Knowledge base

The UV curing of coatings on large, three-dimensional (3D) objects is the next frontier in industrial UV processing. These include objects ranging from automobile bodies and parts to aircraft parts and bathtubs. In most cases, process development for 3D curing can be extremely time consuming, especially if the object to be cured is large and is com

A kinetic study of the UV-curing of waterbased acrylate resins was conducted by means of infrared spectroscopy. Under intense illumination, the crosslinking polymerization occurred in the dried film within less than 1 second. The influence of a number of critical factors on the polymerization rate and cure extent has been investigated, namely the t

UV curing is used commercially to cure gel coats and laminate layers of resin and fiberglass inboth open molding and filament winding applications. Typically when a fiberglass fabricator usesa UV curing process productivity increases dramatically, resulting in a clear competitiveadvantage. For this reason not much is shared publicly and there is th

The objective of this paper is to present the potential for UV coatings in each of the application steps for an automotive refinish repair. The topics discussed will be each of the steps for a refinish repair from body filler to primer, through basecoat, and conclude with clearcoat. In each of the steps, the advantage and challenges of UV coatings

The modification of polymer surfaces has attracted a lot of interest over the past years. While the bulk properties of commercial polymers fulfil numerous mechanical and thermal requirements, the properties of the polymer surfaces are unsatisfactory in several applications. In recent years, a variety of techniques such as coating, hydrolysis, oxida

As larger and more complex objects are candidates for UV-curable coatings, the challenges of exposing curable surfaces to adequate UV energy become greater. It is desirable to position UV lamps for the most effective exposure, and the least wasted energy. Because complex parts differ from one another, and paint line organization varies, lamp config

The introduction of fluorine compounds in the UV curable systems could be promising, because of their outstanding properties such as chemical and thermal resistance, optical and electrical characteristics. Moreover fluorinated structures can guarantee hydro- and oleo-phobicity, low surface tension and low friction, which are important characteristi

Demands on today's automotive clearcoats (CC) are magnifold. Customers would not only like best-inclass values in chemical resistance like etch but also best-in-class properties in scratch as well as perfect levelling and a huge application and window. The demands on process parameters are also high. Good sandability and polishability on one side a