UV-curable coatings of highly crosslinked trimethylmelamine based acrylates and methacrylates

• Published in: European polymer journal Vol. 49; no. 12; pp. 4141 - 4148
• Main Authors: Bretterbauer, Klaus, Holzmann, Claudia, Rubatscher, Egon, Schwarzinger, Clemens, Roessler, Albert, Paulik, Christian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-12-2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Acrylate; Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Methacrylate; Methylmelamine; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymerization; Polymers and radiations; Trimethylmelamine (meth)acrylate; UV-curable coatings; Methylmelamine; UV-curable coatings; Acrylate; Methacrylate; Trimethylmelamine (meth)acrylate; Methacrylate polymer; Methacrylic acid esters; Coating material; Photochemical crosslinking; Solution polycondensation; Chemical resistance; Mechanical properties; Triamine; Triazine derivative polymer; Hardness; Experimental study; Oligomer; Formaldehyde; Light sensitive polymer; Abrasion resistance; Photopolymerization; Preparation; Crosslinked polymer; Melamine resin
• ISSN: 0014-3057; 1873-1945
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2013.09.020

The synthesis and comprehensive characterization of UV-curable N1,N2,N3-trimethylmelamine based (meth)acrylates and their application in highly transparent coatings is presented. The coatings show excellent physico-chemical properties concerning hardness, abrasion-, scratch-, and chemical resistance. Especially the cured trimethylmelamine acrylate possesses high heat-resistance and does not release formaldehyde even at 150°C. [Display omitted]
•Preparation of trimethylmelamine based acrylates and methacrylates.•Full characterization of the monomers and their UV-cured materials.•The trimethylmelamine acrylate does not release formaldehyde.•Formation of a lacquer application.
The synthesis and characterization of N1,N2,N3-trimethylmelamine based (meth)acrylates and their application as components of UV-curable lacquers is described. A pre-condensed oligomeric mixture with a degree of condensation up to five is obtained via a one-pot conversion. Dividing the synthesis into two steps gives access to the mostly monomeric tris(meth)acrylates in overall yields higher than 76%. In general, the prepared compounds can easily be applied on glass, metal, and polystyrene glass affording highly transparent, hard, and scratch resistant coatings after UV-curing. The UV-cured monomeric trimethylmelamine trisacrylate was fully characterized by means of hardness, gloss, scratch-, abrasion-, and chemical resistance. Remarkably, the trimethylmelamine trisacrylate does not release cancerogen formaldehyde even at 150°C.