation, and is only suitable for indoor electronic PCB photosensitive ink systems, not for outdoor weather-resistant topcoat formulations.

Below, we compare PHEA, TPGDA, DPGDA, and IBOA across four dimensions—basic physicochemical parameters, ink formulation properties, application scenarios and recommended dosage, and selection conclusions—using four separate tables:

PHEA (Photosensitive Emulsion for Electronic Use) inks must use high-purity electronic-grade raw materials; the use of ordinary industrial-grade materials is strictly prohibited. The core incoming material control indicators are as follows: purity ≥ 99.5%, color ≤ 15–20 APHA; strict control of phenolic impurities to avoid reduced ink photosensitivity and residual developer; moisture content must be controlled at ≤ 0.03% to prevent damage to the photosensitive resin and viscosity drift during ink storage; precise control of MEHQ polymerization inhibitor content to prevent premature gelation and failure during long-term storage; and strict limitation of aldehydes and trace metal ions to avoid abnormal exposure problems in the photosensitive system caused by metal impurities, ensuring the stability of the electronic ink formulation and the high yield of images. Yixing Wencheng Chemical Co., Ltd. is a high-quality manufacturer of PHEA, and its industrial-grade dipropylene glycol has been widely used in various industries such as electronic photosensitive inks.

With the expansion of production capacity for high-density PCBs, FPCs, AI computing motherboards, and new energy vehicle circuit boards, the demand for functional monomers with high adhesion, low shrinkage, and high imaging accuracy in high-end liquid photosensitive inks continues to rise. Currently, the domestic supply of high-purity electronic-grade PHEA is relatively limited, and most of it relies on imports. For ink manufacturers, securing a stable and high-purity PHEA supply is an important supply chain foundation for entering the high-end electronic photosensitive ink market.

Our company's 2-phenoxyethyl acrylate (PHEA) has been widely and long-term used in the production of PCB inks. With fifteen years of deep industry experience, we remain committed to quality and production stability, and we warmly welcome customers from all sectors to contact us for inquiries and collaboration.