UV-curable powder coatings containing interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs)

Saeid Bastani , Siamak Moradian Progress in Organic Coatings, 56, (2006), 248251

Presented ByNikita Mhadeshwar

Advantages of UV-curable powder coatings

Essentially no emission of VOC Fast curing speed

Minimal health risk

Independency of the flow system from the cure system

Interpenetrating Polymer Networks

A polymer comprising two or more networks which are at least partially interlaced on a molecular scale

but not covalently bonded to each other and cannot be separated unless chemical bonds are broken It can be made by two techniques 1. Sequential IPN 2. Simultaneous IPN

Simultaneous Interpenetrating Network (SIN)

One of the methods of synthesizing IPN Monomers, oligomers, crosslinkers and initiators are mixed

together and the polymerization and crosslinking is forced to occur simultaneously

EXPERIMENTAL

Curing Systems of UV-curable powder coatings

Radical cure systems

Cationically cured systems

Eg. unsaturated polyester, polyurethane acrylate and maleate vinylether

Eg. epoxy type resins including, bisphenols, novalac modified bisphenols, cycloaliphatic epoxides, glycidylmethacrylates and glycidyl acrylics

Raw Materials
COMPONENT COMPOSITION Uracross P3125 Uracross P3307 Cyracure UVI 6974 (onium salt photoinitiator) BYK 361 VEctomer (aromatic urethane divinyl ether) GT 6259 (bisphenol A/epoxy cresol novalac) Photosensitizer (cumene hydroperoxied) SUPPLIERS DSM DSM Union Carbide BYK Chemie Allied Signal Co. Ciba-Geigy -

Plastisizer (epoxidized soya oil)

Araldite GT 7004 (epoxy resin) Uralac 5125 (polyester) BYK 365 Irgacure 184

Ciba-Geigy Ciba-Geigy BYK Chemie Ciba-Geigy

Preparation of free radical UV-curable powder coatings (FRUVPC)

COMPONENTS Uracross P3125 Wt% 81.6

Uracross P3307
Iragacure 184 BYK 361

16.7
1 0.66

Preparation of cationic UV-curable powder coatings (CUVPC)

Equal parts of VEctomer and GT6259 were mixed together

and then 3 wt% of UVI 6974, together with the photosensitizer and the palsticizer were added. Finally these composites were mixed by melt extrusion

Preparation of IPN UV-curable powder coatings

SAMPLE NO. FRUVPC IPN-1 IPN-2 IPN-3 IPN-4 IPN-5 Free radical UV-curable powder coatings (parts by weight) 100 90 80 70 60 50 Cationic UV-curable powder coatings (parts by weight) 0 10 20 30 40 50

IPN-6
IPN-7 IPN-8 IPN-9 CUVPC

40
30 20 10 0

60
70 80 90 100

 Extrusion of the premix took place at 80 C, 200 rpm in a twin

screw extruder. The powder coatings were sprayed electrostatically with a corona gun on to the substrate. The flowing and curing conditions were as follows: Flow: IR-radiations (32 kw/m2) (100 sec). Cure: UV exposure (7 m/min at 280 w/cm medium pressure Hg lamp). The coatings were then postcured in a 100 C oven for 5 h.

Hybrid PE-Epoxy
The formulation contains 50:50 Uralac 5125 and epoxy resin (Araldite GT 7004), flow additive BYK 365 and benzoin. Cured 12 min at 180 C.

Testing of IPN powder coatings

Gardner impact resistance (ASTM D 2794-69)
pendulum hardness Cross hatch adhesion

MEK resistance
Salt spray resistance (ASTM B117) Tg

Samples

Direct impact (in. lbs) 5 20

35 78 112 140 150 160 160 160 160

Konig hardness (sec) 210 210

203 201 194 183 177 169 133 104 99

Cross hatch adhesion 1B 2B

3B 4B 5B 5B 5B 5B 5B 5B 5B

Flow (C)

MEK resistance

Salt spray (mm) (240 h)

FRUVPC IPN-1
IPN-2 IPN-3 IPN-4 IPN-5 IPN-6 IPN-7 IPN-8 IPN-9 CUVPC

110 110
110 110 110 110 110 110 110 110 110

100 100
100 100 100 100 87 74 40 32 20 Surface slightly damaged

2 2
2 2 2 2 2 4 5 10 15

Hybrid PEEpoxy

60

210

5B

180

12

Samples FRUVPC
IPN-1 IPN-2 IPN-3 IPN-4 IPN-5 IPN-6 IPN-7 IPN-8 IPN-9 CUVPC

Tg 320 318 319 321 324 331 336 332

0.009 0.008 0.004 0.002 0.021 0.033 0.020

326 327
328

0.001 0.0006
-

CONCLUSION
The properties of IPN UV-curable powder coatings such as

adhesion, hardness, impact strength, solvent (MEK) resistance and the resistance to salt spray were better than the separate individual UV-curable powder coating compositions. It seems that through careful selection of the type and the amount of free radical and cationic components to form IPN UV curable powder coatings it is possible to engineer the required properties.