UV-curable coatings are a boon to the paint industry, as they not only reduce VOCs but also speed up production processes and provide protective, durable and attractive finishes. UV-curable polyurethane acrylates have been synthesized from polyester polyol (1,6-hexanediol, adipic acid and ethylene glycol), toluene diisocyanate and three types of reactive diluents i.e., ethoxylated phenol monoacrylate (EOPA), 1,6-hexanediol -diacrylate (HDDA) and trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA). In this paper several formulations of UV-curable polyurethane acrylate resins were used to study the effect of reactive diluents on performance properties. It was observed from the results that UV-cured polyurethane acrylate resin films on metal surfaces exhibit excellent gloss (60°), mechanical, and chemical- and stain-resistant properties.
Light-induced polymerization of multifunctional monomers is one of the most efficient methods to rapidly synthesize highly crosslinked polymer networks.This technique has been applied commercially in printing, thin film coatings and adhesives.