ADEKA has developed an environment-conscious photocation polymerization initiator (ADEKA OPTOMER SP-300), and put it on the market. It is highly safe because boron-based onium salt is used as an anionic constituent. It is comparable to conventional versions in sensitive curability and stability with time.

Photocation polymerization (light curing) has been conventionally initiated by using onium salt, which is based on a metal ion (antimony acid hexafluoride ion) as an anion constituent, but with recent growth in safety awareness around the world, the arrival of an anion constituent that does not use antimony, which has a possibility of toxicity and carcinogenicity, has long been a waited.

A photocation polymerization (light curing) initiator is used to polymerize (cure) a prepolymer of epoxy resin or oxetane resin by using an acid generated by photolysis. Prepolymer is given about 1% photocation polymerization initiator and irradiated with ultraviolet rays to cure epoxy resin.

Epoxy resin is generally cured by adding a phenol-based curing agent and heating (at about 200°C), but on the other hand, because curing by ultraviolet irradiation can be used for heat-sensitive materials (backing materials) as well, it sees growing demand in areas such as "photocoating", "photoadhesion" and "photoformation." Specifically, applications such as hard coating on optical film and ID cards, adhesion of mobile phone parts and camera lenses and various other kinds of precision equipment are expected.

Since this material can give quick-drying or delayed property depending on the applications, unlike thermosetting agents, it can therefore be promoted in a wide range of areas including optical devices such as adhesion of lenses, light-emitting diodes (LED)and semiconductor lasers (LD), and electronic parts like tape automated bonding (TAB) connector stickers.

Moreover, higher production efficiency can be expected with this material which requires less curing time, and it has environmental advantages by reducing CO₂ emissions with less energy required for curing than thermosetting.