UV-Curable Coating Composition Rapid Curing and Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current UV-light-curable coating compounds face challenges such as long curing times, uneven curing, and the need for multi-component systems, which lead to increased processing times, waste, and difficulties in monitoring curing, especially on large surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A UV-light-curable composition comprising difunctional urethane acrylate oligomers, thiol-functionalized acrylate oligomers, Type I photoinitiators, and colour-change indicators, allowing for rapid, even curing and enabling the composition to be used as a one-component system with extended pot life, facilitating easy monitoring and application up to high layer thicknesses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard commercial coating compounds based on lower-molecular-weight oligomers are used, then polymerization can be achieved through free-radical or ionic mechanisms, but the curing time is long (at least 30 minutes to some hours) and stability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by using higher-molecular-weight oligomers (5,000-50,000 g/mol) instead of lower-molecular-weight oligomers, and selects specific photoinitiators with absorption maxima between 300-400 nm to achieve both rapid curing and high stability simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite coating system combining higher-molecular-weight oligomers with carefully selected photoinitiators and reactive diluents, achieving synergistic effects that provide both rapid UV curing and long-term coating stability
2Reliability
If 2-component coating compounds are used, then polymerization can be controlled until application, but the coating process becomes more time-consuming due to mixing requirements and unused portions must be disposed of
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the polymerization control mechanism from the application process by using photoinitiators that only activate upon UV exposure, eliminating the need for 2-component mixing while maintaining control over when polymerization occurs
Solution Approach 2:
The coating compound is formulated as a stable single-component system that remains inert until UV irradiation triggers self-initiated polymerization, eliminating the need for external mixing operations and allowing unlimited storage without premature curing
3Speed
If UV light is used to initiate polymerization, then rapid curing is achieved, but it is difficult to monitor where the coating has been fully cured and uneven curing occurs in thick layers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates color indicators that change color during UV irradiation, providing visual feedback that allows operators to easily monitor and determine when complete and uniform curing has been achieved across the entire coating surface
4Speed
If UV light is used for polymerization, then rapid curing is achieved, but UV light cannot penetrate high layer thicknesses resulting in uneven curing and lower stability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the photoinitiator selection parameters to compounds with absorption maxima between 300-400 nm that provide deeper UV penetration, and optimizes oligomer molecular weight to 5,000-50,000 g/mol to achieve uniform curing in thick layers while maintaining rapid curing speed
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 rapid curing, allows for immediate further processing, and provides excellent adhesion to surfaces and subsequent layers, reducing processing times and waste while enabling reliable, visually monitored curing across large surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
at least one photoinitiator which is active with ultraviolet light; wherein the composition comprises the acrylate oligomers, the acrylate monomer, the photoinitiator and a colour indicator
Implementation Method 2
a colour indicator which changes colour as a function of irradiation with ultraviolet light
Data Source
AI summary
A UV-light-curable composition based on at least one urethane acrylate oligomer, to a process for producing the composition, to a use of the composition and to a process for the coating of surfaces with the aid of the composition. The UV-light-curable composition of the invention has the characteristic feature of easy and quick handling. It hardens very rapidly and can undergo further working, for example sanding, immediately after curing, and can immediately after curing be coated with a further layer. In addition, the curing of the composition of the invention can be monitored easily and without outlay on equipment; the monitoring of the curing process is very reliable. Lastly, the composition of the invention has the characteristic feature of extremely good adhesion to the surface coated therewith and also to further layers that have been applied thereon.