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Application of High-Performance UV Resins in Vacuum Electroplating Coatings
Release time:
2016-05-10 16:04
I. Overview of Plastic Electroplating
1. Plastic materials are widely used, easy to mold, and lightweight. Injection molding with molds offers excellent dimensional stability and can achieve surface finishes that are difficult to replicate with any metal material.
2. After electroplating, the surface becomes metallized, giving it an excellent metallic texture.
3. It can serve the purposes of decoration, shielding against electromagnetic interference, reflection, or anti-reflection.
Common materials used in electroplating
Easily adhered materials: ABS, PC, ABS+PC
Non-polar materials: PP, PE
Rigid materials: PBT, PET, BMC, PPA
II. Vacuum Plating Process
1. Two sprays, two baking sessions
Suitable for most crafts, cosmetics, and the housings of certain 3C electronic products;
Plastic substrate → Spray UV primer → Vacuum plating → Spray UV topcoat
Schematic diagram of the two-coat process
2. Three sprays, three baking sessions
Plastic substrate → UV primer → Vacuum plating → UV intermediate coat → UV topcoat
Schematic diagram of the three-coat process
The middle coat can accommodate laser engraving and color adjustment.
3. Special treatment agents (coatings) are generally applied in two coats.
Plastic substrate → UV primer → Vacuum plating → Surface treatment agent → UV topcoat
Schematic diagram of the two-coat process
The coating treatment agent is designed to enhance the adhesion between the topcoat and the coating. It employs a basic “wet-on-wet” process.
4. Special materials (including fiber substrates)
Such materials are relatively difficult to adhere to under UV irradiation. Meanwhile, fiberglass, being lightweight, tends to float to the surface of the coating film, forming protrusions that result in poor appearance. In conventional processes, thermoplastic or hydroxypropyl self-drying systems are used to serve as interlayer transition agents and to “seal” the fibers.
Plastic substrate → Spray treatment agent → UV primer → Vacuum plating → UV intermediate coat → UV topcoat
III. Introduction to Vacuum-Plated UV Primer
Performance requirements
(1) Substrate adhesion; (2) Coating adhesion; (3) Resistance to boiling water; (4) Leveling/opacity; (5) High temperature and high humidity; (6) Thermal expansion and contraction.
Formula Concept
| Formula framework | Performance demonstration | Recommended corresponding products |
| Macromolecular Two-Functional PUA | Adhesion, boil-resistant | B-268M, B-221, B-285 |
| Two-component oligomer | Increase hardness, accelerate curing rate | B-151, B-153, B-102, B-216 |
| 4-6 monomers or oligomers | Increase hardness, crosslink density | B-619W, B-618, B-574 |
| 2-3 single officials | Improve the conversion rate of the double bond | PET3A, TMPTA |
| Macromolecular acrylic resin | Sprayability, anti-sagging, anti-edge buildup, opacity | B-6315A, B-6610 |
| Photoinitiator | Provide free radicals | 184, BDK, 1173 |
| Additive | Improve surface finish and substrate wetting. | Tego2100, Byk37, 1EFKA3777 |
| Mixed solvent | Reduce viscosity |
Formula Example 1
| Raw materials | Weight percentage | Instructions |
| B-285 | 11.5 | Adhesion, water resistance, flexibility |
| B-153 | 8 | Flexibility, shrinkage resistance |
| B-102 | 13 | Curing speed, film hardness, and cost advantages |
| TMPTA | 14.5 | Double-bond conversion rate |
| 184 | 1.7 | Provide free radicals |
| BDK | 1 | Deep curing |
| Byk371 | 0.3 | Substrate wetting |
| Mixed solvent | 50 | Reduce viscosity |
| Total | 100 | |
| Note: Cost-effective formula, suitable for cosmetics, crafts, and 3C electronic products. | ||
Formula Example 2
| Raw materials | Weight percentage | Instructions |
| B-268M | 9.5 | Adhesion, water resistance, flexibility |
| B-151 | 10 | Flexibility, shrinkage resistance |
| B-618 | 5 | Curing speed, coating film hardness |
| TMPTA | 12.5 | Double-bond conversion rate |
| 184 | 1.7 | Provide free radicals |
| BDK | 1 | Deep curing |
| Byk371 | 0.3 | Substrate wetting |
| Mixed solvent | 60 | Reduce viscosity |
| Total | 100 | |
| Note: Steel-tin plating is suitable for 3C electronic products. | ||
Formula Example 3
| Raw materials | Weight percentage | Instructions |
| B-151 | 6 | Flexibility, adhesion |
| B-221 | 10 | Good plating performance, water resistance |
| B-618 | 5 | Crosslinking density |
| B-6080 | 25 | Film-forming, anti-sagging, and bone-exposed. |
| 184 | 1.6 | Provide free radicals |
| B-21 | 2.2 | Thin-coat antioxidant and polymerization inhibitor |
| Byk371 | 0.2 | Substrate wetting |
| Mixed solvent | 300 | Viscosity reduction, workability |
| Total | 350 | |
| Note: Brushed finish, CD texture with thin coating; film thickness: 3–6 µm. | ||
Formula Example 4
| Raw materials | Weight percentage | Instructions |
| B-285D | 22 | Adhesion, water resistance, flexibility |
| B-151 | 8 | Flexibility, shrinkage resistance |
| B-574 | 8 | Curing speed, enhancing double-bond conversion rate |
| B-6080 | 4 | Film-forming property, anti-sagging |
| TMPTA | 10 | Double-bond conversion rate |
| 184 | 1.7 | Provide free radicals |
| BDK | 1 | Deep curing |
| Byk371 | 0.3 | Substrate wetting |
| Mixed solvent | 45 | Reduce viscosity |
| Total | 100 | |
| Note: Steel-tin plating is suitable for 3C electronic products. | ||
IV. Introduction to the UV Mid-Coat for Vacuum Plating
Performance requirements
(1) Coating adhesion; (2) Topcoat adhesion; (3) Buffer topcoat; (4) Laser engraving; (5) Coloring.
Formula Concept
| Formula framework | Performance demonstration | Recommended corresponding products |
| High-molecular-weight host resin | Adhesion, pigment carrier | B-6371-3, B-6380NY, B-6580 |
| 2-3 official PUA | Flexibility, recoat adhesion | B-216, B-206, B-221 |
| Monomer | Adhesion | B-02, HEMA |
| Photoinitiator | Free radicals, color-curing | 184, 1173, TPO |
| Mixed solvent | Reduce viscosity |
Formula Example 1
| Raw materials | Weight percentage | Instructions |
| B-6371-3 | 15.2 | Adhesion, film-forming base, curing speed |
| B-216 | 3.1 | Flexibility |
| B-6080 | 48 | Anti-curing shrinkage |
| B-02 | 0.5 | Provide adhesion |
| TPO | 0.8 | Free radical |
| Mixed solvent | 75.6 | Reduce viscosity |
Formula Example 2
| Raw materials | Weight percentage | Instructions |
| B-6380NY | 13.2 | Adhesion, film-forming base, curing speed |
| B-206 | 3.6 | Flexibility |
| B-6080 | 5.3 | Anti-curing shrinkage |
| TPO | 0.5 | Provide free radicals |
| B-02 | 0.8 | Provide adhesion |
| EFKA3777 | 0.4 | Wettability, leveling performance |
| Mixed solvent | 75.5 | Reduce viscosity |
V. Introduction to Vacuum-Plated UV Topcoat
Performance requirements
(1) Adhesion; (2) Hardness; (3) Abrasion resistance; (4) Salt spray resistance; (5) Resistance to hand sweat; (6) Solvent resistance; (7) Cold and thermal shrinkage; (8) High temperature and high humidity; (9) Boil-water resistance.
Formula Concept
| Formula architecture | Performance demonstration | Recommended corresponding products |
| High-molecular-weight resin | Adhesion, key performance characteristics | B-6580, B6371-3, B-6380NY, B-6315 |
| High-functional low-molecular-weight PUA | Hardness, wear resistance | B-919B, B-618, B-619W, B-675, B-368 |
| 2-3 functional PUA | Improve flexibility | B-216, B-206 |
| Organic-inorganic hybrid resin/monomer | Improve wear-resistant basic properties | B-80, B-858 |
| Silicone PUA | Reduce the coefficient of friction | B-811 |
| Monomer | Improve adhesion and enhance double-bond conversion rate. | HEMA, IBOA, DPHA, TMPTA |
| Photoinitiator | Provide free radicals | 184. TPO |
| Additive | Improve surface finish | Byk333, Tego450, EFKA3883 |
| Mixed additive | Reduce viscosity |
Formula Example 1
| Raw materials | Formula wt% | Instructions |
| B-6315A | 18 | Film-forming properties, anti-shrinkage, curing speed |
| B-619W | 8 | Crosslinking density, abrasion resistance |
| B-102 | 8 | Curing speed, low cost |
| TMPTA | 5 | Double-bond conversion rate |
| B-02 | 1 | Improve adhesion |
| 184 | 1.2 | Provide free radicals |
| TPO | 0.5 | Colored system curing |
| Byk333 | 0.3 | Surface effect |
| Mixed solvent | 58 | Reduce viscosity |
| Note: Low cost, suitable for two coats with light colors; cosmetics, crafts. | ||
Formula Example 2
| Raw materials | Formula wt% | Instructions |
| B-618 | 18 | Crosslinking density, abrasion resistance |
| B-6315 | 10.5 | Film-forming properties, anti-shrinkage, curing speed |
| B-216 | 6 | Flexibility |
| B-02 | 1 | Improve adhesion |
| 184 | 1.2 | Provide free radicals |
| TPO | 0.5 | Colored system curing |
| Byk333 | 0.3 | Surface effect |
| Mixed solvent | 62.5 | Reduce viscosity |
| Note: 3C electronic products are subject to environmental testing requirements. | ||
Formula Example 3
| Raw materials | Formula wt% | Instructions |
| B-618 | 14 | Hardness, wear resistance, high temperature and high humidity, salt spray |
| B-6080 | 12 | Resists shrinkage and provides toughness. |
| B-811 | 3.6 | Increase lubricity, reduce the coefficient of friction. |
| B-858 | 5 | Add inorganic fillers to enhance wear resistance. |
| DPHA | 7 | Crosslinking density, abrasion resistance |
| HEMA | 3 | Reduce curing shrinkage |
| B-02 | 1 | Improve adhesion |
| 184 | 1 | Provide free radicals |
| TPO | 0.5 | Colored system curing |
| Byk333 | 0.4 | Surface effect |
| Mixed solvent | 52.5 | Reduce viscosity |
| Note: 3C electronics, vibration-resistant and wear-resistant | ||
Formula Example 4
| Raw materials | Formula wt% | Instructions |
| B-6580 | 20.5 | Adhesion, film-forming properties |
| B-574 | 10 | Curing speed |
| B-6080 | 3 | Anti-curing shrinkage, adhesion |
| HEMA | 3.5 | Reduce curing shrinkage |
| B-02 | 1 | Improve adhesion |
| 184 | 2 | Provide free radicals |
| TPO | 0.7 | Colored system curing |
| Byk333 | 0.3 | Surface effect |
| Mixed solvent | 59 | Reduce viscosity |
| Note: Cosmetics, 3C electronic products, two-coat colored surface | ||
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