Synthesis and Characterization of UV-LED Curable Nanocomposite Coatings

UV-LED Curable Acrylic Films Containing Phosphate Glass Powder: Effect of the Filler Loading on the Thermal, Optical, Mechanical and Flame Retardant Properties

In this work, we thoroughly investigate the effects of the incorporation of a phosphate glass micrometric powder on the morphology, as well as on the thermal, optical, mechanical and flame retardant properties of UV-LED curable acrylic films. To this aim, the filler loading was changed within 10 and 50 wt.%. UV-LED initiated curing was selected as a fast and reliable system, as the standard UV-curing process was not suitable because of the presence of the glass powder that decreased the quantum efficiency during the UV exposure, hence preventing the transformation of the liquid system into a solid network. The glass powder slightly increased the glass transition temperature of the acrylic network, hence showing a limited effect on the chain segments mobility; besides, increasing filler loadings were responsible for a progressive decrease of the transparency of films, irrespective of a marginal effect on their refractive index. Conversely, the presence of increasing amounts of phosphate glass improved the thermal and thermo-oxidative stability of the cured products. Besides, phosphate glass was capable of remarkably enhancing the flame retardance of the acrylic network at 50 wt.% loading, which achieved self-extinction in vertical flame spread tests (and was V-0 rated). This formulation, as assessed by forced-combustion tests, also displayed a remarkable decrease of peak of Heat Release Rate and Total Heat Release (by 44 and 33%, respectively) and of Total Smoke Release and Specific Extinction Area (by 53 and 56%, respectively). Further, the filler promoted an increase of the stiffness and surface hardness of the films, at the expense of a decrease in ductility. All these findings may justify the potential use of these composite films as flame retardant coatings for different flammable substrates.

UV-LED as a New Emerging Tool for Curable Polyurethane Acrylate Hydrophobic Coating

The elimination of mercury, low energy consumption, and low heat make the ultraviolet light-emitting diode (UV-LED) system emerge as a promising alternative to conventional UV-mercury radiation coating. Hence, a series of hydrophobic coatings based on urethane acrylate oligomer and fluorinated monomer via UV-LED photopolymerisation was designed in this paper. The presence of fluorine component at 1160 cm-1, 1235 cm-1, and 1296 cm-1 was confirmed by Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy. A considerably high degree C=C conversion (96-98%) and gel fraction (95-93%) verified the application of UV-LED as a new technique in radiation coating. It is well-accepted that fluorinated monomer can change the surface wettability as the water contact angle of the coating evolved from 88.4° to 121.2°, which, in turn, reduced its surface free energy by 70.5%. Hence, the hydrophobicity of the coating was governed by the migration of the fluorine component to the coating surface as validated by scanning electron and atomic force microscopies. However, above 4 phr of fluorinated monomer, the transparency of the cured coating examined by UV-visible spectroscopy experienced approximately a 16% reduction. In summary, the utilisation of UV-LED was a great initiative to develop green aspect in photopolymerisation, particularly in coating technology.

Preparation and Characterization of UV-LED Curable Acrylic Films Containing Biochar and/or Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes: Effect of the Filler Loading on the Rheological, Thermal and Optical Properties

UV-LED curable coatings represent an up-to-date attractive field due to the high curing efficiency even in the presence of high filler loadings, as well as to the absence of infrared wavelengths that may negatively impact on heat-sensitive substrates. The addition of carbonaceous materials, such as biochar (BC) and/or multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) could positively improve both the rheological and thermal properties. In this study we report on the synthesis and characterization of carbon-reinforced films containing nanometric (MWCNTs) and micrometric (BC) carbon-based materials. We analyze the rheological properties of the UV-LED curable dispersions, as well as the thermal and optical properties of the resulting films, establishing some correlations between filler dispersion/loading with the main observed properties.