Urethane acrylates: expansion of radiation curable epoxy acrylate coatings

Urethane and epoxy acrylate resins have been the backbone of radiation and electron beam cure coatings for over twenty years. Aromatic urethane acrylates have beendeveloped that bridge the epoxy acrylate properties. Liquid color, thermal storage stability, solvent resistance, cure rate and tensile strength, elongation, and elastic modulus properties have been evaluated. A systematic study has been carried out that evaluated three urethane acrylates and a standard bisphenol
A epoxy diacrylate, comparing the attributes of both chemistries. Four monofunctional, five difunctional and two trifunctional monomers covering first, second and third generation monomers were used in each resin system.