UV Curing Without Photoinitiators

This paper reports on investigations on the direct initiation of the photopolymerization of acrylates by irradiation with short-wavelength monochromatic UV light using the 222 nm emission of a KrCI excimer lamp. The reactivity of various commercial acrylates was studied by real-time FTIR-ATR spectroscopy. Laser photolysis experiments and accompanying quantum chemical calculations were performed in order to propose a possible mechanism of initiation. Finally, some pilot scale UV curing trials of selected acrylate coatings without photoinitiator with irradiation with 222 nm will be reported.