Properties of UV-curable polyurethane acrylates using nonyellowing polyisocyanate for floor coating

Abstract

UV-curable polyurethane acrylates for poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) floor coating were prepared using nonyellowing polyisocyanates. The effects of the chemical structure of the polyisocyanates and hydroxyacrylates, and the compositions of the prepolymer/diluent on the properties of the UV-curable polyurethane acrylates were investigated. Several different urethane acrylate prepolymers from four different polyisocyanates, isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) adduct, hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) adduct, HDI biuret, and HDI isocyanurate, and two different hydroxyacrylates, hydroxyapropyl acrylate (HPA), polycaprolactone modified hydroxyethylhexylacrylate (PCMHEA). UV-curable coating materials were formulated from the prepolymers and 1-hydroxycyclohexylphenyl ketone as a photoinitiator with polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) as a diluent. The polyurethane acrylates prepared with HDI isocyanurate and the equimolar mixture of HPA and PCMHEA showed balanced coating properties such as tensile properties, hardness, weatherability, and good adhesion. The dynamic mechanical studies showed the properties of those polyurethane acrylates were well correlated with their glass transition temperature behaviors. It was also found that the adhesion was best as a PVC floor coating with the appropriate viscosity (below 150 P at 25°C) when 35% PEGDA as a diluent was used. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.