Preparation of UV Curable Emulsions Using PEG-Modified Urethane Acrylates and Their Coating Properties

By Myung-Eon Song, Ju-Young Kim, Kyung-Do Suh

To prepare self-emulsifiable urethane acrylate, PEG-modified urethane acrylates (PMUA) containing polyoxyethylene groups as a terminal group were synthesized by the reaction of PEG [poly(ethylene glycol)] with residual isocyanate groups of a urethane acrylate.

As the reaction molar ratio of PEG to HEMA increased, droplet sizes and viscosity of PMUA emulsions de-creased, however, the tensile strength and con-version of UV-cured PMUA film decreased.

The molecular weight and type polyol had a significant influence on emulsion droplet size and stability. The coating properties and mechanical properties of the UV-cured film were improved by using crosslinking agent and epoxy acrylate. However, centrifugal stability was decreased by the addition of these additives.