High-Solid UV-Curable Coating Composition with Low Solvent Content

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional UV-curable coating compositions contain high levels of volatile organic solvents, leading to environmental pollution, health hazards, and ineffective energy use, as well as issues with substrate deformation and poor mechanical properties.

Innovation Solution

A high-solid UV-curable coating composition with 10% by weight or less of organic solvent, comprising 20 to 60% reactive acrylate oligomer with 4 to 9 functional groups, 20 to 60% UV-curable monomer, and 1 to 10% photoinitiator, which is formulated to reduce solvent content and enhance workability and environmental acceptability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If conventional UV-curable coating compositions are used with high volatile organic solvent content (45-60% by weight), then the coating composition provides adequate workability and film formation, but it causes air pollution, worker health problems, substrate deformation, and ineffective energy use

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironmental pollution and health hazardsVSAvoidworkability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the key parameter of solvent content from conventional 45-60% by weight to 10% by weight or less, transforming the coating composition from a high-solvent system to a high-solid UV-curable system. This parameter change eliminates environmental and health hazards while maintaining workability through optimized formulation of reactive acrylate oligomers and UV-curable monomers

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite coating system combining reactive acrylate oligomers (20-60% by weight), UV-curable monomers (20-60% by weight), and photoinitiators (1-10% by weight) in a low-solvent matrix. This composite material approach allows the formulation to achieve both low solvent content and adequate workability through the synergistic interaction of multiple functional components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Quantity of substance

If high-solid UV-curable coating composition with low solvent content (10% by weight or less) is used, then environmental acceptability and workability are improved, but the composition must carefully balance multiple components to achieve proper viscosity and coating film properties

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesolvent contentVSAvoidformulation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent specifies precise parameter ranges for each component: reactive acrylate oligomers (20-60% by weight), UV-curable monomers (20-60% by weight), and photoinitiators (1-10% by weight). These controlled parameter changes simplify the formulation process by providing clear guidelines for achieving the desired 10% by weight or less solvent content while maintaining proper viscosity and coating film properties

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses UV-curable monomers as intermediary components that serve dual functions: they act as reactive diluents to control viscosity and improve workability, while also contributing to the crosslinked network structure. This intermediary role of monomers simplifies the formulation by providing a single component that addresses multiple requirements in the low-solvent system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If reactive acrylate oligomer with 4 to 9 functional groups and viscosity of 500 to 20,000 cps is used, then the coating composition achieves low solvent content while maintaining adequate viscosity for proper application and film formation

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveworkabilityVSAvoidmechanical properties of coating film
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the viscosity parameter of reactive acrylate oligomers to 500-20,000 cps at room temperature and specifies 4-9 functional acrylate groups. This parameter change ensures adequate viscosity for workability and film formation while the high functionality (4-9 groups) ensures sufficient crosslinking density to maintain mechanical properties of the cured coating film

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines reactive acrylate oligomers with multiple UV-curable monomers having different functionalities and properties. This composite approach allows the formulation to balance viscosity control (for workability) and crosslinking density (for mechanical properties) through the synergistic interaction of oligomers and monomers in the low-solvent system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The composition achieves improved adhesion, pencil hardness, gloss, moisture, chemical, and acid resistance, while minimizing environmental impact and improving workability, making it suitable for coating electronic and automotive products.

Implementation Method 1

UV-curable coating composition comprising 20 to 60% by weight of a reactive acrylate oligomer, 20 to 60% by weight of a UV-curable monomer, 1 to 10% by weight of an organic solvent and 1 to 10% by weight of a photoinitiator

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhotopolymerization: Photopolymerisation

Data Source

PatentUS7935392B2High-solid UV-curable coating composition
Publication Date: 2011.05.03 AKZO NOBEL COATINGS INT BV

AI summary

A high-solid UV-curable coating composition of the present invention, comprising a low viscosity multifunctional acrylate oligomer, a UV-curable monomer, 10% by weight or less of an organic solvent and a photoinitiator has good workability and environmental characteristics and provides a coating film having improved properties.