Radiation Cured Coatings UV Today LED Tomorrow

By Cynthia Challener

Interest in UV-cured coatings continues to expand, particularly for heat-sensitive substrates such as plastics or wood. Kevin Joesel, director of Sales in the Americas for Heraeus Noblelight America expects growth in plastic coatings as more composites and thermoplastic materials are used for lightweighting of vehicles. He also notes that the market for UV-curable coatings on wood continues to show strength, and UV coatings for metal, while a small percentage of the market, have started to show life once again. In addition, UV technology for coatings and adhesives for electronics applications is ubiquitous, according to Joesel.

“As high-tech companies continue to move into traditional industries, they are very comfortable applying technologies they have been using for years in these legacy indus­tries,” he notes. Over the last decade, radiation-cured coatings have become an important technology for wood and furniture coatings, according to Marcel Krohnen, global head of End Use Wood & Furniture Coatings at BYK-Chemie GmbH. ”

Considering all available technologies (solventborne, waterborne, radiation cured, powder and their sub segments) and are exhibiting the stron­gest growth worldwide when compared to other technologies (solventborne, waterborne, powder),” he adds. Dual cure and electron-beam coatings are of interest only in very niche appli­cations. Overall growth of 5-8 % is expected for UV-curable wood coatings for the next few years, according to Teresa M. Donahue, senior research and development project leader for Van Technologies, Inc.