The world’s largest event dedicated to the educational, technical, and scientific advancement of ultraviolet (UV) and electron beam (EB) technologies.
Dr. Mike J. Idacavage, Radical Curing, LLC
*Open to all attendees
Tong Wang, allnex
EB/UV curable coatings for coil coating applications offer a highly efficient, environmentally friendly solution that meets both performance and regulatory requirements. This technology offers key advantages in:
In addition to these process benefits, EB/UV coatings, as thermoset systems, provide excellent chemical and scratch resistance, making them ideal for harsh environments, including those prone to weathering and corrosion.
We will present a range of EB/UV curable oligomers and monomers suitable for coil coatings. These materials offer excellent flexibility, meeting the post-forming requirements, along with outstanding scratch resistance, hardness, and chemical durability.
Michael Kelly, Allied PhotoChemical, Inc
UV LED coatings for pipe provide the following benefits:
Several case studies will be provided.
Rich Leonard, Allied UV (Allied Photochemical)
UV curable coatings offer a cutting-edge solution for steel pipe and tube manufacturers, combining fast curing and high-performance protection.
This presentation will be an overview of the application of UV coating technology for steel pipe and tube during the manufacturing process. UV cured coatings are designed to provide superior corrosion and weathering resistance as steel pipe and tube is commonly exposed to harsh environmental conditions during storage, shipment, and end use. With rapid curing enabled by UV light, users benefit from faster throughput, reduced energy consumption, and lower environmental impact by eliminating VOC’s.
The presentation will also include a general overview of UV coating composition, curing mechanism, and advantages over traditional coatings. Real-world application examples of the in-line UV coating application will be shown along with data on performance, efficiency, and sustainability.
This innovative UV technology is significantly advancing the performance and sustainability of coatings in the steel pipe and tube market.
Carlo Trentalange, RAHN USA Corp
Direct adhesion of acrylate-based UV coatings to metal surfaces has traditionally posed challenges due to the intrinsic kinetics of radical photopolymerization chemistry. Nonetheless, interest in UV technology for metal applications has grown significantly in recent years, primarily driven by the benefits of lower energy consumption and faster curing times. This study aims to examine the most effective acrylate oligomers and formulations for UV metal coatings and explore various methods to improve adhesion to different metal substrates, with special emphasis on coating flexibility and reactivity.
Brian Donovan, Univeristy of Denver
Methacrylate photopolymers are widely used in industries such as 3D printing and microelectronics due to their rapid curing under UV or visible light and ultimate performance characteristics. However, the chain-growth nature of their polymerizations often leads to brittleness, significant shrinkage stress, and limited mechanical properties. Conventional solutions involve custom-synthesized materials or complex multi-component formulations, as well as chain transfer agents (CTAs) that can be costly and require high loadings of specialized monomers (>20 wt. %). Herein, we present a sulfur-free catalytic CTA that can be added in ppm quantities to commercial monomer feedstocks, achieving similar results to traditional CTAs but at 10,000-fold lower loadings. Based on macrocyclic cobaloximes, these catalysts enable exceptional tunability in the (thermo)mechanical properties of methacrylate photopolymers while maintaining a complete cure. Significantly, modulus can be tuned as a function of light intensity and temperature, enabling the selective curing of a single composition into rigid, tough, or elastomeric forms, or the creation of high-fidelity, multi-modulus materials prepared via grayscaling techniques. Further, this technique is broadly applicable to high modulus (>1 GPa) and low modulus (<1 kPa) formulations.
David Chen, Evonik Corporation
Dispersing pigments in various monomers for different applications has long been a challenging topic. With the growing interest in low-migration formulations for packaging applications, the selection of primary monomers has evolved to meet changing migration requirements, adding another layer of complexity to standardizing pigment dispersion. Dispersants can help formulations achieve varying performance in terms of color strength, viscosity, transparency, and anti-settlement when used with different pigments.
A novel polymeric dispersant structure structure for energy-curable monomer pigment dispersions has been developed to enhance the performance of existing polymeric dispersant structures. These improved properties are achieved through the incorporation of different functionalities that synergistically disperse and stabilize pigment particles such as Pigment White 6, Pigment Black 7, Pigment Blue 15:4, Pigment Yellow 74, 13, and Pigment Red 57:1, 122. The performance of the new dispersant across various printing technologies will be discussed.
Jonathan Wattras, BASF Corporation
The light stabilization of coatings has been a challenge for many years in the paint industry. Over four decades ago, it was discovered that hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS) play an important role in the light stabilization of polymers and resin binders. Typically, these compounds are derivatives of 2, 2’, 6, 6’-tetramethylpiperidine and when exposed to peroxy radicals, are oxidized to produce stable nitroxides. This reaction, in addition to the scavenging of alkyl radicals by the nitroxides, forms a cycle describing HALS as a class of excellent polymer and resin binder stabilizers which can be used to extend useful coating lifetimes. In this paper, we discuss weathering performance of UV-curable clearcoats can be significantly improved by using the correct light stabilizer package, an optimized photoinitiator combination, and binder selection.
Cristobal Garcia, Evonik
Polymer films are commonly used in the printing industry due to their low cost, durability, flexibility, and light weight among others. However, these films portray a challenge for the ink formulator due to the low surface energies characteristic of these substrates, which results in poor wettability of the printing ink. Wetting agents offer a solution by reducing the surface tension of the ink and improving the spreading of the ink over the substrate. Nevertheless, some wetting agents lack of thermal stability and also could have some disadvantages regarding food contact compliance.
This presentation will discuss the mechanism of wetting and important aspects to consider when selecting wetting agents for different applications. In addition, the newest development in wetting agents with food contact compliance and thermal stability will be introduced, and the effect of the wetting agent on the reprintability of primers will be reviewed.
Khairul Azhar bin Abdul Halim, Malaysian Nuclear Agency
This study investigates the properties of waterborne polyurethane acrylate (WPUA) dispersions and films derived from two distinct polyol sources: petrochemical polyol, namely polypropylene glycol (MW = 2000) (PPG) and palm oil-based polyol (PE135). Both polyols were successfully converted into WPUA dispersions, with PE135 dispersions exhibiting higher viscosity and having larger particle size at 354 nm with dual peak particle size distribution compared to PPG dispersions at 104 nm with single peak particle size distribution, due to its bulkier molecular structure. Upon curing, the PE135-based PUA film demonstrated significantly higher pendulum hardness at 122 oscillations as compared to PPG at 49 oscillations, indicative of increased crosslinking and a more rigid network. However, this improved hardness came at the cost of optical clarity. The PE135 film showed reduced glossiness and increased haziness relative to the PPG film, which maintained better optical properties due to its smoother surface and more uniform particle size distribution which may be related to difference in their molecular structure. These findings highlight the trade-offs between polyol types, with PE135 offering greater hardness and PPG providing superior optical performance, thereby guiding the selection of polyols for specific WPUA coating applications. Despite the trade-offs in optical clarity, the adoption of palm oil-based polyols aligns with growing sustainability goals and provides a more environmentally friendly alternative to petrochemical-based polyols.
Jin Lu, Allnex Inc.
Sustainability has been key driver for innovation in many market segments, such as food packaging, furniture and 3D printing. Even though it is challenging, the combination of bio-based, recycled or bio-mass balanced technologies can often provide a solution to the market’s ambitious goal on carbon footprint reduction. Furthermore, we also discovered some unique performance of sustainable materials. In this paper, we will give some examples, such as a bio-based monomer providing high modulus, and a bio-based elastomeric oligomer offering high strain recovery, etc.
Justus Back, hubergroup Deutschland GmbH
For the last years radiation curable resins containing monomer acrylates have a high risk to be subject of regulatory evaluations. As a result, their use in paint and coating applications is being restricted by the authorities or brand owners. At the same time, the paint and coating industry witnesses an increasing demand for bio-based raw materials. Pioneers and drivers are companies such as Ikea.
Sugar alcohols are available in large scale quantities due to their use as an additive in food and pharmaceutical products. High functionalities and a high rigidity of the polycyclic derivatives also offer advantages over other bio-based polyols such as glycerol.
We have succeeded in developing novel bio-based UV oligomers with promising properties in coating formulations for wood and plastic surfaces. These novel UV oligomers reveal a bio-based content of up to 70%, good reactivities and resistance against critical test substances such as red wine and mustard. In conclusion we can state that sorbitol and xylitol are new candidates to strengthen the chemical toolbox for more sustainable radiation curable resins.
Willy Du, Guangzhou Wraio Chemicals Co., Ltd.
UV-curable bio-based materials has been applied as bioadhesives and wound dressings. In this research, UV-curable gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) and chitosan methacrylate (CSMA) were synthesized by the acrylation reaction of methacrylic anhydride (MMA) with gelatin and chitosan. Then a series of hydrogel microspheres with unique particle size ranging from 40-500 μm were further prepared by microfluidics technology combined with UV curing, and the series of X-ray visible hydrogel microspheres were achieved by loading with developers such as iodohexanol and barium sulphate, which could realize self-developed vascular embolization under digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Preliminary animal validation showed that GelMA microspheres with a particle size of 200±20 μm realized rapidly embolization of rabbit renal arteries and gradually recanalize due to degradation of microspheres in 2-3 weeks. The process is expected to be potentially applied in the clinical treatment of hemorrhagic nephropathy, and related studies are in progress.
Keywords: Gelatin, Chitosan, hydrogel, biomedical applications
Alan Aguirre-Soto, Tecnologico de Monterrey
The fabrication of microfluidic devices using VAT photopolymerization has recently become a feasible fabrication alternative due to its low cost and fast prototyping. Moreover, the possibility of creating 3-dimensional designs can overcome limitations presented in platforms made by soft lithography, laser etching, or CNC machining. However, commercial VAT printers still suffer when printing hollow-embedded channels below 400 um. During the photopolymerization of a liquid resin, several variables from both printer and resin can affect the formation of complete channels, resulting in a clogged or collapsed channel. Previous studies in SLA and DLP printers have shown that printing conditions such as orientation, exposure time, and layer thickness are limiting factors in achieving the lowest printable channel characteristic length (LPCL). Regarding the resin properties, viscosity is one of the crucial parameters needed to avoid the clogging of hollow channels during the printing process. In our study, we evaluated and quantified the effect of two different photopolymerization technologies on the obtention of embedded channels inside a centrifugal microfluidic device, finding that vertical is the best orientation to avoid clogging and collapsing of channels. Moreover, a dimensional analysis of the resin properties was made, obtaining a dimensionless number that allows the prediction of the LPCL of a resin. By combining these results, hollow-embedded cylindrical channels with a diameter below 400 μm can be obtained using commercial printers and resins, while at the same time, resins’ properties can be modified to reach hollow-embedded channels close to 100 um.
Gina Guillory, Bomar
Photocured 3D printing parts typically undergo a solvent-based cleaning process after printing to remove excess uncured resin. This cleaning procedure often uses harsh VOCs, such as isopropyl alcohol (IPA), acetone, or methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), which are accompanied by environmental and safety concerns. As an alternative, water can be used cleaning solvent, but the hydrophobic nature of most photopolymer resins inhibits its effectiveness due to poor dispersion or dissolution of these resins in water. To improve water washability, a 3D printing resin can be formulated with hydrophilic additives to increase the resins’ affinity for water. However, many common materials used for this purpose also have environmental or safety issues, detrimental effects on the final properties of the 3D printed part, or are not suitable for use in a 3D printing application. In this study, we have investigated a variety of different hydrophilic, water-dispersible oligomer structures for their ability to enhance the water washability of standard 3D printing resins. The impact of incorporating these oligomers on the ultimate mechanical properties and durability of the 3D printing part was also explored.
Jennifer Heathcote, GEW (EC) Limited
UV hotmelt was developed in the late 80s and commercialized in the early 90s. It is an environmentally friendly technology that delivers a broad range of desirable tack and shear performance properties. While market adoption was a slow crawl for decades, UV hotmelt is experiencing a renaissance as 1) hotmelt performance properties have improved and 2) the technology offers web converters a more sustainable method of setting adhesives in production processes.
As brands and converters confront rapidly approaching deadlines to meet previously pledged sustainability targets, they are discovering an established and proven solution in UV hotmelt and giving it a new-found purpose. This paper details how UV hotmelt both recycles and eliminates solvents; reduces energy consumption; curbs Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions; and decreases manufacturing footprint when compared to alternatives. It also highlights the nuances of matching a UV curing system to applied coat weights and web speeds and the importance of maintaining a target energy density.
Zachary Gatland, Mactac (With support from Nichia North America)
In this study we test the effectiveness of monochromatic and polychromatic ultraviolet (UV) light emitting diodes (LEDs) compared to traditional H+ mercury bulbs in curing UV hot melt adhesives. Longwave UV-A LEDs have long been employed to cure thin polymer coatings in many industries including printing, manufacturing, and building & construction. UV-A LEDs have proven ineffective in curing many commercially available UV hotmelt pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs), which generally require medium pressure doped H+ mercury lamps to achieve appropriate cure. We compare several key analytical and physical properties of UV hotmelt PSAs irradiated by H+ doped mercury bulbs, monochromatic UV-C LED, and polychromatic UV LED arrays. We find that, when considering low coat weights (1-2 mils thickness), all three radiation sources are capable of fully curing the two select adhesives given sufficient power and exposure time.
Matt Dunn, Lubrizol Advanced Materials
Producing low gloss UV coatings for industrial applications can be a significant challenge for manufacturers. This presentation demonstrates how wax treated silicas and dispersant technology can be used to achieve lower gloss finishes than traditional matting agents. while overcoming issues such as viscosity increase at high agent loadings. Novel additives can also be used to enhance other properties such as slip and scratch/abrasion resistance and smoothness. The study focuses on the benefits and potential applications of these technologies in various industries where surface aesthetics play a crucial role, and the benefits over traditional additives.
Tony Moy, BASF
In the coatings industry there is a significant trend towards ultra-low matte finishes. An example of this is seen in the furniture and flooring wood market segment. This trend extends into 100% solids UV cured coatings. To achieve this performance, typically silica matting agents are used. Historically, there have been significant challenges to achieving matting in 100% solids UV coatings as viscosities of the formulation tend to increase to an ungainly level with increased additions of the silica matting agents. One possible approach is dilution with acrylate monomers, which has the undesired consequence of compromised film properties. Another approach is the use of dispersing agents to minimize the interactions between silica particles, thereby reducing the viscosity. While this effectively reduces viscosity, there typically is an undesired negative impact on gloss where the resultant gloss level is higher versus using no dispersant. To solve the dilemma of viscosity reduction with minimal impact on gloss, BASF has created new dispersant types based on two different structural architectures. This paper will provide an overview of these new dispersants and summarize their application performance benefits, demonstrating a better solution for a common problem in 100% solids UV ultra-low matte coatings.
Zachariah A Page, The University of Texas at Austin
Natural structures have evolved to integrate hard and soft materials in precise 3D configurations, imparting unique bulk properties and functionalities that remain challenging to replicate synthetically. The development of biomimetic analogs capable of seamlessly combining hard and soft materials offers vast potential for applications in fields such as soft robotics, sealants, and medical devices—including prosthetics and wearable health monitors. This demand has catalyzed the exploration of new chemistries and manufacturing methods. This presentation will highlight the ZAP research group’s efforts to address these challenges. We will discuss multicomponent resins that selectively respond to different wavelengths and intensities of light, enabling high-resolution, rapid 3D printing using digital light processing (DLP). The focus will be on the optimization of resin formulations and their influence on feature resolution, mechanical properties, and the creation of multimodulus structures.
Alan Aguirre-Soto, Tec de Monterrey
An ideal vascular phantom should be anatomically accurate, have mechanical properties as close as possible to the tissue, and be sufficiently transparent for ease of visualization. However, materials that enable the convergence of these characteristics have remained elusive. We discuss the fabrication of patient-specific vascular phantoms with high anatomical fidelity, optical transparency, and mechanical properties close to those of vascular tissue. These final properties are achieved through the fabrication of patient-specific vascular models with VAT photopolymerization on commercial elastomeric acrylic-based resins before coating them with thiol-ene formulations. A PETMP/allyl glycerol ether (AGE)/polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) coating with a 30/70% AGE/PEGDA ratio applied on a flexible resin yielded elastic modulus, UTS, and elongation of 3.41 MPa, 1.76 MPa, and 63.2%, respectively, in range with the human aortic wall. The PETMP/AGE/PEGDA coating doubled the optical transmission from 40% to 80%, approaching 88% of the benchmark silicone-based elastomer. Higher transparency correlates with a decrease in surface roughness from 2000 to 90 nm after coating. Coated 3D-printed anatomical replicas are showcased for pre-procedural planning and medical training with good radio-opacity and echogenicity. Thiol-click chemistry coatings, as a surface treatment for objects printed with VAT photopolymerization techniques, address inherent limitations of photopolymer-based additive manufacturing (PAM).
Sneha Kelkar, Arkema
One of the key challenges 3D printed materials are faced with today is achieving high performance comparable to traditionally manufactured thermoplastics or ceramics. Solving this challenge will lead to increase in adoption of UV/LED-based additive manufacturing for production of demanding end-use applications. Some of the key requirements for such applications are high strength and temperature resistance with moderately high elongation at break as well as ability to retain these properties in presence of water. Desire to match these high-performance targets in a relatively high-crosslinked network calls for innovative material strategies. Arkema’s efforts on developing new materials to solve this technical problem will be discussed.
Troy Becker, RAHN USA Corp
Heat Deflection Temperature, HDT, has become an important measure of a material’s thermal resistance to high temperature loads in applications involving automotive, aerospace, and electronics. As HDT and toughness becomes more targeted in additive manufacturing within these industries, there is a growing need to improve the raw material selection for Vat photopolymerization photoresins. By utilizing different polymer backbones and functionalities in 3D printing photoresins, we are able to improve both the elongation and HDT values of printed materials.
Endrit Shurdha, Arkema
Plastic waste is a global concern, prompting new recycling mandates and regulations. Brands and industry leaders are seeking innovative approaches to simplify plastic recycling. Arkema has developed new UV resins that facilitate the delamination of UV inks and coatings from plastic substrates and easing recyclability. These resins are tailored to create primers and UV inks based on substrate-specific requirements. By addressing the technical difficulties associated with de-inking, these advancements contribute to more sustainable production practices and support the transition to a circular economy. The technical differences and findings on these new de-inking resins will be presented.
Prashant Atre, Toyo Ink Arets India Pvt Ltd
More important is how we eat our food and what is the source of our food.
In modern day era, it is not possible to get 100% of our food, directly from farm to our dinning plate. Therefore, packaging of the food is an integral part our life and hence the importance of FOOD PACKAGING.
It is the job of food supplying company to ensure that consumer just get to eat food just food & not traces of chemicals such as inks, coatings or adhesive through migration while carrying food in a package.
Migration can happen even when the food is not directly in contact with ink or coating, therefore, it is important for a packaging convertor to choose right inks & coatings, while making food package. One of the reasons for migration could be slow drying of inks, hence UV/EB plays a very important role as it allows to instant curing, minimising the chances of migration.
The Swiss ordinance (SR 817.023. 21) is issued by the Swiss Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) and it is the revised version of the previous Ordinance on Material and Articles. The Ordinance (section 12) defines the provisions related to printing inks for non-food contact surfaces of food contact materials.
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This presentation will make a strong case for the use UV/EB as their choice of inks & coatings over any other types of inks & coatings to safe guard the interest of convertor, food FMCG & consumer at large from migration of substances.
Richard Cohen, Elevate Packaging
This presentation will explore the innovative compostable and biodegradable flexible packaging materials developed by Elevate Packaging, focusing on their successful use in EB digitally printed packaging applications. We will delve into the unique properties of these laminated materials and how they provide an ideal surface for high-quality EB/digital printing, while remaining fully compostable.
The session will highlight the technical advancements that allow for effective surface printing and EB on compostable substrates, addressing key challenges and solutions. We will share insights into how these materials are being utilized to meet the growing demand for sustainable packaging solutions without compromising on performance or design quality.
Attendees will gain an understanding of the environmental benefits and practical applications of compostable flexible packaging, and how these materials can support the industry’s shift toward a more circular economy.
Jonathan Shaw, allnex USA Inc.
Energy Curing was once confined to manufacturing environments, primarily due to concerns about exposure to UV energy and UV curable raw materials. Energy curing has since moved out into the field, concentrated mainly on concrete, vinyl, or wood flooring. Advances in curing equipment has allowed for field applied coatings (FAC) to have a greater scope, while improvements in formulating have allowed for improvements in the performance of coatings used in the original FAC applications. We will present data showing improved performance (weatherability, resistance properties) for field applied floor coatings, and also look at how UV FAC can be used in other markets (e.g. vehicle refinish).
Laurie Morris, Alberdingk Boley, Inc.
Waterborne (WB) UV chemistry has shown significant growth in interior industrial markets because the technology provides excellent performance, low solvent emissions and increased production efficiency. These same advantages can be beneficial for exterior applications including window and door frames, siding and other millwork. These market segments conventionally utilize 1K acrylic emulsions and polyurethane dispersions and 2K polyurethane coatings because they have excellent gloss and color retention and demonstrate superior durability. WB UV coatings are a viable alternative for the exterior market and have excellent performance on multiple substrates. This paper will investigate WB UV coatings according to Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) TM 12-20 which specifies test methods for factory applied pigmented finish coatings for wood and wood cellulosic composites used for millwork. Data will be presented discussing the features and performance advantages of WB UV coatings cured by traditional processes verses LED and compared to commercially available 2K polyurethane coatings.