Cationic UV Curing: Benefits of Formulating Epoxides and Vinyl ethers together

Cationic UV curing systems based on cycloaliphatic epoxides are well known for coating of
metal and plastic substrates. The formulation of epoxides together with commercially available
vinyl ethers have the potential to further enlarge the applicability of cationic radiation curable
systems. Lower viscosity, faster cure rate and higher solvent resistance are among the applied
characteristics that are reported in this paper, as well as the kinetics of the photopolymerization
monitored by real-time lR spectroscopy and curing homogeneity measured by confocal Raman
microscopy.