Nano-TiO2 particles were first milled into butyl acetate or trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA) to obtain TSB and TST slurries, then embedded into epoxy acrylate to obtain UV-curable coating. The influence of nano-TiO2 particles on the photopolymerization kinetics, tack free time, thermal and optical properties of UV-curable coatings was investigated. It was found that TST-based coating had a decreasing but TSB-based coating had an increasing UV cured rate in comparison with the pristine epoxy acrylate. Nevertheless, the TST-based coating occupied shorter tack free time, good thermal property and UV absorbance than their corresponding TSB-based coating. POLYM. ENG. SCI. 46:1402–1410, 2006. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers.