How to Select Raw Materials for UV Coatings


UV coatings are widely used in numerous industries—including ink printing, furniture manufacturing, wood processing, paper coating, and plastic finishing—thanks to their rapid curing speed, environmental friendliness, energy efficiency, and superior coating performance. The performance of UV coatings largely depends on the selection of raw materials; this article provides a comprehensive overview of how to scientifically and rationally choose the appropriate raw materials for UV coatings, including oligomers, reactive diluents, photoinitiators, and additives.

I. Selection of Oligomers

Oligomers are fundamental components of UV coatings, directly influencing the coating’s physical and chemical properties. When selecting oligomers, it is essential to comprehensively consider both the performance requirements of the coating and the characteristics of the substrate.

1. Performance requirements for coatings

(1) Hardness and Wear Resistance: For coatings requiring high hardness and excellent wear resistance, unsaturated polyester or polyurethane oligomers are ideal choices, as they can form robust coatings that effectively resist scratches and abrasion.

(2) Flexibility and Adhesion: For coatings requiring high flexibility and adhesion, polyether‑ or amino‑based oligomers are more suitable, as they impart superior coating elasticity and ensure a strong bond between the coating and the substrate.

(3) Chemical resistance: If the coating is required to withstand chemical attack, oligomers containing specific functional groups—such as ester, ether, or urethane groups—should be selected to enhance the coating’s chemical resistance.

(4) Weather Resistance: For coatings intended for outdoor use, it is necessary to select oligomers that can withstand ultraviolet radiation, humidity fluctuations, and temperature variations, such as specially modified polyurethane or acrylic oligomers.

2. Properties of the Substrate

(1) Metal substrates: It is necessary to select oligomers with excellent adhesion and corrosion‑resistance properties, such as polyurethane‑based oligomers.

(2) Wood substrates: Wood places high demands on the flexibility and penetration of coatings; polyether oligomers are frequently used in wood coatings due to their excellent flexibility and strong penetrability into wood.

(3) Plastic substrates: It is necessary to select oligomers that are compatible with the plastic substrate and exhibit strong adhesion, such as specially modified acrylate-based oligomers.

(4) Concrete and stone substrates: These substrates require coatings with excellent durability and weather resistance; unsaturated polyester resins or specially modified polyurethane oligomers are ideal choices.

II. Selection of Reactive Diluents

In UV coatings, reactive diluents not only serve to thin the formulation but also participate in the photopolymerization reaction. When selecting a reactive diluent, the following factors should be taken into account:

1. Low toxicity: Select active diluents with low odor, low volatility, and low irritancy to minimize harm to operators and environmental pollution.

2. Low Viscosity: Low-viscosity reactive diluents can effectively reduce the system’s viscosity and enhance the coating’s flowability.

3. Low‑chroma: Particularly in achromatic and white systems, low‑chroma reactive diluents help maintain the coating’s transparency and purity.

4. High Reactivity: Active diluents with a high reaction rate can accelerate the photocuring process, save energy, and enhance production efficiency.

5. High solubility: The reactive diluent should be able to fully dissolve the photoinitiator and exhibit good compatibility with the resin, thereby preventing phase separation or precipitation.

6. Thermal Stability: Select an active diluent with excellent thermal stability to ensure consistent performance during processing, transportation, and storage.

III. Selection of Photoinitiators

Photoinitiators are a key component of UV coatings, directly influencing both curing efficiency and curing quality. When selecting a photoinitiator, the following factors should be taken into account:

1. Absorption Spectrum: The absorption spectrum of the photoinitiator must match the emission band of the radiation source and exhibit a high molar extinction coefficient to ensure efficient absorption of light energy.

2. Stability: The photoinitiator and its photolysis products shall be non‑toxic and odorless, and shall not readily decompose or undergo side reactions during storage.

3. Initiation Efficiency: Select photoinitiators with high initiation efficiency and rapid initiation rates to reduce production costs and enhance manufacturing productivity.

4. Solubility: Photoinitiators should exhibit good solubility and reactivity, with excellent compatibility with oligomers and reactive diluents, thereby ensuring the stability and homogeneity of the coating system.

IV. Selection of Additives

Additives play a crucial role in UV coatings by enhancing application performance and improving coating quality. When selecting additives, it is essential to consider the specific requirements:

1. Defoamer: Select a defoamer with excellent compatibility with the coating system and strong defoaming performance to eliminate foam during application.

2. Leveling agent: Select an appropriate leveling agent based on the coating type and application conditions to enhance the coating’s leveling and smoothness.

3. Wetting and dispersing agents: Select wetting and dispersing agents with high dispersing efficiency and excellent stability to promote the uniform dispersion of pigments and fillers.

4. Adhesion Promoter: Select an adhesion promoter with excellent performance based on the substrate type to enhance the bond between the coating and the substrate.

5. Other additives, such as matting agents and polymerization inhibitors, must also be selected according to specific requirements to ensure the overall performance of the coating.

V. Summary

The selection of oligomers, reactive diluents, photoinitiators, and additives is a critical step in formulating UV coatings, directly influencing the coating’s performance, environmental compatibility, and cost-effectiveness. Appropriately choosing these raw materials can substantially enhance the coating’s physical and chemical properties, meeting the requirements of various substrates and application scenarios. By making scientifically sound material selections, UV coatings can achieve superior performance while maximizing economic benefits.

Disclaimer: The above content has been compiled from publicly available sources and is provided for reference only. If any infringement occurs, please contact us, and we will address it promptly.

Bossin Related Product Recommendations – 3C Coatings
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B-102 Bisphenol A epoxy acrylate High hardness, high gloss, chemical resistance, contains 15% TMPTA.
B-151 Modified epoxy acrylate Low halogen, yellowing-resistant, excellent plating performance, and strong adhesion.
B-165 Modified epoxy acrylate Good flexibility and strong adhesion
B-216 Aliphatic polyurethane acrylate Fast curing, high fullness, and excellent toughness.
B-368 Aliphatic polyurethane acrylate Good toughness, excellent leveling, excellent bend resistance, and excellent heat resistance.
B-574C Polyester acrylate Low viscosity, low odor, excellent wettability, suitable for LED UV.
B-601 Aromatic polyurethane acrylate High hardness, scratch resistance, chemical resistance, and excellent cost-effectiveness.
B-6019 Special functional group acrylate Good leveling, excellent wettability, resistant to boiling water, and superior color dispersion.
B-609 Aliphatic polyurethane acrylate Fast curing, high hardness, scratch resistance, and chemical resistance.
B-615A Aliphatic polyurethane acrylate Fast curing, excellent toughness, wear resistance, and chemical resistance.
B-619W Aliphatic polyurethane acrylate Fast curing, high hardness, excellent toughness, wear resistance, and chemical resistance.
B-6380N Special functional group acrylate Excellent adhesion to plastics, strong hiding power, and improved paint film appearance.
B-919B Aliphatic polyurethane acrylate Fast curing, high hardness, excellent toughness, and outstanding chemical and wear resistance.
Matte
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B-572 Polyester acrylate Low viscosity, low odor, excellent wettability, suitable for LED UV.
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B-6211 Aliphatic polyurethane acrylate Fast curing, high hardness, scratch-resistant, and free of organotin.
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B-868 Organosilicon photocurable resin Good leveling, smooth finish, fast curing, and stain resistance.
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B-374 Aliphatic polyurethane acrylate Excellent flexibility, good leveling, resistant to abrasion and chemicals, and resistant to yellowing.
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B-916 Aliphatic polyurethane acrylate Low viscosity, solvent resistance, chemical resistance, and steel-wool resistance.
B-919B Aliphatic polyurethane acrylate Fast curing, high hardness, excellent toughness, and outstanding chemical and wear resistance.
Resistant to steel wool
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B-910A2 Aliphatic polyurethane acrylate Low viscosity, yellowing resistance, chemical resistance, and steel-wool resistance.
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B-919B Aliphatic polyurethane acrylate Fast curing, high hardness, excellent toughness, and outstanding chemical and wear resistance.
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Solid color paint
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B-560 Polyester acrylate Fast curing and excellent pigment wetting.
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B-151 Modified epoxy acrylate Low halogen, yellowing-resistant, excellent plating performance, and strong adhesion.
B-160D Modified epoxy acrylate Good flexibility, yellowing resistance, and excellent adhesion.
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B-431 Cycloaliphatic Specialty Acrylate Yellowing-resistant, excellent wettability, low viscosity, fast curing
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BM3231 (TMPTA) Trimethylolpropane triacrylate High crosslink density, high hardness, high gloss, and excellent wear resistance.
BM3235 (PET3A) Pentaerythritol triacrylate Fast curing, high crosslink density, high hardness, and chemical resistance.
BM3380 (3EO-TMPTA) Pentaerythritol triacrylate More flexible and less irritating than TMPTA.
BM4241 (DiTMPTA-80) Bis(2,3-dihydroxypropyl) tetraacrylate High crosslink density, high hardness, chemical and wear resistance, and water resistance.
BM4242 (Di-TMPTA) Bis-trimethylolpropane tetraacrylate High crosslink density, high hardness, chemical and wear resistance, and water resistance.
BM6261 (DPHA-80) Dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate High crosslink density, high hardness, chemical and wear resistance, and water resistance.
BM6263 (DPHA-90) Dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate High crosslink density, high hardness, chemical and wear resistance, and water resistance.

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