The role of rutile TiO2 nanoparticles on weathering resistance of photocurable acrylate urethane coating

Abstract

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to evaluate the role of nano rutile TiO2 (R‐TiO2) on the weathering resistance of UV curable acrylate urethane coating. At first, the nano R‐TiO2 at the content of 2 wt.% was dispersed in 1,6 Hexanediol for 3 hrs and then mixed with the urethane acrylate Eberyl 284 (E284) and photo initiator Irgacure 184 (I.184) for 30 min. After UV curing in FUSION UV equipment for 4.8 s, the coating unreinforced and reinforced 2 wt.% nano R‐TiO2 were analyzed by FE‐SEM in order to determine the dispersion of the nanoparticles in the polymer substrate and examined the accelerated aging in an Atlas UV/CON chamber. The aging of the coatings was assessed by IR analysis and measuring the losses of their weight and mechanical properties. The obtained results showed that the nanoparticles were distributed evenly in polymer substrate with the size of 50‐150 nm. In the presence of 2 wt.% R‐TiO2 nanoparticles, the acrylate urethane/R‐TiO2 nanocomposite coating was more weather durable than the neat coating (without the nanoparticles). After 48 aging cycles, the CH and CNH groups, the weight and the abrasion resistance of the nanocomposite coating slightly decreased, whilst those of the neat coating was severely degraded.