2019 Quarter 3

Vol. 5, No. 3

UV Curing Enhances
Print & Packaging
Waterbased Resins in Inkjet Inks

Curable Pressure
Sensitive Adhesives

Metal Can Coatings

ANNUAL
BUYERS
GUIDE
EDITION

Official Publication of RadTech International North America

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With a worldwide installation base unequaled in the industry that

spans multiple markets and applications, our UV experience is
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gy including LED, Traditional and Hybrid combinations of the two.
When considering the addition of UV curing to your operation, let
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lots of choices out there, as true UV professionals we can help
you make an educated and informed decision on the right UV path
to pursue to meet and exceed the needs of your company.

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 FEATURES
14
20
22
ON THE COVER
The cover was finished by Royle Printing Company, Sun Prairie,
Wisconsin, using a multi-step UV-curing process called Rough
Reticulated Strike-Through. First, the 4-color process was laid down
and a UV varnish was applied as a spot application in the areas that
24
did not receive the gloss UV treatment (photograph and copy). The
UV varnish was cured with UV lights, and then an LED curing system
was used to cure the 4-color process inks. A flood gloss UV was
applied over the entire cover, which “reacted” to the UV varnish
and created the matte varnish – staying glossy in the areas that
were knocked out to receive the gloss UV. The final step was a pass
under another UV curing system to cure the coating. This process
was performed in one pass on press.
35
46
DEPARTMENTS
President’s Message ............................................ 4
Association News ................................................ 6
Technology Showcase ....................................... 54
56
Industry ............................................................... 64
New Faces .......................................................... 67
Regulatory News ............................................... 74
Calendar ............................................................. 76
Advertising Index .............................................. 76
68
2 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019
UV Source and Chemistry Options
for Metal Can Coating
A comparison of lamp types to use for interdeck ink curing and
final ink curing on flat sheets for the can industry is conducted.
By Mike J. Idacavage, PhD, Technical Marketing Adviser, and
John Arnold, PhD, Miltec UV
UV Enhances Print Project
A specialty print project from Feiereisen, Inc., features unique
UV curing technology. By Lara Copeland, UV+EB Technology
FSEA Gold Leaf Awards Allow UV Decorating
Techniques to Shine
Winners in UV-related categories of the 26th Annual FSEA Gold
Leaf Awards have been announced.
Waterbased UV LED-Curable Compositions
for Graphics Applications
The performance of energy-curable waterborne resins and
PUDs in inkjet inks cured with mercury lamps and LED lamps is
presented. By JoAnn Arceneaux, Tong Wang and Hwei-Ling
Yau, allnex USA, Inc.; and Michel Tielemans, Kevin Poelmans
and Laurence Boutreau, allnex Belgium SA/NV
UV+EB Technology Annual Buyers Guide
Recent Progress in UV-/EB-Curable Pressure
Sensitive Adhesives
Structure-property relationships between PSA formulations and
properties such as tack, peel strength, shear resistance and
temperature performance are discussed. By Chris Orilall, Zack
Weinert, Jon Scholte, Chuck Dong and Jeff Klang, Arkema Inc.,
Sartomer Business Unit
UV LED Low-Migration Laminating Adhesives
for Flexible Packaging
With advancements in UV LED curing technology, opportunities
in the flexible packaging space become more available to the
converter base. By Jake Staples, Ashland
Facile One-Step Synthesis of Photocurable
Urethane Acrylates
Photocurable urethane acrylates may be made in one stage by
the addition of hydroxyl-substituted acrylates to commercial low
free oligomers. By Igor V. Khudyakov, PhD, DSc, Performance
Coatings International Laboratories
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
 TECHNOLOGY
CHAMPIONS THIS ISSUE
RadTech International North America’s Editorial
2019 Quarter 3 Board facilitates the technical articles featured
Vol. 5, No. 3 in UV+EB Technology. Smaller teams of Issue
Champions review and approve articles and
provide overall content management for each
issue, as needed.

Susan Bailey Syed T. Hasan

Editorial Board Co-Chair
Business Development
Manager, Digital & Specialty
Printing
Michelman, Inc.
Editorial Board Co-Chair
Key Account Manager,
Security Inks
BASF Corporation

COLUMNS
8 UV Curing Technology
“Do you have time to answer a few questions...”
By Jim Raymont, EIT LLC

10 Innovations: Industry Advances

with RadLaunch Winners
Neural interface device research leads to new material
for display technology
Darryl Boyd Mike Higgins
12 Professor’s Corner Research Chemist, Optical
Sciences Division
East Regional Sales Manager
Phoseon Technology
Structure and property relationships for polymers Naval Research Laboratory
By Byron K. Christmas, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry,
Emeritus

UV+EB TECHNOLOGY EDITORIAL BOARD

Susan Bailey, Michelman, Inc.
Co-Chair/Editor-in-Chief
Syed Hasan, BASF Corporation
Co-Chair/Editor-in-Chief
Darryl Boyd, US Naval Research
Laboratory
Byron Christmas, Professor of
Chemistry, Retired
Amelia Davenport, Colorado
Photopolymer Solutions
Charlie He, Glidewell Laboratories
Mike Higgins, Phoseon Technology
Molly Hladik, Michelman, Inc.
Mike J. Idacavage, Colorado
Photopolymer Solutions
JianCheng Liu, PPG Industries
Sudhakar Madhusoodhanan, Applied
Materials
Gary Sigel, Armstrong Flooring
Maria Muro-Small, Spectra Group
Limited, Inc.
Jacob Staples, Ashland, Inc.
R.W. Stowe, Heraeus Noblelight
America LLC
Chen Wang, Formlabs, Inc.
JianCheng Liu Huanyu Wei
Huanyu Wei, ITW Sports Branding Senior Scientist Senior Innovation Project
Division PPG Industries Manager
Jinping Wu, PolyOne Corporation ITW Sports Branding Division
Sheng “Sunny” Ye, Facebook Reality
Labs

uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 3

 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

W elcome to the third issue of 2019 for

UV+EB Technology magazine! It’s
been a busy year already for RadTech and
– led by Dave Biro, Lisa Fine, Todd Fayne, JoAnn Arceneaux and
Mike Gould – is being developed to address the compostability
and recyclability of UV/EB-cured materials, as consumer
our members. I want to take an opportunity packaged goods manufacturers and retailers seek to improve their
to thank our RadTech leadership for sustainability profiles.
ongoing efforts to continue to advance the
agenda for our technology – as you’ll see The RadTech Transportation committee had a busy spring
in the next few paragraphs, a lot of really at automotive events, with Mike Dvorchak spearheading our
great things are happening. involvement, and Chris Seubert and Mary Ellen Rosenberger
Eileen Weber
helping to guide our efforts.
President At our last meeting in Redondo Beach,
California, Callie Higgins, from the These are all fantastic initiatives that keep RadTech relevant in
National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST), our ever-changing world. It’s been said many times before, but it
outlined a vision for a “technology roadmap” meeting, sponsored cannot be stated enough: It is the time and talent of our generous
by RadTech and gathering major 3D/additive manufacturing volunteers that make this organization successful.
stakeholders at her facility in Boulder, Colorado. With thanks
Looking ahead, mark your calendars for the next RadTech
to our fast-acting committee chairs, Neil Cramer and Mike
member meeting, set for November 4 in Dearborn, Michigan.
Idacavage, that concept is becoming a reality, with a workshop
This year’s fall meeting will be held in conjunction with a
scheduled for October 29 and 30 and stakeholders being
Plastics Decorating magazine event: The Surface Summit. More
contacted.
information can be found on page 64.
Mike Bonner, our Applications Support Committee chair, is
One final note is another friendly reminder that the 2020 RadTech
building on the concept of broadening the RadTech knowledge
UV+EB Expo and Conference is just around the corner on March
base and membership by reaching out to companies that supply
9 through 11, 2020. If you have not already submitted an abstract,
vital services – fluid management and surface preparation,
please consider what expertise and knowledge you might be able
for example – to UV operations. Through his efforts, we are
to contribute. We look forward to another outstanding technical
developing an industry “wiki” on topics for successful UV/EB
conference at the 2020 event!
implementation and planning a series of webinars to assist current
and prospective end users. Eileen Weber
President, RadTech Board of Directors
Our Printing and Packaging and EHS groups are continually
Global Marketing Manager, PC&I Radcure, allnex USA, Inc.
working to demonstrate the safe use of our technology. To quote
Lisa Fine: “Regulatory never sleeps.” In particular, one new effort

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Published by:

President
Eileen Weber – allnex USA., Inc.
President-elect
TECHNOLOGY Jo Ann Arceneaux – allnex USA Inc.
Secretary
An official publication of: Jennifer Heathcote – Eminence UV
RADTECH INTERNATIONAL 2150 SW Westport Drive, Suite 101
Treasurer Topeka, Kansas 66614
NORTH AMERICA Paul Elias – Miwon North America
6935 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 207 785-271-5801
Immediate Past-President petersonpublications.com
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 Lisa Fine – Joules Angstrom UV Printing Inks
240-497-1242 Publisher National Sales Director
Board of Directors
radtech.org Susan Bailey – Michelman Jeff Peterson Janet Dunnichay
David Biro – Sun Chemical janet@petersonpublications.com
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Mike Bonner – Saint Clair Systems, Inc.
Gary M. Cohen Todd Fayne – Pepsico Art Director Managing Editor
gary@radtech.org Mark Gordon – INX International Ink Company
Becky Arensdorf Dianna Brodine
Michael Gould – Rahn USA
Jeffrey Klang – Sartomer dianna@petersonpublications.com
SENIOR DIRECTOR
George McGill – Precision Ink
Mickey Fortune Jim Raymont – EIT LLC Contributing Editors Circulation Manager
Chris Seubert – Ford Motor Company Lara Copeland Brenda Schell
P.K. Swain – Heraeus Noblelight America Nancy Cates brenda@petersonpublications.com
Hui Yang – Procter and Gamble
Sheng “Sunny” Ye – Facebook Reality Labs ENews & Website Developer
Mikell Burr

4 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

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 ASSOCIATION NEWS
2020 RadTech Conference Abstract
Deadlines Near
Abstract deadlines
are approaching for
the 2020 RadTech
UV+EB Technology
Conference and
the 2020 IUVA
Americas Conference, scheduled for March 8 through 11, 2020.
For the first time, the conferences will be co-located at the Disney
Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida, offering attendees
a complete picture of the UV/EB industry, including applications
in curing, disinfection, sterilization, sensing and more. The
co-located events are expected to attract more than 1,400 total
attendees.
Abstracts for RadTech conference presentations are due
September 20, 2019. Presentations should be no longer than 25
minutes with five minutes for questions. Potential presenters may
fill out the online Abstract Submission Form. The description
should be sufficiently comprehensive to allow assessment of the
paper’s scope and content. For more information, visit https://
radtech2020.com/index.php/call-for-papers/ or contact Mickey
Fortune at mickey@radtech.org or 240.643.0517.
Conference exhibitor and sponsor information is available at
https://radtech2020.com or www.iuva.org.
NIST, RadTech Developing Workshop
for Use of Photopolymer Materials
in Additive Manufacturing
In a partnership with the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST), RadTech is organizing a two-day road-
mapping workshop for the use of photopolymer materials in
additive manufacturing. The workshop is set for October 29 and
30 in Boulder, Colorado.
Member feedback is sought on setting workshop goals and
program details. Members and others who are actively involved in
the 3D printing and additive manufacturing supply chain can help
by providing comments and ideas to Mickey Fortune at mickey@
radtech.org.
RadTech Fall Member Meeting Set
for November 4 in Michigan
The RadTech Fall Member Meeting is scheduled for November 4
at the Dearborn Inn, Dearborn, Michigan.
Meetings and new initiatives will focus on UV LED, 3D printing,
application support, transportation, and printing and packaging.
RadTech also will host tours at Ford Motor Company in the
morning before the meeting.
On November 5, Plastics Decorating magazine (published by
Peterson Publications, which also publishes UV+EB Technology)
6 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019
will present a Surface Summit Event at the Dearborn Inn.
RadTech is a co-sponsor of the event.
Registration for the Fall Member Meeting is open. Register, check
for more information and see updates at www.radtech.org.
Abstracts Due November 30
for ICULTA 2020 in Berlin
Two years after the first successful International Conference
on UV LED Technologies & Applications (ICULTA) the next
conference is set for April 26 through 29, 2020, at the MELIÃ
Hotel in Berlin, Germany. The submission deadline for oral and
poster presentation abstracts is November 30.
ICULTA will bring together pioneers, leaders and experts from
science and industry to discuss progress and innovations in the
development of UV LEDs and the broad spectrum of applications.
The conference is jointly organized by the German consortium
Advanced UV for Life and the International Ultraviolet
Association (IUVA). The event offers an international platform
for experts in UV LED technology and applications, who are
invited to participate as a speaker, attendee, exhibitor and/or
sponsor. For more information, visit http://www.ICULTA.com.
Design Students Encouraged
to Enter Poster Competition
The Technical Association for the Graphic Arts (TAGA) and
RadTech are partnering again on the UV+EB Technology Student
Poster Design Competition, which offers students cash prizes for
creative poster designs. Experience in UV/EB technology – while
widely used in graphic arts and food packaging, as well as in 3D
printing/additive manufacturing, electronics and a number of
metal, wood and plastics applications – is not required.
RadTech will display and celebrate winning entries at the 2020
RadTech Conference at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in
Orlando, Florida, March 9 through 12, 2020.
Entries must be submitted to RadTech by December 31, 2019.
Interested graphic arts and design students are encouraged to learn
more and register at https://www.taga.org/radtech/.
RadTech Joins Academy of Inventors
to Create Trade Association Chapter
RadTech has joined the National Academy of Inventors as a
Member Institution. The academy is a US nonprofit organization
dedicated to encouraging inventors and recognizing achievements
that have made a “tangible impact on the quality of life, economic
development and the welfare of society.” While traditionally
focused on academia, NAI has accepted RadTech as the first
nonprofit trade association chapter.
“In recognition of the many inventors in our technology space,
and to build on RadTech’s fast developing ‘RadLaunch’ effort to
support start-ups, we look forward to the opportunity to engage
with the NAI community and are excited to start our own, unique
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
UV+EB focused chapter,” said Eileen Weber, RadTech president,
and global marketing manager, allnex.
With the rapid advancement of new materials and processes –
such as the development of UV LEDs, inkjet and 3D/additive
printing – UV/EB research is accelerating across disciplines
including medicine, electronics, aerospace and automotive
applications. As a Member Institution of the NAI, RadTech
now has the opportunity to curate an active technology chapter,
including developing mentors and mentees, and submitting
nominations for the NAI Senior Members program.
Rapid 3D Print Show Highlights UV Materials
RadTech representatives attended the recent RAPID 3D Printing
show in Detroit, Michigan, and report being overwhelmed
with the amount of UV technology on the exhibit floor. From
long-term RadTech members like Sartomer, Rahn and Kowa to
RadLaunch participant companies such as Origin, UV-driven 3D
printing and additive manufacturing was on display.
Mickey Fortune, RadTech senior director, said he had
conversations with several users, printer manufacturers, service
bureaus and chemists. “Our main takeaway was that our strength
is in developing bold, enabling materials,” he reported. “Many
companies I spoke to were excited about growing their partner
networks while focusing on niche applications. We had multiple
engaging conversations about the potential for open source
development and the need for stronger, production-ready UV
materials. We plan on carrying these themes forward as we
organize the technical conference for RadTech 2020, March 9
through 11, 2020, in Orlando, Florida.”
Fortune said RadTech attendees should expect several sessions
on developing photopolymer materials for stereolithography
and other UV-driven 3D printing and additive manufacturing
technologies.
Photopolymerization Conference Agenda
Available Online
The technical program has been announced for
Photopolymerization Fundamentals 2019, September 15 through
18 at Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, Monterey, California. The
agenda can be viewed at http://radtechintl.org/Photopolymer2019.
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
The program contains more than a full day of presentations
focused on new advances in 3D printing/additive manufacturing
and includes a short course with a series of presentations from
leaders in the photopolymerizations field: Chris Bowman,
University of Colorado, Photopolymerization Kinetics; Allan
Guymon, University of Iowa, Statistical Design of Experiments;
Jon Scholte, Sartomer, Photopolymerization Chemistry and
Curing Methods; and Mike Idacavage, Colorado Photopolymer
Solutions, Formulations and 3D Printing. The conference is
presented by RadTech and Colorado Photopolymer Solutions.
RadTech Members Among Those Named
as Heroes of Chemistry
Longtime Radtech members Adrian and Violeta Lungu are among
scientists recently named as Heroes of Chemistry by the American
Chemical Society (ACS). The honorees – scientists who
developed products that have led to significant advancements in
pharmacology, automotive coating and printing – were scheduled
to be recognized in a late August ceremony during the ACS
National Meeting and Exposition in San Diego, California. Adrian
and Violeta Lungu were named – along with DuPont colleagues
Robert Blomquist, Mark Hackler and Raj Subramanian – for their
discovery and development of DuPont™ Cyrel® EASY.
“We are both in the advanced printing business,” said Adrian
Lungu, “working on creating new flexographic printing plate
formulations. Cyrel® Packaging Graphics is the largest producer
of photosensitive flexographic printing plates.
“For the past five to seven years,” he continued, “the printers have
asked for a flat top dot (FTD) technology. Basically, instead of
having a very pointy dot on a digital plate, the customers prefer
a sturdy dot, without losing the resolution provided by a digital
plate. FTD can be achieved by either modifying the digital imager
(an IR laser), by reducing the percent oxygen (nitrogen blanket)
or by laminating a digitally imaged layer on top of a regular
plate. All these options require additional investment from our
customers, and it can be more time consuming. Our team decided
to create the FTD within the plate and called it EASY technology.
We modified the kinetics of photopolymerization reaction in such
a way that we can create FTD in the plate.”
Adrian Lungu, a principal investigator, has worked at DuPont
since 1997. His research in advanced printing focuses on
development of new flexographic printing plates and analysis of
different kinetic mechanisms of photopolymerization in rubber-
like matrices. Violeta Lungu is a research investigator in Cyrel
advanced printing, electronics and imaging communications.
She has been working for the past 20 years on formulation and
development of new chemistries for flexography based on a cross-
disciplinary approach with expertise in photopolymerization,
acrylate and epoxy formulations used in adhesives, coatings and
flexographic printing plates. 
UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 7
 UV CURING TECHNOLOGY
QUESTION & ANSWER

“Do you have time to answer a

few questions...”
S eventy-one years ago, the headline (Dewey Defeats Truman) in
the Chicago Daily Tribune incorrectly identified the winner of
the 1948 presidential election. Was this a result of poor data or poor
sampling? Fast forward to 2019, and voters in the United States are
being barraged with endless polls, phone calls and surveys in order
to predict the outcome of our elections. What do these two events
have to do with UV measurement and process control?

Question: How does the sample rate of a radiometer impact the

collected and reported data?

Answer: This month’s answer is broken into two parts.

Part one: The ability to accurately and repeatedly measure a UV Figure 1. The above graph is a good example of sample rate
source depends, in part, on the radiometer’s ability to gather and and resolution.
store an adequate number of observations (samples) under the UV
source.

The precise peak irradiance of a UV source occurs for only a brief

instant. Accurately measuring the peak irradiance (W/cm2) requires
an adequate number of samples, regardless of whether it is a UV
broadband (mercury) or LED source. In the case of a broadband
source, the area of peak irradiance in a focused UV system usually
corresponds to the bulb diameter – typically 0.35 to 1.02" (9 to
26 mm). An LED consists of multiple sources of irradiance, and
manufacturers work hard to make sure the output across the array
is uniform.

The accurate calculation of the energy density (J/cm2) relies on

recording and integrating multiple irradiance values under the entire
source.
An effective radiometer sample rate of 25 Hz (samples per second)
was state of the art 30 years ago. This effective sample rate placed a
“speed limit” of 40 feet (or 12 meters) per minute on the radiometer
to allow the instrument to gather enough samples to “catch” the
peak irradiance. Exceeding an instrument’s data collection “speed
limit” risked missing the true peak irradiance and could cause wide
variations in the peak irradiance value.
Figure 2. The irradiance values and profile show the average
peak or RMS intensity.
at faster production speeds does not mean it always is practical.
Common sense dictates the need to place, secure and retrieve
a radiometer from the process without causing damage to the
equipment, instrument or the person taking the measurements.
Part two: What happens when I collect data at a fast sample rate?

Today’s technology allows radiometers to sample at extremely high
rates (e.g., >30,000 Hz). Through the use of electronic/data (not
optical) filters, effective (equivalent) sample rates ranging from 128
to 2048 Hz can be set by the user.
Faster sampling rates provide greater resolution, especially as the
speeds of some applications (digital printers) approach 500 to 600
feet (150 to 180 meters) per minute. The ability to collect data
8 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019
Part One discussed the sample rate of the radiometer. Part Two
deals with how to properly interpret the data collected.
Figures 2 and 3 show data for a single non-focused UV lamp,
collected under identical conditions except for the effective sample
rate of the radiometer. Only the UVA (EIT 320 to 390 nm) is
shown; the X axis is time and Y axis is UV irradiance.
The data in Figure 2 were collected at an effective sample rate of
128 Hz. The peak irradiance is 318.3 mW/cm2, and the energy
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
 Figure 3. The peak irradiance in this example is 618.0 mW/cm2
and the total energy density is 139.9 mJ/cm2.
Figure 4. This 0.30-second portion of Figure 3 shows the lamp
irradiance cycling based on the 50 or 60 Hz frequency of the
alternating current.
density is 139.9 mJ/cm2. The irradiance values and profile show the
average peak or RMS intensity.
The data in Figure 3 are of the same source measured at an effective
sample rate of 2048 Hz. The peak irradiance in this example is
618.0 mW/cm2 and the total energy density is 139.9 mJ/cm2. There
is a 94% difference in the peak irradiance value, while energy
density values have remained the same. The irradiance values and
profile shown are often referred to as the instant peak.
Zooming in on a 0.30-second portion of Figure 3 allows readers to
see, in Figure 4, the lamp irradiance cycling based on the frequency
(50 or 60 Hz) of the alternating current (AC).
Figure 5 combines two irradiance profiles of another lamp at
effective sample rates of 128 Hz and 2048 Hz.
 The time on the X axis is approximately 0.026 seconds.
 The blue irradiance profile with a peak of 618 mW/cm2 shows
data collected at 2,048 Hz.
 The red irradiance profile with a peak of 329 mW/cm2 shows
data collected at 128 Hz.
 Energy density values are the same.
 Both values are technically correct, based on the how the UV
was sampled and is reported.
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
Figure 5. Two irradiance profiles of another lamp at effective
sample rates of 128 Hz and 2048 Hz.
Note: The shape of an irradiance profile collected on high frequency
AC power supply and/or DC power supply (LEDs) at high sample
rates can vary and, in some cases, show a slight ripple effect.
Proper sampling is important for elections and UV measurement.
For UV measurement, remember:
1. The fast user-adjustable effective (equivalent) sample rate found
in many of today’s high-quality production radiometers allows
users to collect more samples and obtain better samples than
radiometers from only a generation ago.
2. Take the time to understand your radiometer and its limits for
data collection. Wide variations in irradiance values from one
run to another may indicate an insufficient sampling rate.
3. If the instrument has an adjustable sample rate, select a sample
rate that is most appropriate for your application and collection
speed.
4. When comparing irradiance values, be sure to indicate how they
were collected. It is important that everyone speaks the same
language when it comes to measurement procedures. Clarify all
values used in the supply chain and on formulator data sheets.
5. Collect data in a manner that does not damage the process
equipment or instrument, or injure the person trying to “catch”
the instrument.
Parting thoughts
1. Used properly, statistics are an invaluable tool. Applied
improperly, statistics can show that anything is true or false.
2. Statistics means never having to say you’re certain.
3. 97.3% of all statistics are made up.
4. 125% of Americans are tired of sampling and opinion polls. 
Jim Raymont
Director of Sales
EIT LLC
jraymont@eit.com
UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 9
 INNOVATIONS
INDUSTRY ADVANCES WITH RADLAUNCH WINNERS

Neural interface device research

leads to new material for display
technology
By Nancy Cates, contributing editor, UV+EB Technology

A res Materials, based in Plano, Texas, was born in

2014 out of an idea conceived by three graduate
students – Adrian Avendano, David Arreaga and Radu
Reit – at the University of Texas at Dallas.

“We were pursuing our doctoral degrees, working with

neural interfaces and electronic devices for stimulating
the central and peripheral nervous system,” said Reit, who
serves as the organization’s chief technology officer. “In
the process of that, we were developing materials with
very tunable mechanical properties – not really focusing
on the optics of the materials at all.”

A graduate internship at Qualcomm Technologies in

San Diego became available, and Avendano (now Ares’
chief product officer) took the job. The work focused on
evaluating flexible materials for electronics. “He was looking at
what films have high temperature stability, optical transparency
– all these properties that electronics manufacturers needed but
couldn’t really find in any one specific material,” Reit explained.
“He realized that our group was making these materials in the lab
– right now – for neural devices. When he came back, we all sat
down and tried to understand the technology that we had.
“Why was it that some of those other commercially available
materials couldn’t meet the same properties as what we were
doing in the lab?” Reit continued, “From there, we put our heads
together and launched the material we were working on, along
with the new materials that we’re developing now, with a focus
on display technology.”
Reit said that he, Avendano and Arreaga (now serving as
Ares’ chief executive officer) decided to focus on the display
technologies needed for flexible, foldable phones because the
optical properties of the material and the new form factors of the
display technologies were a good fit. They felt they could see
direct application of their technology in a relatively short time.
“Pylux polysulfide thermosets are plastic films specifically
engineered for application in the fast-growing flexible display
market,” the partners wrote in their winning RadLaunch
application. “Polysulfide thermosets are a class of transparent,
optically clear polymeric materials that allow for tuning physical
properties to produce materials that tackle multiple applications
in the display stack, while meeting or exceeding the rigorous
optical requirements for display applications. For large-volume
production, high-performance UV/EB modules are critical sources
of the radiation required to set our liquid resins during film
conversion.”
At about the same time their selection as a RadLaunch winner
was announced last spring, Ares received a National Science
Foundation Small Business Innovation Research Award.
The Phase II award includes $750,000 for development and
commercialization of the pilot material into a very specific
application: a foldable cover lens. The project’s goal, Reit
explained, is to use the polysulfide thermosetting polymer films
in developing low-cost, high-performance cover lens technology
that meets strict hardness requirements. In addition, Pylux was
selected for a TechConnect 2019 Innovation Award, presented
at a June conference in Boston. There, Ares Materials was
recognized as one of the top 10 percent of technologies being
showcased.
“What is so novel about this in our particular industry,” Reit
explained, “is that we are using traditionally unusable plastic

10 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

materials as standalone plastic film. Typically, our industry
focuses on thermoplastic materials, such as polyesters, as the
optical display-grade material that will be integrated into the
display. Thermosetting materials of acrylic compositions or
similar chemistries really are only coatings applied to those films
to add function with a new or unique ability, such as anti-glare
or anti-reflection and so forth. We noticed that we can make UV-
curable resins that yield functional free-standing films for similar
applications as the currently used polyesters. Our polysulfide
thermosetting resins are a precursor – a novel material for us and
in the display industry. We combine that with new manufacturing
techniques to get those liquid resins that would otherwise just
be an ultrathin coating to make functional, standalone films for
manufacturers to integrate into their displays – such as a cover
lens material – looking to replace the outer glass layer completely.
To do that at a cost-effective and high-throughput rate at the
volumes display manufacturers require, UV/EB curing of our
resins is critical to meet mass production customer demand.”
Reit stated that Ares’ materials can be shown to outperform
similar products on a technical merit basis. “We prove the level
of performance with the customer directly when they do their
own internal evaluation. That’s the primary way we focus on
showing the advantage of our materials, but ultimately, it’s cost.
Even though the display area is possibly less cost-sensitive than
other commodities in the market, we need to lower the cost of
the film down to somewhere that not only the tech guys but the
operations folks feel it’s good to go. That circles back to the UV/
EB processing. The way we make our materials allows us to be
cost-competitive with almost all of the optical-grade materials in
use right now.”
Apply Now for RadLaunch 2020
RadLaunch 2020 is for students, start-ups and anyone with
innovative new ideas for UV/EB technology. Applications
for the class of 2020 are being accepted through December
2, 2019. Selection as a RadLaunch winner includes a cash
award and travel grant to RadTech 2020 in Orlando, Florida,
early next year. Learn more and apply at www.radlaunch.org.
production and incorporate it into a commercial product, that will
launch us into a new phase.”
After meeting the early goals, Reit said that part of the job is
looking further down the line. “We aim to be not just a material
supplier and designer, as we are doing right now. Instead
we could go further into the value chain and look at novel
components. A display is made up of many different components
– a color filter, a touch panel, a polarizer, etc. With a materials
background, we think about materials that haven’t been there
before. A really interesting step for Ares will be determining
how we can build new display devices using new technology for
products coming out in the next decade.” 

Ares already has customers licensing the technology and helping

to scale up resin and film production for display overcoat and
flexible touch sensor applications. Reit said the group’s original
business plan to provide a full display solution changed with a
reality check about “not knowing what we don’t know. We don’t
have a billion dollars in capital for a factory, and it’s not cost-
effective to do it here. It forces you to pivot your business model
and what you plan to offer. We really only became an optical
electronic materials company in 2017 by showcasing the optical
and cost advantages of our materials to these customers. That was
when we really had good reception from customers who could see
the value added to their products.”

Reit sees mass production as the next step for Pylux. “While
we are pretty early in the process,” he said “our core is always
going to be new product development and innovating on specific
technical metrics. Of course, we’re always looking for that first
commercial validation in incorporation of your materials into
some mass-produced device. We already have some validation IST AMERICA U.S. OPERATIONS
HANDCURE
from major Japanese chemical film manufacturers, which are 121-123 Capista Drive
Shorewood, IL 60404-8851
doing some commercial licensing and development contracts Tel. +1 815 733 5345
info@usa.ist-uv.com
LED Mobile Curing
with us. It’s in the pilot stage. Ultimately, once we go into mass www.ist-uv.com

uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 11

 PROFESSOR’S CORNER
BACK TO THE BASICS OF UV/EB
Structure and property relationships
for polymers
T he second edition of “Professor’s Corner” included a
discussion about the fundamental physical property
differences between low molecular mass materials and polymers1.
These included differences in flexibility, melting point and glass
transition temperature (Tg), as well as the rheological properties
of liquids or solutions. In this edition, we will take a closer look
at structure/property relationships for polymers. We also will
introduce terminology clarification: a recurring topic designed to
improve communication among those engaged in UV/EB research
and development activities.
The rubber band – A valuable learning aid
The properties of any material depend on its composition and
molecular structure. Most rubber bands are made from natural
sources of rubber because of the elasticity of such materials2.
But, it is the molecular structure of a rubber band – a lightly
crosslinked polymer – and the resultant fascinating physical
properties it produces that are the subject of this discussion.
Thermodynamics of stretching. When you stretch a rubber
band, what do you see? Feel? Observe? Stretch it and immediately
touch it to your forehead or chin. What do you feel? Now, with it
stretched, release it and allow it to retract back, and then quickly
touch it again. What do you feel this time? What would happen if
you stretched the rubber band and, while stretched, you warmed it
with a hair dryer? Would it expand farther, or would it contract?
Enthalpy Change. When you stretched the rubber band, you
should have noted that it was warmer than before stretching.
This indicates that the enthalpy change, ∆H, is exothermic (more
negative) during stretching. When you then allowed a stretched
rubber band to contract, you should have felt that it was cooler
to the touch. The process of contraction or relaxation from a
stretched position is endothermic; the rubber band is absorbing
energy from its surroundings. Note that this is a purely physical
process. No change in composition has occurred, yet there is
a detectable and reproducible thermodynamic result. Since the
composition remained the same before and after stretching, it is
clear a structural change at the molecular level has taken place.
Relaxed Rubber Band Stretched Rubber Band
S-T-R-E-T-C-H
RELAX
AX
Figure 1.
12 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019
Figures 1 and 2 schematically depict the molecular structure of
the rubber band before and after stretching. In the relaxed state,
the lightly crosslinked macromolecules are randomly oriented in a
purely amorphous form. But, when stretched, they become highly
ordered and aligned with one another; they have a high degree
of crystallinity when stretched. As the rubber band is elongated,
the free volume decreases, and the macromolecules come closer
together. This increases the points where they contact one another,
causing stronger total forces of attraction. Since all attractive
forces are exothermic, thermal energy is emitted during stretching.
Entropy Change. What about the change in entropy, DS? Clearly,
as the rubber band is stretched, the macromolecules become
much more ordered. Therefore, there is a substantial decrease in
entropy (DS = negative). This does not favor spontaneous change
and, of course, stretching is not a spontaneous process. Rather,
contraction of the rubber band takes place spontaneously when
DS = positive.
Free Energy Change. While positive changes in entropy favor
spontaneity, it is the free energy change of a process, ∆G, that
actually determines whether or not a process is spontaneous.
To evaluate ∆G, the change in enthalpy, the change in entropy
and the Kelvin temperature must all be taken into consideration.
Equation 1 shows the relationship among these four parameters.
∆G = ∆H - TDS Equation 1
When the sign of ∆G is negative, the process will be
thermodynamically spontaneous. When the rubber band is
stretched, ∆H is quite negative. But, so is DS! The entropy change
is sufficiently negative when stretched to produce a “TDS” value
more negative than ∆H, and this produces a positive value for
∆G. Thus, stretching is non-spontaneous, while relaxation is
spontaneous – even though the former is exothermic and the latter
is endothermic. The relaxation process is entropy driven!
So, what happens when you warm a stretched rubber band? If
it expands, as many might expect, the temperature (T) would
increase and its entropy
would decrease. Thus,
“TDS” would become
more negative. ∆G
would then become
more positive. But, if it
contracts on heating, T
would increase but DS
Figure 2.
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
also would increase, making ∆G more negative. Thus, a stretched
rubber band, when heated, will contract.
These simple thermodynamic observations give a good insight
into the nature of the rubber band’s macromolecular structure.
But, other readily apparent physical properties of a rubber band
provide even more insight.
Flexibility, density, modulus and tensile strength. The rubber
band is obviously very flexible. But, what happens to its width
and thickness as it is stretched? Try it! Since the total volume
of the sample will not change, a large change in the length will
necessitate a corresponding decrease in the other two dimensions.
This provides a mental picture of the macromolecules pulling
closer together as they elongate in one dimension. In this process,
the free volume decreases and, since the mass does not change,
the density increases.
Now try this: Exert a lateral pressure on the relaxed rubber band.
What happens? It yields very easily! It has virtually no stiffness,
and we can say that its modulus is essentially zero. Now, as you
slowly stretch the rubber band, what happens to the modulus? It
continues to increase more and more until finally, just before the
band breaks, the modulus is at a maximum. Also, as it’s stretched,
the rubber band’s tensile strength – its resistance to stretching –
increases, becoming stronger and stronger with increasing length.
It is obvious, then, that the modulus and tensile strength of a rubber
band are proportional to the amount of stretching. Of course, these
phenomena have a structural explanation. As with the exothermic
nature of stretching, the macromolecules move closer together,
aligning more with one another. The increasing total force of
attraction caused by the tight alignment of the macromolecules
increases both its modulus and its tensile strength.
Other visible effects. In addition to the effects already discussed,
a typical brown rubber band will increase in “whiteness” as
it is stretched. This effect may be more muted with brightly
colored rubber bands. What is happening? This effect is related
to an increase in microcrystallinity with stretching. Were there
a complete absence of color-producing components in a rubber
band, it would likely be transparent. Such transparency reflects
its amorphous nature. Highly crystalline polymers, on the other
hand – those with a high degree of molecular alignment – tend
to be hazy or opaque in direct proportion to the concentration
of microcrystalline regions. So, as a rubber band is stretched, it
becomes more crystalline and less transparent due to the alignment
of the macromolecules. For many rubber bands, this is reflected
in increased whiteness. A similar effect is seen when one flexes
a transparent plastic such as poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)
or polycarbonate (PC). As it is flexed, the polymer “whitens” or
shows a “crazing” pattern. This reflects the increased alignment of
the macromolecular chains with repeated stretching of the plastic
as it is flexed. However, since the plastic is not nearly as elastic as
a rubber band, the “crazing” remains after flexing.
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
Summary. These observations from simple manipulations of a
rubber band (or common transparent plastics) provide insight into
the macromolecular structure of polymers, contrasting them with
low molecular mass materials.
Terminology clarification
People entering the polymer technical workforce are immediately
confronted with a wide range of terms and definitions, many
of which are used interchangeably and – of greater concern –
incorrectly. While there is no perfect vocabulary for the UV/
EB professional, it may be useful to confront this linguistic issue
directly.
Perhaps a good place to start is with the words “curable,” “cured”
or “curing” – as in “UV-curable,” “energy-cured” or “radiation
curing.” When a polymer is “cured,” a linear or branched
polymeric species is subjected to a subsequent chemical process
wherein the macromolecules are linked together by covalent
bonds. The terminology comes from traditional conventional
thermal or air curing processes. However, this is not typically
what happens with UV or EB “curing.” Rather, in most cases, a
mixture of nonpolymeric oligomers and monomers of relatively
low molecular mass are coated or printed onto a substrate and,
subsequently, they are polymerized and crosslinked (“cured”)
simultaneously. While this is not a critical linguistic issue, it is
more accurate to suggest the terms “UV polymerization,” “EB
polymerization” or “energy polymerization” be used in technical
papers and presentations to describe the process. Likewise, in
speaking of the raw materials (oligomers and monomers) in a
typical formulation, it is suggested that these be referred to as
“UV-polymerizable” or “EB-polymerizable” materials. Certainly,
these materials are being “cured,” but not in the conventional
thermal-cure sense. Rather, they are nonpolymeric materials that,
when exposed to UV or EB sources of energy, polymerize and
crosslink in situ. 
Technical questions?
What are your technical questions about polymer science,
photopolymerization or other topics concerning the chemistry
and technology of UV/EB polymerization? Please submit your
questions or comments to Dianna Brodine, managing editor for
UV+EB Technology, at dianna@petersonpublications.com.
References for further study:
1. “Professor’s Corner,” UV+EB Technology, Volume 5, No. 2, 2019.
2. https://web.archive.org/web/20061018005348/http://www.madehow.
com/Volume-1/Rubber-Band.html
Byron K. Christmas, PhD
Professor of Chemistry, Emeritus
University of Houston-Downtown
b4christmas@gmail.com
UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 13
 METAL COATING

UV Source and Chemistry

By Mike J.
Idacavage,
PhD, Technical

Options for Metal Can

Marketing Adviser,
and John Arnold,
PhD, Director of
Research and
Development,
Miltec UV Coating
Introduction

M any commercial sheetfed litho printing presses that are used to print on flat steel sheets for the can
industry, or on paper or plastic sheets, utilize traditional UV arc lamps that are cooled by a combination
of water and air to help prevent overheating critical press parts. These UV lamps are placed after each printing
station or deck and will cure each ink color after it is printed. These presses have very little space for the
lamp; as a result, the lamps can become cumbersome to maintain, generate a lot of heat – which can damage
the press – and typically have short lamp and reflector life since they are not adequately cooled due to poor
air flow. Since these presses have a tight space constraint in which to mount a lamp, it can limit which type of
lamp can be used. Therefore, microwave lamps are almost never used since they are too large. However, after
the sheet is printed, there almost always is a set of lamps to complete the curing on a conveyor. In this case,
any lamp type could be used to complete
the ink cure. This paper will explore a Table 1. Arc lamp
comparison of lamp types to use for inter-
deck ink curing and final ink curing. It is High-Powered ARC Lamp Technology
part of a larger study on various lamp, ink High Peak Irradiance 7 watts/cm2
and varnish combinations. The three lamp Long Lamp Life – 2,000 to 4,000 Hours
systems chosen are the high-powered arc
lamp, microwave lamp and UV LED multi- UV Output Uniformity
wavelength lamp system. Ability to Use Various Spectrum Bulbs
Very Few Replacement Parts
UV source/Chemistry background
Three major categories of UV sources are
commonly used in industry: arc, microwave Table 2. Microwave lamp
and UV LED lamps. In addition, UV LED
Microwave Lamp Technology
lamps can be further divided into single
wavelength and multi-wavelength lamps. No Electrode = Long Life Bulbs 6,000 to 8,000 hours
Each UV source has its advantages, as Small Diameter Bulbs = Higher Intensity 6.8 watts/cm2
shown in Tables 1-3. Ability to Use Various Broad Spectrum Bulbs
To a company seeking to either convert to Fast ON/OFF – No Shutters Required
a UV-curable system on a can coating line
or simply to upgrade an older system, these Table 3. UV LED
advantages all look attractive, and there is no
obvious winner amongst the three UV source UV-LED lamp Technology
contenders. Lower Heat Generation
Instant ON/OFF – No Shutters
There also is the question of the proper
formulated ink and varnish to be coated. No Ozone Created; Therefore No Exhaust System
A wide variety of ink and varnishes are Needed
formulated specifically for broadband energy Modular Compact Design
sources, such as arc or microwave and UV No Mercury
LED formulated varnishes. This could get
complicated for the converter in the case that Higher Energy Efficiency

14 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

the plant uses multiple sources that might require
different formulated inks and varnishes. While
the experimental program that was run covered a
range of different UV sources and formulations,
this paper will focus on one aspect of the overall
evaluation. Specifically, we will be looking at the
use of a range of different lamps to cure Hg lamp-
formulated ink, followed by either an Hg lamp or
UV LED-formulated clear varnish.

Experimental conditions
The coating line was set up as shown in Figure
1. The UV lamps used in the evaluation are the Figure 1. Coating line configuration
Miltec UV HPI™ 23" Arc Lamp UV System,
Miltec UV Xtrema Plus™ Microwave Powered
UV System, Miltec UV 385nm UV LED and a
Miltec UV LED Multi-spectrum UV. The black
UV-curable ink was obtained from Sun Chemical.
The UV broadband-curable varnishes were
obtained from Watson Standard, while the UV
LED-formulated clear varnishes were obtained
from UVitec. Ink application was done per the
supplier recommendation for each ink type, using a
Little Joe Proofing Press. All clear varnishes were
applied via drawdown. The Watson Standard 971-
0452-L varnish was applied at the standard film
weight of 22 to 26 mg per sq.in. The UVitec UV
LED varnish was applied at a film weight of 22 to
Figure 2. Experimental plan
26 mg per sq.in.

Results
The experimental plan is illustrated in Figure 2.

The UV Hg bulb-formulated black ink was cured

by one of the four UV sources. This then was
followed by coating a UV Hg bulb or a UV LED-
formulated clear varnish over the ink and then
curing the coated sample with either a UV arc lamp
or multi-spectrum UV LED.

Both arc and microwave lamps have targeted bulbs

– such as “H,” “D,” etc. – that are assumed to emit
similar spectra. For the purposes of this study,
several commonly used bulbs that are available
for both systems were evaluated, and their spectra
compared. Figure 3 illustrates the “H” bulb spectra
for both an arc and microwave system. The
individual peaks are almost an exact match. This
indicates that a suitable coating formulation can be
exchanged between the two systems with similar
results if the power output is similar between the Figure 3. Microwave “H” lamp (blue) vs. arc “H” lamp (red) spectral output
lamps. Other metal halide additive bulbs, such as
the “D” bulb, also were examined and were shown
to be nearly identical.
page 16 

uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 15

 METAL COATING
 page 15

As expected, there is a dramatic difference

in emitted wavelengths when an arc
“D” bulb is compared to either a single
wavelength or multi-spectra UV LED lamp.
This is shown in Figure 4.

However, there is enough overlap of

emitted wavelengths to suggest that a multi-
spectrum UV LED may serve as a substitute
for an Hg “D” bulb.

Table 4 lists the results for an Hg bulb-

formulated black ink and a UV LED-
formulated clear varnish. The first column
records the type of lamp used to cure the ink
while the following two columns – Thumb
Twist and Adhesion – demonstrate that
all four types of lamps can be used to cure Figure 4. LED 385 (red), LED multi-spectrum (green) and arc “D” lamp (gray)
this ink. The remaining columns show the spectral output
results after the clear varnish has been cured
using a multi-spectrum UV LED lamp.

Table 4. Hg lamp-formulated ink with UV LED-formulated clear varnish

Table 5. Hg lamp-formulated ink with Hg lamp-formulated clear varnish

page 18 
16 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
ARC UV

MICROWAVE UV

Your ONLY
source for all UV
technologies

ARC · MICROWAVE · LED

Expert process development support

using the Miltec UV Applications Lab
LED UV

7ˑˎ3˘ˠˎ˛˘ˏ(ˡˌˎ˕˕ˎ˗ˌˎ

Miltec UV · sales@miltec.com · Stevensville, MD-USA · www.miltec.com 89

 METAL COATING
 page 16

Except for the microwave lamp,

all combinations gave acceptable
results. The X in Table 4 signifies
unknown results. Depending on
the application, the sheen values
may or may not be acceptable. As
the UV LED varnish used was a
commercially available product,
its typical use may not be for a
high-sheen application.

Table 5 shows the data for an

Hg bulb-formulated black ink
and an Hg bulb-formulated clear
varnish cured using an arc lamp.
The columns are the same as
shown in Table 4. All ink cured
combinations were successful
when combined with a final Hg
lamp cure of the varnish.

While the purpose of the study

reported in this paper was to
determine if a UV LED lamp
can be used as an inter-deck

curing unit in a metal can coating line, along with a determination

2015 Quarter 3
Vol. 1, No. 3
2015 Quarter 2
Vol. 1, No. 2 2015 Quarter
4
Vol. 1, No.
4

TECHNOLOGY

Printing &
of which type of formulations can be used, it was noted in
Packaging
Innovations
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EB Application
Advancementsy
many other experimental runs that it is important to align the
photoinitiator absorbance with the emitted UV spectrum. This is a
Ultraso nicFood
UV-Inkjet on Acous
Assisted Drying tically

TECHNOLOGY
Packaging

UV/EB leading the way for Waterb

Next Generation
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CoatingsEsters rable
the future of automotive
Cellulose

far more important factor than whether a formulation is listed as a

Nanogel Additiv
PhotopolymerBUYEe
UV/EB & Flexible Modifi
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UV for Surface Carbon Footprinting GUID cation
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& Sustainability Electronics EDITION
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Official Publication of RadTech International North

Official Publication of RadTech

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UV LED formulation or an Hg lamp formulation.
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SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE Summary

This series of experiments evaluated different combinations of
7)4(
/52
2%Ø$%23 UV lamps and lamp-specific formulated inks and varnishes for
metal can packaging. It was found that high-powered arc or multi-
UV+EB Technology
THE
OFÞCIAL
MAGAZINE
OF
spectral UV LED lamps were excellent for inter-deck UV and UV
2AD4ECH
)NTERNATIONAL
.ORTH
ØMERICA
PROMOTES
LED ink curing due to their ability to cure and their physical size
THE
USE
AND
BENEÞTS
OF
ULTRAVIOLET
AND
ELECTRON
– especially when enhanced by a high-powered arc lamp to cure
BEAM
CURING
TECHNOLOGIES
)T
IS
DISTRIBUTED
TO
the varnish. As expected, there must be proper alignment between
MORE
THAN
 
READERS
INCLUDING
END
USERS
the chemistry of the ink and varnish along with the systems. 
FORMULATORS
RAW
MATERIAL
SUPPLIERS
AND
SERVICE

PROVIDERS
ON
A
QUARTERLY
BASIS Acknowledgement
The authors would like to acknowledge the significant
SUBMIT AN ARTICLE FOR CONSIDERATION
contribution that Renee Muloski, Crown Technology, made to
UV+EB Technology
FEATURES
NONCOMMERCIAL
the design and execution of the overall experimental program.
CONTENT
INCLUDING
TECHNICAL
ARTICLES
CASE
STUDIES
In addition, the authors would like to thank Beth Mosner, Miltec
APPLICATION
HIGHLIGHTS
AND
1ØS
ØLL
TECHNICAL
UV, for her key role in coordinating the experimental program
CONTENT
IS
REVIEWED
BY
2AD4ECHmS
%DITORIAL
"OARD and her substantial input in developing this article.

For complete editorial guidelines:

UVEBTECHNOLOGYCOM
DIANNA!PETERSONPUBLICATIONSCOM

18 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

 APPLICATION

UV Enhances Print Project

By Lara Copeland,
contributing editor,
UV+EB Technology

P erforming print finishing services, Feiereisen, Inc., is a family-owned business with headquarters in Cedar
Rapids, Iowa. In business since 1933, the nationwide provider recently created a custom-designed, diecut
pocket folder with a series of single, two-sided inserts, titled Finish With Style, to promote itself as a graphic
arts finisher. Touching on some of the more traditional finishing techniques, like diecutting and laminating,
this piece also “stresses one of Feiereisen’s newest available services, which is an extremely high-end digital
enhancement press that prints inline digital spot UV and digital foils,” Feiereisen’s President Greg Ortmann
commented.

Jack Noonan, marketing manager at MGI, said that the Konica Minolta MGI JETvarnish 3DS with iFoil was
used to create the a unique product, and that “this digital decorative solution is the only print enrichment
process to utilize three inline methods of curing.” He continued, “IR is for low-level, flat 2D spot coats and
rounded, domed smooth effects. The LED is for freezing and pinning high-build 3D textures and sculpted
image effects. And then, the full-powered UV is for final curing
of all clear ink (varnish polymer) treatments.” Additionally, the
UV lamp system provides the final curing method for embossed
foil applications where a hyper-sensitive foil roller is calibrated
with pixel-to-micron inkjet management. Knowing what the
JETvarnish can do, Ortmann said Feiereisen decided to use
this equipment to showcase the company’s capabilities.

“With this product, we simply wanted to show off what the

press is capable of doing,” Ortmann said. “The incredible
high-end finishing of UV and foil now is available in a
streamlined digital process that not only is fast but delivers
incredible flexibility for custom-designed finishes without
the cost of traditional dies, plates, screens and foil stamp
setup.” The machine also opens the opportunity to do
limited runs of any size, large or small, all while keeping
the costs affordable and much lower than traditional
processes.

Finish With Style features a tactile design, “begging

the viewer to pick up the pieces one-by-one and touch
them, feeling the difference in variable depth foils
and UV,” Ortmann said. The piece also highlights the
way light affects the finishes. “Watch it electrify
the foils,” he continued, “making them pop off the
page, and see how the light truly enhances the 3D
qualities of the depth of the UV in key areas.”
The secondary focus of this design was to convey
the overall power, speed, style and the limitless
capabilities of the press, “not to mention the
finishes that could be added to virtually any
printed piece.” Feiereisen’s customer base
is wide, and Ortmann said the design team
planned to make the pocket folder project
relatable to them all on a personal level, which
was key in the process. “This subtly shows
what could be done for their particular industry
or market segments.”

20 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

When it came time to create this intricate piece with five inserts,
the team was challenged to find the best process for the multiple
layers and effects. “We tested various processes to figure out
how to make each image come to life,” Ortmann said. “How
do we make chrome pop, or paint colors look like they are
shimmering in the sunlight?” Feiereisen worked to add depth
and dimension to each image, making the viewer want to touch
the piece, “as if it were the real thing,” he said, “not simply a
photo.” Ultimately, the team labored to figure out how many
layers could be built on top of one another. Ortmann said this
“really pushed the limits of the digital press-- using multiple
layers of foil and variable depth layers of spot UV.”

Cedar Graphics, Hiawatha, Iowa, printed the folders and inserts,

and both were produced on 14pt Carolina C2S. Each piece was
laminated with a matte finish on a GBC Genesis. They then
were moved to the new digital foil and UV press, where each
insert had its multiple layers of foil from Crown Roll Leaf and
UV applied.

The project earned a Gold Leaf award for Best Use of Digital
Inkjet-Coating from the Foil and Specialty Effects Association
(FSEA). 

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309 Kelly’s Ford Plaza SE Leesburg, VA 20175

Email: uv@eit.com Phone: 703-478-0700 Web: eit.com

uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 21

 AWARDS

FSEA Gold Leaf Awards Allow UV

Decorating Techniques to Shine
T he FSEA Gold Leaf Awards competition evaluates print and packaging
submissions that utilize a wide range of specialty finishing techniques, from
foil stamping and embossing to specialty coating, film laminating, diecutting
BEST USE OF COLD
FOILING – LABEL/CARTON
and cold foil applications. Submissions come in a variety of formats, including
book covers, point-of-purchase displays, folding cartons, promotional pieces, GOLD
Crest 3D Whitestrips™ Professional White
calendars and more. The pieces are assessed on design, execution and level of Submitted by: Diamond Packaging
difficulty, with the highest honors going to those companies that best execute the Foil Supplier: ITW Foils
decorative enhancements. Foil/Embossing Die Supplier: Metal Magic
Machinery: Offset Press (with Compact
Foilers cold foil unit), Bobst BMA Hot Foil
The 26th Annual FSEA Gold leaf award winners were announced at the 2019 Stamper/Embosser
Odyssey Expo in Atlanta, Georgia, in mid-May. Entries were received from
countries around the world, and gold, silver and bronze winners were honored in SILVER
41 categories, including those featuring UV-cured coatings. Hydroxycut Organic
Submitted by: Diamond Packaging

For more details on all of the winners, visit www.fsea.com. BRONZE

Cosmic Egg
Submitted by: Multi-Color Corporation North
America Wine & Spirits

BEST USE OF COLD FOILING –

SELF PROMOTION
GOLD
Diamond Packaging 2019 Calendar
Submitted by: Diamond Packaging
Foil Supplier: ITW Foils
Foil/Embossing Die Supplier: Metal Magic
Machinery: Offset Press (with Compact Foilers cold foil
unit), Bobst BMA Hot Foil Stamper/Embosser

SILVER
LII CTGA Promo Piece
Submitted by: Label Impressions, Inc.

BRONZE
Univacco Ribbon
Submitted by: Univacco Technology Inc.

BEST USE OF DIGITAL INKJET – FOIL

GOLD
Print Panther & Eatprintlove
Submitted by: Print Panther
Foil Supplier: Crown Roll Leaf
Machinery: Konica Minolta/MGI JETvarnish 3DS with iFoil-S

SILVER BRONZE
Beverage Series Tap Cleveland Cake
Submitted by: Univacco Technology Inc. Submitted by: Tap Packaging Solutions

22 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

 BEST USE OF FILM CASTING
BEST USE OF DIGITAL (CAST & CURE™)
INKJET – COATING GOLD
Lucky Charms – Magical Unicorn
GOLD Submitted by: Artistic Carton
Feiereisen Finish with Style Foil Supplier: Breit Technologies, LLC
Submitted by: Feiereisen
Foil Supplier: Crown Roll Leaf SILVER
Machinery: Konica Minolta/MGI JETvarnish 3DS Shimmer and Shine
with iFoil Submitted by: Artistic Carton

SILVER BRONZE
Print Panther Belladonna Premium Cannabis
Presentation Folder Submitted by: Ross Printing
Submitted by: Print
Panther

BRONZE
Pause
Submitted by:
Jostens

BEST FOIL/UV COATING SELECTION BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING –

GUIDE SELF PROMOTION (HOLIDAY)
GOLD
GOLD
Extreme Digital Designer’s Guide
(RIT) Rochester Institue of Technology Class
Submitted by: Print Panther
Project – More Than a Box
Foil Supplier: Crown Roll Leaf
Submitted by: Print Panther
Machinery: Konica Minolta/
Foil Supplier: Crown Roll Leaf
MGI JETvarnish 3DS
Machinery: Konica Minolta MGI JETvarnish 3DS
with iFoil
with iFoil-S
SILVER
SILVER
Foil/Varnish User
Tap 2018 Holiday Gift Box
Submitted by: DMS Color
Submitted by: Tap Packaging Solutions
BRONZE
BRONZE
Unifraxion
Katz Americas Holiday Card
Patterns and Textures
Submitted by: Katz Americas
Submitted by:
BrightMARKS, LLC

BEST USE OF SPECIALTY UV COATING (SCREEN)

GOLD BRONZE
Untold Stories Business Card Paper Samples
Submitted by: Jostens Submitted by: Printograph, Inc.
Machinery: Sakurai

SILVER
Ariel & The Big Baby/Rapunzel Finds a Friend
Submitted by: Bertelsmann Printing Group USA

uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 23

 INKJET INKS

Waterbased UV LED-
By Jo Ann
Arceneaux, Tong
Wang and

Curable Compositions
Hwei-Ling Yau,
allnex USA Inc.;
and Michel
Tielemans,
Kevin Poelmans
and Laurence
Boutreau, allnex
for Graphics Applications
Belgium SA/NV
Abstract

W ith the increasing regulatory pressure on acrylate monomers, the energy-curable graphics market
has started to investigate the use of energy-curable waterborne resins and polyurethane dispersions
(PUDs). Some products are particularly suitable for food contact applications, as illustrated by comprehensive
migration tests and compliance with existing regulations. These energy-curable waterborne resins and PUDs
also find utility in the development of next-generation low-viscosity inkjet inks and overprint varnishes where
re-dispersibility in water is required. Data on the performance of these waterborne systems cured with both
mercury lamps and LED lamps will be presented.

Inkjet ink technologies

Today, inkjet inks are either solventborne, waterborne or 100% solids energy-curable. Solventborne (SB)
and waterborne (WB) inkjet inks are based on polymers, colorants and additives dissolved/dispersed in
either solvent or water. These are well-known technologies, with a large installed equipment base. They
generally slow curing, with low resolution and color strength. The resistance properties of the cured inks also

Figure 1. Cartoon of an energy curable polyurethane dispersion

Table 1. Properties of EC PUDs

Label-free BPA-free Tack-free Resolubility Migration Reactivity Flexibility

First Generation Products

EC PUD 1       

EC PUD 2       

EC PUD 3       

Developmental Products for Low Migration

EC PUD 912       

EC PUD 929       

EC PUD 953       

 Recommended Use  Fair Use  Not Recommended

24 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

are rather poor. The solventborne inks have good adhesion to
substrates, but due to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are
not environmentally friendly. Waterborne inks can have adhesion
issues on nonporous substrates and also contain emulsifiers and
coalescents, which contribute to VOC. Both of these technologies
can dry in the print heads, causing blocked nozzles.1

The 100% solids energy-curable (EC) inkjet inks are very fast
curing, with improved resolution and color strength. They have
better resistance properties and are low in VOCs. However,
some of the more opaque inks are difficult to cure because of
film thickness. These EC inkjet inks are based on acrylated
oligomers and monomers, pigments, additives and photoinitiators.
They must contain high levels of acrylated monomers to reduce
viscosity, and more of the monomer is mono-functional, due to
the very low viscosity requirements. This monomer use results
in odor and safety concerns, and in many cases, the Globally
Harmonized System (GHS) labeling is not user friendly. The Figure 2. Composition of EC PUD 929
photoinitiator (PI) and its fragments also may create concerns for
food packaging applications. [If electron beam (EB) cure is used,
no PI is necessary, and this concern is eliminated.] Energy-curable
inkjet inks do not dry in the print heads, so nozzle blockage is not
a concern.2,3

Waterbased energy-curable inkjet inks combine the benefits of

both waterbased and energy-curable inks and eliminate many
of the drawbacks. These types of inkjet inks maintain the fast
cure, good resolution, color strength and resistance properties
of 100% solids EC inkjet inks and have low VOCs (no solvent,
emulsifiers or coalescents). They also eliminate the use of low
molecular weight monomers, resulting in lower odor and easing
of regulatory and environmental concerns. The inkjet-printed
product has lower dry film thickness, allowing better cure of
opaque inks (but this still can be a problem) and providing a better
Figure 3. Extractables at suspected ppb levels from direct food
hand or feel. This product is very durable and has better adhesion
contact protocol
to plastics, due to lower shrinkage. Waterbased energy-curable
inkjet inks also separate the drying step from the curing step and
are resoluble, so these types of inks do not block the nozzles. to provide for different properties. As shown in Table 1, EC PUDs
Thus, the value proposition for EC waterbased inkjet inks is 100% can be designed to be label free (GHS) and bisphenol A (BPA)
solids EC performance, with improved processability and VOCs free. Tackiness and resolubility after dry but before cure are two
over WB and SB inks, and improved safety over 100% solids EC properties that also can be controlled. Other parameters – such as
inks.4 migration potential, reactivity and flexibility – also can be varied.
Although not shown in Figure 2, adhesion properties can be
The EC waterbased inkjet ink value proposition opens the door to designed into the EC PUD.
food packaging applications. Food packaging applications require
global regulatory compliance [European Printing Ink Association Waterbased energy-curable PUDs for food packaging
(EuPIA), Nestle List, Swiss List, German Ordinance, US FDA, The composition of the EC PUD also can be designed to provide
REACH, Prop 65, etc.], no use of chemicals of concern, no/low properties necessary for food packaging inkjet inks. Some of these
residuals, extractables, or migrating species; no/low odor; and no/ properties are listed below:4
low VOC.5,6 The EC waterbased inkjet inks based on polyurethane 1. Low viscosity without the use of solvent or monomers.
dispersions (PUDs) can be designed to meet these requirements. 2. High molecular weight to avoid extraction/migration; no low
molecular weight (< 500) fractions. (However, EC PUDs are
Design of energy-curable PUDs lower MW than traditional PUDs.)
A cartoon of an energy-curable polyurethane dispersion (PUD) is
shown in Figure 1. The composition of the EC PUD can be varied page 26 
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 25
 INKJET INKS
 page 25

Validation of the suitability of the

EC PUD for use in food packaging
should include migration tests and
identification of extractables. These
tests were performed on EC PUD
929 and two reference EC PUDs that
were not specifically designed for
food packaging applications. A direct
food contact protocol was used to
address the most stringent extraction
conditions. The polymer dispersions
were formulated with a wetting agent
(0 – 0.75%) and applied as a 30μ wet
coating on an unwashed aluminum
sheet. They were dried for four
minutes at 60°C and then cured with
an electron beam (250 keV - 5 MRad)
with a conveyer speed of 10 m/min.
Figure 4. Stability test results for EC PUD 929 The coated samples were immersed
in 95% ethanol for 24 hours at 60°C
in a closed glass flask. There was
a contact area of 100 ml of solvent
per dm2 of coated substrate. (These
extraction conditions are related
to FDA § 176.170 – conditions of
use H, for paper and paperboard
in contact with aqueous and fatty
foods.)

The alcoholic solution was submitted

to GC-MS and LC-MS after
collecting reference data from the
pure polymer dispersions. Extractable
components were identified and
detected at suspected ppb levels by
single ion monitoring (SIM). The MS
response was recorded as peak areas
for a comparative analysis, without
considering that the MS response
factors are different for each type of
Figure 5. Viscosity evolution (cP) of EC PUD inkjet inks at 50° C at zero, two, four and six product. The extraction data from
weeks * = sedimentation the two analytical techniques were
merged and normalized so that they
3. High functionality (>/= 6) to provide dense crosslinking and could be categorized per product type. As shown in Figure 3, EC
high performance. PUD 929 shows very favorable migration data versus the non-
4. Controlled composition for other desirable properties such as food grade EC PUDs (shown as References 1 and 2). Based on
stability, resolubility and adhesion. these data, EC PUD 929 should be acceptable for indirect food
packaging applications.
The starting raw materials also must be controlled to avoid the use
of chemicals of concern, such as tin, bisphenol A, alkyl phenol Energy-curable inkjet ink requirements
ethoxylates (APEO) and others. Figure 2 provides compositional There are two major inkjet application techniques: continuous
data on EC PUD 929. This product contains greater than 99.5% and drop-on-demand. Drop-on-demand is further divided into
(solids) of material with MW > 500 Daltons and functionality piezo and thermal (bubble jet) technologies. The 100% solids
>/= 6, indicating its suitability for use in food packaging. (Mn = energy-curable inkjet inks are typically applied through piezo
1,875, Mw = 27,600 and Mw/Mn = 14.68.) page 28 
26 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
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 INKJET INKS
 page 26
Table 2. Water-based EC PUD inkjet ink
Step 1 : Prepare pigment dispersion
Water
Pigment wetting agent
Defoamer
Biocide
Pigment
Step 2 : Add the following letdown to the pigment dispersion
EC PUD 1
Water
Propylene glycol
Substrate wetting agent
Surface tension modifier
Photoinitiator
EC PUD 929 EC PUD 953, EC PUD 1,
EC PUD 2
Figure 6. Resolubility of EC PUDs
technology. Because of viscosity constraints, the 100% solids
inkjet ink generally is heated to 40°C to 60°C before jetting. EC
waterborne inkjet inks could be jetted by either piezo or thermal
technologies.7
There are many requirements of an EC waterbased inkjet ink, and
some of those follow. The inkjet ink must be stable, both during
application and during storage. An elevated temperature stability
test over a set period of time is the typical test (45°C to 60°C
over various time periods). This accelerated aging test is used to
predict room temperature shelf life of the inkjet ink. Viscosity,
pH, particle size and/or coagulum are monitored during this test.
The inkjet ink must be efficiently filterable to remove particles
that may block or damage the inkjet head.
The inkjet ink must be jettable using whichever inkjet head is
specified. Jettability typically is a function of surface tension,
rheology and solids content. The inkjet ink must be resoluble
before cure to avoid clogging the inkjet nozzles. Finally, the
inkjet ink must be reactive or curable under the lamp and speed
28 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019
conditions of the specified press,
and the cured ink must provide the
adhesion and resistance properties
13.85 required by the end application.8 These
2.00 requirements will be further explained
and discussed.
0.10
0.05
Ink stability
4.00 Figure 4 shows the results of a stability
test of EC PUD 929 held for nine to 10
24.00 days at 60°C. The EC PUD 929 was
32.90 diluted to 10% solids for this test. The
19.00
particle size of EC PUD 929 decreased
only slightly over nine days (80 nm to
0.10
75 nm). Over a 10-day period, there
1.00
was a decrease in pH from 7.9 to 7.1
3.00 and in viscosity from 1.9 to 1.5 cP
at 25°C. All of these results indicate
a stable system. Cyan, magenta, yellow, black (CMYK) inkjet
inks also were evaluated for stability over time at 50°C. Figure 5
shows the viscosity evolution in cP of these inks at zero, two, four
and six weeks. Stability differences were seen with different EC
PUDs and with different pigments, but good results were obtained
for some inkjet inks.
Ink filterability and jettability
The EC PUDs and inkjet inks are filtered to remove particles
that might damage or clog the nozzles. This must easily be
accomplished without too much time and without excessive
clogging of the filters. For ease in filtering the EC PUD, there is
a specification on the amount of 50+ micron grits, typically < 10
mg/L. The inkjet ink must, obviously, be jettable. Filterability and
jettability were tested on inkjet inks using the formulation shown
in Table 2. Dimatix disposable piezo print heads were used in the
jetting experiments. All CMYK inkjet inks could be filtered and
jetted.
Ink resolubility
Ink resolubility before cure is important to avoid drying in the
print heads and blocking the nozzles. As discussed earlier, inkjet
inks based on EC PUDs separate the drying step from the curing
step and are resoluble after dry but before cure. Thus, these
Validation of the suitability of
the EC PUD for use in food
packaging should include
migration tests and identification
of extractables.
page 30 
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
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 INKJET INKS
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inks do not block the nozzles. Figure 6

shows the resolubility after drying for
several pigmented EC PUDs. [The dried
films (on glass) were placed in water at
room temperature for 1 minute.] All are
resoluble, with EC PUD 929 a little less so.

Ink reactivity
Ink reactivity, or cure speed, can be
affected by several variables. These
include double-bond concentration of the
ink, photoinitiator concentration, lamp type
and output (wavelength and intensity),
pigment color and concentration, and ink
thickness, to name a few. With UV LED
lamps, oxygen inhibition of the free radical
polymerization also impacts surface cure
speed.9 Figure 7. Cure speed (m/min) of EC PUD-based CMYK inkjet inks with mercury lamps

Figure 7 shows the surface cure speed in

meters/minute for CMYK inks (proprietary
formulations) based on five EC PUDs.
(CMYK = Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black.
The colors of the bar graphs correspond to
the ink colors.) The inks were applied on
Leneta charts at 15 microns (wet), dried
in a 60°C oven for four minutes and cured
using full spectrum mercury lamps (200
watts/cm at 70% power). Surface cure was
measured via the graphite test for CMY
inks and by the talc test for black (K) inks.
EC PUD 929 had the fastest cure speed
for all color inks. The EC PUD 929 has
the lowest weight per double bond (172),
but EC PUD 3 has the highest (602). So,
it does not appear that weight per double
bond is a major factor in determining cure
speed.
Figure 8. Double bond conversion in EC PUD 929-based coatings
UV LED cure speeds also were determined
for clear coatings of EC PUDs. A #5 wire
wound bar was used to apply the coating to a plastic substrate, evaluations. With TPO-L as the photoinitiator at 1.5, 3.0 and
which was dried for 10 minutes in a 60°C oven to yield a 5 6.0% levels, surface cure speeds of 12 fpm (~5000 mJ/cm2) were
micron coating. For curing, a 16 watt/cm , 395nm UV LED lamp
2
obtained for all PI concentrations. Changing the PI to BAPO
was used at a cure distance of 1cm. Surface cure was measured at 1.5, 3.0 and 6.6% levels resulted in uncured surfaces of the
via the graphite test. coatings when cured at 12 fpm. This is surprising, as BAPO has
a higher extinction coefficient compared to TPO-L. However,
The clear coatings were prepared by adding photoinitiator to BAPO was more difficult to incorporate versus the TPO-L, and
the EC PUD and incorporating with a commercial mixer. Either this may have resulted in lower effective BAPO concentrations.
ethyl (2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl) phenyl phosphinate (TPO-L) or a (Even though the BAPO was water dispersed, a hazy product
water dispersion of phosphine oxide, phenyl bis (2,4,6-trimethyl resulted after mixing with the EC PUD.)
benzoyl) (BAPO) was used at various concentrations.
Figure 8 shows the double-bond conversion of the EC PUD 929
Since EC PUD 929 was the fastest curing EC PUD with the based clear coating with different PI levels and different cure
mercury lamp (>150 m/min), it was chosen for the UV LED cure temperatures. Conversion was measured by ATR-FTIR at 1.66
30 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
 Table 3. Adhesion of CMYK inkjet inks based on EC PUDs

PP= polypropylene LDPE= low density polyethylene PET= polyethylene terephthalate

PVC= polyvinyl chloride OPP= oriented polypropylene PC= polycarbonate

microns depth using the peak area at 810 cm-1 (C=C) and the 610 tapes) and reported as percent coating that remained on the
reference peak area at 764 cm-1.10 substrate.

Higher double-bond conversions were obtained with TPO-L With rigid PVC and HIPs, 100% adhesion was obtained for all
versus BAPO, consistent with the cure speed results. (The EC PUD coatings. The coating based on EC PUD 929 had 100%
exception was the 6% PI level cured at 90°C.) For room adhesion to all of the substrates. EC PUD 912 and EC PUD 953
temperature cure, 1% TPO-L was as good as 3 or 6%. At 90°C, page 32 
3.0% TPO-L gave the best double-bond conversion. For BAPO,
6% levels gave the best double-bond conversion for both cure
temperatures.

Increasing the cure temperature provides better mobility for free

radicals in the coating and extends the time to reach the gel point.
Both of these aspects will result in better double-bond conversion,
as generally shown in Figure 8.11

Ink performance properties

The cured inkjet ink must have adhesion to the substrate and
provide the desired performance for the application. Table 3
shows the adhesion of CMYK inks based on EC PUDs to various
substrates. The inks were applied on corona-treated filmic
substrates at 15 microns (wet), dried in a 60°C oven for four
minutes and cured using full spectrum mercury lamps (200 watts/
cm at 70% power). Adhesion was tested by tape pull with TESA March 8-11, 2020
4104 tape. The colors of the dots correspond to the C, M, Y or K Disney Coronado Springs · Orlando, Florida
ink, and the intensity of the dot reflects the amount of adhesion RadTech announces its 17th biennial conference and exhibition
(darker dot = better adhesion). It was easier to obtain adhesion to dedicated to UV/EB technology. With more than 100 presentations,
the latest innovations in UV LEDs, 3D printing materials, printing
some substrates (LDPE, PVC, PC), and some EC PUDs (2 and 3)
and packaging, coatings, formulations and more will be featured. The
provided better adhesion to multiple substrates. event also offers academic educational opportunities in undergrad-
and graduate-level polymer chemistry and a course on Design of
The adhesion of the clear coatings based on various EC PUDs and Experiments.
cured with UV LED is shown in Table 4. The coating (EC PUD
The expo and conference, the world’s largest UV/EB industry
and 3% TPO-L) was applied to the untreated filmic substrate with event, also will include more than 80 exhibitors demonstrating the
a #5 wire wound bar and dried for 10 minutes in a 60°C oven to application of this exciting technology.
yield a 5 micron coating. Cure was at room temperature at 12 fpm
with a 16 watt/cm2, 395 nm UV LED lamp, at a distance of 1 cm For more information visit: radtech2020.com
(~ 5000 mJ/cm2). Adhesion was tested via tape pull (3M 600 and
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 31
 INKJET INKS
 page 31

also were good for

Table 4. Adhesion of clear coatings based on EC PUDs (reported as % coating that remains after
adhesion, with an tape pull)
average adhesion of
just less than 90%. All
Substrate Tape # EC PUD 912 EC PUD 929 EC PUD 953 EC PUD 1 EC PUD 2 EC PUD 3
EC PUDs achieved
100% adhesion to 600 100 100 30 80 100 50
some substrates. PC
610 90 100 100 90 90 100
600 100 100 100 100 100 100
Generally, adhesion Rigid PVC
is related to through 610 100 100 100 100 100 100
cure. These adhesion 600 0 100 100 20 30 0
White PE
data show that through 610 95 100 100 100 100 90
cure was achieved 600 100 100 100 100 100 100
for all EC PUDs, HIPS
610 100 100 100 100 100 100
even though surface
cure was not. (Under 600 100 100 50 0 0 10
White PP
these cure conditions, 610 100 100 100 100 50 100
only EC PUD 929 600 100 100 100 0 100 80
achieved surface PET
610 80 100 90 90 90 100
cure via the graphite
Average
test.) Cure with UV Adhesion
88.8 100 89.2 73.3 80 77.5
LED lamps generally
PC= polycarbonate PVC= polyvinyl chloride PE= polyethylene
provides better
HIPS= high impact polystyrene PP= polypropylene PET= polyethylene terephthalate
through cure than
surface cure because
of their longer wavelength emissions. These longer wavelengths 6. Ibid., pp 142-148.
are preferentially absorbed in the coating depth, and not at the 7. Ibid., pp 313-319.
surface, resulting in better depth of cure.9 8. Ibid., pp 33-37.
9. Ibid., pp 117-127.
10. Chemistry & Technology of UV & EB Formulation for Coatings,
Conclusions
Inks & Paints, Volume I, pp 245-250. R. Mehnert, A. Pincus, I.
Waterbased EC inkjet inks are an alternative to both waterborne
Janorsky, R. Stowe, and A. Berejka. John Wiley & Sons 1998.
inkjet inks and 100% solids EC inkjet inks and bring multiple 11. Ibid., pp 209-214.
benefits over the other technologies. EC PUDs can be designed to
provide low migration and low extractables, and this provides the Surface-cure test methods: Graphite and Talc Tests
potential to formulate waterbased EC inkjet inks and coatings for These are surface cure tests. The graphite or talc is sprinkled on
food packaging. the surface of the cured ink or coating and then gently brushed off
with a cotton ball. The amount of graphite or talc that remains is
Inkjet inks based on EC PUDs have been shown to be thermally visually assessed. The visual assessment is made easier by using
stable, filterable and jettable. These inks also are resoluble after the graphite test on clear coatings and CMY inks, and the talc test
dry but before cure, ensuring that nozzle blockage does not occur. on black inks.
Reactivity of waterbased inkjet inks cured with full spectrum
mercury lamps is dependent on the choice of the EC PUD, but can Acknowledgements
be quite fast. These inkjet inks also have good adhesion to many My co-authors for all of the experimental results that were
corona-treated filmic substrates. UV LED surface cure speed of presented in this paper.
EC PUD clear coatings needs improvement, but through cure is
quite good, providing excellent adhesion to multiple untreated
filmic substrates. 

References
These adhesion data show
1. Handbook of Industrial Inkjet Printing, Volume I, pp 27-28. W.
Zapka, Ed. Wiley-VCH 2018.
that through cure was achieved
2. Ibid., pp 129-138.
3. Ibid., pp 59-111.
for all EC PUDs, even though
4. Ibid., pp 48-56.
5. Ibid., pp 108-111.
surface cure was not.
32 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
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 ANNUAL
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Products/Services .................................................................................................................... 36

Manufacturers Directory .......................................................................................................... 39

PRODUCTS/SERVICES OFFERED INDEX

# G
3D Printing Resins/
Photopolymers.......................... 36
A Hybrid Polymers ......................... 37
Additives ..................................... 36
Adhesives/Sealants .................... 36
C
Cationic....................................... 36
Coating Equipment/Machinery ... 36
Coatings ..................................... 36
Consulting Services .................... 36
Cure/Dose Measurement
Equipment ................................ 36
Curing Sources ........................... 36
Custom Formulated Products ..... 36
Custom Raw Materials ............... 37
E
Electron Beam Curing
Equipment/Machinery ............... 37
Emulsions/Dispersions ............... 37
P
Glass Optics ............................... 37 Photoinitiators/Sensitizers .......... 38
Pigments/Dispersions ................. 38
H Pilot Line Services ...................... 38
R
I Reactive Silicones ...................... 38
Inks ............................................. 37 Reflectors ................................... 38
L S
LED Curing Equipment/ Surface Preparation
Machinery ................................. 37 Equipment ................................ 38
Light Stabilizers .......................... 37
T
M Toll Services ............................... 38
Monomers................................... 37
U
O UV Curing Equipment/
Oligomers ................................... 37 Machinery ................................. 38

uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 35

PRODUCTS/SERVICES

3D PRINTING RESINS/ PL Industries, division of Esstech, Inc., Precision Ink Corp., 1, 2, 3, 6 GEW (EC) Limited, 2, 3
1, 2 Sappi North America, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 Hamamatsu Photonics Deutschland
PHOTOPOLYMERS Siltech Corporation, 2 Sartomer Americas GmbH, 1, 2, 3
ZEXI USA LLC, 1, 2 Siegwerk EIC LLC, 3, 4, 6 Hanovia Specialty Lighting LLC, 3
Allied PhotoChemical, Inc. Sun Chemical, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Honle UV America , Inc., 2, 3
Allnex USA Inc. UV III Systems, Inc. IST America Corporation, 2, 3
BASF Dispersions & Resins Van Technologies, Inc. (Mfgr of KJCJ Consulting, 1, 2, 3
DDU Enterprises Inc. GreenLight Coatings), 1, 2, 3, 6 Kyocera International, Inc., 2
Nagase America Corporation Wikoff Color Corporation, 1, 4, 6 Miltec UV, 2, 3
Penn Color, Inc. Nedap UV, 2, 3
PL Industries, division of Esstech, Inc. OWLE Technologies, 2
RAHN USA Corporation CONSULTING SERVICES PCT Ebeam and Integration, 1
Sartomer Americas Phoseon Technology, 2
Siltech Corporation BCH North America Inc. Allied PhotoChemical, Inc.
Prime UV – IR, 2, 3
Wikoff Color Corporation 15720 Brixam Hill Avenue Carestream
Sappi North America, 1
ChemQuest Technology Institute
Charlotte, NC 28277 Sartomer Americas
DDU Enterprises Inc.
Ushio America, Inc., 2
Phone: 704-470-2340 Dvorchak Enterprises LLC
UV III Systems, Inc., 3
Website: bch-bruehl.com Energy Sciences, Inc.
IST America Corporation
KJCJ Consulting
Kromachem Inc.
National Polymer
Sartomer Americas COATING EQUIPMENT/ PL Industries, division of Esstech, Inc.
502 Thomas Jones Way MACHINERY Prime UV – IR
Exton, PA 19341
Allied PhotoChemical, Inc. CURE/DOSE Honle UV America, Inc.
Phone: 610-363-4100
American Ultraviolet MEASUREMENT 261 Cedar Hill St. Bldg. C
Website: sartomer.com Ashland Marlboro, MA 01752
DDU Enterprises Inc. EQUIPMENT
Phone: 508-229-7774
Energy Sciences, Inc.
Excelitas Technologies 1. Sensors Fax: 508-229-8530
Prime UV – IR Website: HonleUV.com
ADDITIVES Vergason Technology Inc. Boston Electronics, 1
DDU Enterprises Inc.
1. Acrylamides EIT Instrument Markets, 1
COATINGS Energy Sciences, Inc., 1
2. Cationic Solutions
3. Free Radical Solutions GEW (EC) Limited, 1
1. 100% Solids Hamamatsu Photonics Deutschland
4. Thiois 2. Clear Coat GmbH, 1
3. Pigmented Honle UV America , Inc., 1
Allnex USA Inc. 4. Solventborne
BASF Dispersions & Resins Prime UV – IR, 1
5. Silicone-based
Dymax Corporation, 1 6. Water-based
Hybrid Plastics Inc., 2, 3, 4 IST America Corporation
Kromachem Inc., 3 ACTEGA North America, Inc., 1, 2, 3, 6 121 - 123 Capista Drive
Nagase America Corporation, 1, 2, 3, 4 Alberdingk Boley, 2, 3, 6 Shorewood, IL 60404-8851
PL Industries, division of Esstech, Inc. Allied PhotoChemical, Inc., 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 Phone: 815-733-5345
Ashland, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6
Website: ist-uv.com
ADHESIVES/SEALANTS Carestream, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Dvorchak Enterprises LLC, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
ACTEGA North America, Inc. Energy Sciences, Inc., 1 EIT Instrument Markets
Alberdingk Boley Hauthaway Corporation, 6 .HOO\V)RUG3OD]D6(
Ashland INX International Ink Co. /HHVEXUJ, VA 201
BASF Dispersions & Resins KJCJ Consulting, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Kromachem Inc., 3, 6 Phone: 703-478-0700
Carestream Email: uv@eit.com
Dymax Corporation Michelman, 6
Miltec UV Website: eit.com
Excelitas Technologies
Miltec UV National Polymer
National Polymer Nazdar Ink Technologies, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
PL Industries, division of Esstech, Inc. Penn Color, Inc., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Nedap N.V.
Precision Ink Corp. CURING SOURCES Parallelweg 2
Sartomer Americas 7141 DC Groenlo
Wikoff Color Corporation 1. Electron Beam
2. UV LED The Netherlands
3. Ultraviolet Phone: +31 544 471860
CATIONIC Website: nedap-uv.com
Allied PhotoChemical, Inc.
1. Photoinitiators Allied Photochemical, Inc. American Ultraviolet, 2, 3
2. Monomers/Oligomers 16024 Angelo Drive Ashland, 1, 2
Macomb, MI 48042 Boston Electronics, 2 CUSTOM FORMULATED
Aal Chem, 1, 2 Carestream, 2, 3 PRODUCTS
BCH, 1 Phone: 586-232-3637 ChemQuest Technology Institute, 2, 3
Hampford Research, 1 Fax: 586-232-3889 DDU Enterprises Inc., 3 Allied PhotoChemical, Inc.
Hybrid Plastics Inc., 2 Website: alliedphotochemical.com Dymax Corporation, 2, 3 Ashland
KJCJ Consulting, 1, 2 Email: mkelly@alliedphotochemical.com Energy Sciences, Inc., 1 Carestream
Nagase America Corporation, 1, 2 Excelitas Technologies ChemQuest Technology Institute

36 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

 PRODUCTS/SERVICES

DDU Enterprises Inc. Kromachem Inc. Energy Sciences, Inc., 2 IGM Resins Inc., 1, 2
Hauthaway Corporation Miwon North America INX International Ink Co., 1, 2, 4 KJCJ Consulting, 1, 2
Hybrid Plastics Inc. National Polymer Kao Collins Inc., 1 Miwon North America, 1, 2
Kopp Glass PL Industries, division of Esstech, Inc. KJCJ Consulting, 1, 2 Nagase America Corporation, 1, 2
Kromachem Inc Sappi North America Kromachem Inc., 1, 2 National Polymer
Miltec UV Sartomer Americas Miltec UV PL Industries, division of Esstech, Inc.,
National Polymer Siltech Corporation Nazdar Ink Technologies, 1, 2, 3, 4 1, 2
Penn Color, Inc. ZEXI USA LLC Penn Color, Inc., 1, 2 RAHN USA Corporation, 1, 2
Precision Ink Corp. Precision Ink Corp., 2, 4 Sartomer Americas
Sartomer Americas Siegwerk EIC LLC, 1, 2, 3, 4 Siltech Corporation, 1
Van Technologies, Inc. (Mfgr of Sun Chemical, 1, 2, 3, 4
GreenLight Coatings) Wikoff Color Corporation, 1, 2, 3, 4
Wikoff Color Corporation ZEXI USA LLC, 1, 2, 3, 4
ZEXI USA LLC
LED CURING
PL Industries, division of EQUIPMENT/MACHINERY
Esstech, Inc.
48 Powhattan Avenue 1. Conveyer Miwon North America
Essington, PA 19029
2. Spot 100 Arrandale Blvd., Suite 104
3. In-line
Exton, PA 19341
Phone: 610-299-4118 4. Hand-held
Allied Photochemical, Inc. Fax: 610-521-4600 Phone: 484-872-8177
16024 Angelo Drive Website: plindustries.esstechinc.com Allied PhotoChemical, Inc., 1, 2, 3, 4 Fax: 484-872-8717
Macomb, MI 48042 American Ultraviolet, 1, 2, 3, 4 Website: miramer.com
Ashland, 1
Phone: 586-232-3637
ChemQuest Technology Institute, 1, 3
Fax: 586-232-3889 ELECTRON BEAM DDU Enterprises Inc., 1, 2, 3, 4
Website: alliedphotochemical.com CURING EQUIPMENT/ Dymax Corporation, 1, 2, 4
Email: mkelly@alliedphotochemical.com Excelitas Technologies, 1, 2, 3, 4
MACHINERY
GEW (EC) Limited, 3
1. Wide Web Hamamatsu Photonics Deutschland
2. Narrow Web GmbH, 1, 2, 3, 4
Heraeus Noblelight America LLC
Energy Sciences, Inc., 1, 2 Honle UV America, Inc., 1, 2, 3, 4
IST America Corporation, 1, 2, 3, 4 Nagase America
Hamamatsu Photonics Deutschland
GmbH, 1, 2 Miltec UV, 1, 3 Corporation
KJCJ Consulting, 1, 2 Nedap UV, 1, 2, 3, 4 546 Fifth Avenue, 16th Floor
PCT Ebeam and Integration, 1, 2 OWLE Technologies New York, NY 10036
Sartomer Americas Prime UV – IR, 1, 2, 3, 4
502 Thomas Jones Way Ushio America, Inc., 2 Phone: 212-703-1340
Exton, PA 19341 EMULSIONS/ Fax: 212-398-0687
Website: nagaseamerica.com
Phone: 610-363-4100 DISPERSIONS
Website: sartomer.com
Alberdingk Boley
BASF Dispersions & Resins OLIGOMERS
Hauthaway Corporation
Kromachem Inc. 1. Acrylate
National Polymer 2. Methacrylate
CUSTOM RAW Penn Color, Inc. 3. Other
ZEXI USA LLC IST America Corporation
MATERIALS 121 - 123 Capista Drive Aal Chem, 1, 2, 3
Shorewood, IL 60404-8851 Allnex USA Inc.
Alberdingk Boley GLASS OPTICS BASF Dispersions & Resins
BCH Phone: 815-733-5345 BCH, 3
ChemQuest Technology Institute DDU Enterprises Inc. Website: ist-uv.com Dymax Corporation, 1, 2
Dymax Corporation Kopp Glass Hybrid Plastics Inc., 1, 2, 3
Hauthaway Corporation Miltec UV IGM Resins Inc., 1, 2, 3
IGM Resins Inc. Prime UV – IR KJCJ Consulting, 1, 2, 3
Kopp Glass Miwon North America, 1, 2, 3
LIGHT STABILIZERS
HYBRID POLYMERS
Aal Chem
Hybrid Plastics Inc. BASF Dispersions & Resins
KJCJ Consulting IGM Resins Inc.
Nagase America Corporation PL Industries, division of Esstech, Inc.
National Polymer
MONOMERS
INKS
BCH North America Inc. 1. Acrylate
BCH North America Inc.
15720 Brixam Hill Avenue 1. Inkjet 15720 Brixam Hill Avenue
2. Other
Charlotte, NC 28277 2. Flexo Charlotte, NC 28277
Phone: 704-470-2340 3. Screen Aal Chem, 1, 2 Phone: 704-470-2340
Website: bch-bruehl.com
4. Offset Allnex USA Inc. Website: bch-bruehl.com
BASF Dispersions & Resins
ACTEGA North America, Inc., 2, 3 Hybrid Plastics Inc., 1, 2
Allied PhotoChemical, Inc.
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 37
PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Nagase America Corporation, 1, 2, 3 PIGMENTS/DISPERSIONS TOLL SERVICES Nedap UV, 1, 2, 3, 4

National Polymer OWLE Technologies
PL Industries, division of Esstech, Inc., Allied PhotoChemical, Inc. Allied PhotoChemical, Inc. Prime UV – IR, 1, 2, 3, 4
1, 2, 3 Kromachem Inc Carestream UV III Systems, Inc., 1, 2, 3, 4
RAHN USA Corporation, 1, 2, 3 Nagase America Corporation Dymax Corporation
Sartomer Americas National Polymer Energy Sciences, Inc.
Siltech Corporation, 1 Penn Color, Inc. Hampford Research
PL Industries, division of Esstech, Inc. IGM Resins Inc.
Wikoff Color Corporation Kromachem Inc.
ZEXI USA LLC National Polymer
PCT Ebeam and Integration
Penn Color, Inc. Heraeus Noblelight
PILOT LINES SERVICES America LLC
PL Industries, division of Esstech, Inc.
Sappi North America 910 Clopper Road
Carestream
Vergason Technology Inc. Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Miwon North America ChemQuest Technology Institute
Wikoff Color Corporation
Energy Sciences, Inc. Phone: 301-527-2660
100 Arrandale Blvd., Suite 104
National Polymer Fax: 301-527-2661
Exton, PA 19341 PCT Ebeam and Integration Website: heraeus-noblelight.com/
Phone: 484-872-8177 uvamericas
Fax: 484-872-8717 REACTIVE SILICONES
Website: miramer.com
Hybrid Plastics Inc.
KJCJ Consulting
National Polymer PL Industries, division of
Siltech Corporation Esstech, Inc.
48 Powhattan Avenue
Essington, PA 19029
Phone: 610-299-4118
Fax: 610-521-4600 IST America Corporation
Website: plindustries.esstechinc.com 121 - 123 Capista Drive
RAHN USA Corporation Shorewood, IL 60404-8851
1005 N. Commons Drive Phone: 815-733-5345
Aurora, IL 60504 UV CURING EQUIPMENT/ Website: ist-uv.com
Siltech&RUSRUDWLRQ
Phone: 630-851-4220 225 Wicksteed Ave. MACHINERY
Website: rahn-group.com Toronto, ON Canada M4H 1G5
1. Conveyor
Phone: 416-424-4567
2. Spot
Fax: 416-424-3158
3. In-line
Website: siltech.com 4. Hand-held
PHOTOINITIATORS/
SENSITIZERS Allied PhotoChemical, Inc., 1, 2, 3, 4
REFLECTORS American Ultraviolet, 1, 2, 3, 4
1. UV LED Active ChemQuest Technology Institute, 1, 3 OmniCure® UV
2. Visible Wavelength DDU Enterprises Inc., 1, 2, 3, 4
IST America Corporation
Dymax Corporation, 1, 2, 4
Curing Solutions
3. Low Migration Miltec UV 2260 Argentia Rd.
Excelitas Technologies, 1, 2, 3, 4
Prime UV – IR Mississauga, Ontario L5N 6H7
Aal Chem GEW (EC) Limited, 3
BCH, 1, 2, 3 Hamamatsu Photonics Deutschland Phone: 905-821-2600
Boston Electronics, 1 SURFACE PREPARATION GmbH, 1, 2, 3, 4 Fax: 905-821-2055
Hampford Research, 1, 2, 3 EQUIPMENT Hanovia Specialty Lighting LLC, 1, 3 Website: excelitas.com
IGM Resins Inc., 1, 2, 3 Heraeus Noblelight America LLC
KJCJ Consulting, 1, 2, 3 DDU Enterprises Inc. Honle UV America, Inc., 1, 2, 4
Nagase America Corporation, 1, 2, 3 Enercon Industries IST America Corporation, 1, 2, 3, 4
RAHN USA Corporation, 1, 2, 3 Ushio America, Inc. Kopp Glass
ZEXI USA LLC, 1, 2, 3 Miltec UV, 1, 3

UV III Systems, Inc.

Allied Photochemical, Inc. 59 Cedarvale Estates
16024 Angelo Drive Alburgh, VT 05440
BCH North America Inc. Macomb, MI 48042
15720 Brixam Hill Avenue Phone: 508-883-4881
Charlotte, NC 28277 Phone: 586-232-3637 Website: uv3.com
Fax: 586-232-3889
Phone: 704-470-2340
Website: alliedphotochemical.com
Website: bch-bruehl.com Email: mkelly@alliedphotochemical.com

38 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

 MANUFACTURERS DIRECTORY

Aal Chem Allnex USA Inc.

2240 29th Street SE 9005 Westside Parkway
Grand Rapids, MI 49508 Alpharetta, GA 30009
616-247-9851 800-433-2873 / 770-280-8300
Fax: 616-247-9852 Fax: 770-280-8393
aalchem.com allnex.com BASF Dispersions & Resins
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive 11501 Steele Creek Road
Manufacturing, Collision Repair & Refinishing, Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense, Apparel, Charlotte, NC 28273
Industrial, Inkjet/Digital Printing, Plastics & Automotive/Transportation, Collision Repair 800-231-7868
Composites, Printing & Packaging, Wood and & Refinishing, Concrete, Consumer Products, Fax: 800-971-1123
Building Products Electronics, Glass, Industrial, Inkjet/Digital basf.us/dpsolutions
Printing, Plastics & Composites, Printing Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
& Packaging, Residential & Commercial Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense,
ACTEGA North America, Inc.
Flooring, Wood and Building Products Automotive/Transportation, Electronics,
950 S. Chester Avenue, Suite B2
Delran, NJ 08075 Industrial, Inkjet/Digital Printing, Printing
856-829-6300 & Packaging, Residential & Commercial
actega.com Flooring, Wood and Building Products
Industries Served: Inkjet/Digital Printing,
Printing & Packaging

Alberdingk Boley
6008 West Gate City Boulevard American Ultraviolet
Greensboro, NC 27407 212 S. Mount Zion Road
336-454-5000 Lebanon, IN 46052 BCH
765-483-9514 15720 Brixam Hill Avenue
Fax: 336-454-5007
Fax: 765-483-9525 Charlotte, NC 28277
alberdingkusa.com
americanultraviolet.com 704-470-2366
Industries Served: Automotive/
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive bch-bruehl.com
Transportation, Concrete, Glass, Industrial,
Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense, Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Metal Finishing, Plastics & Composites,
Automotive/Transportation, Biomedical/ Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense,
Printing & Packaging, Residential &
Medical, Electronics, Glass, Industrial, Automotive/Transportation, Concrete,
Commercial Flooring, Wood and Building
Medical Devices, Printing & Packaging, Wood Electronics, Glass, Industrial, Inkjet/Digital
Products
and Building Products Printing, Printing & Packaging, Wood and
Building Products

Allied PhotoChemical, Inc.
16024 Angelo Drive
Macomb, MI 48042
586-232-3637 Armstrong Flooring, Inc.
alliedphotochemical.com 2500 Columbia Avenue
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive Lancaster, PA 17603
Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense, 717-672-9611
Automotive/Transportation, Biomedical/ armstrongflooring.com
Medical, Ceramics, Concrete, Consumer Industries Served: Residential &
Products, Electronics, Glass, Industrial, Commercial Flooring
Inkjet/Digital Printing, Manufacturing: Metals,
Medical Devices, Metal Finishing, Plastics &
Ashland
Composites, Printing & Packaging, Sporting
5475 Rings Road, Atrium II,
Goods, Wood and Building Products
North Tower, 5th Floor
Dublin, OH 43017
614-698-9163
ashland.com
Industries Served: Automotive/
Transportation, Consumer Products,
Industrial, Inkjet/Digital Printing, Medical
Devices, Printing & Packaging, Residential
& Commercial Flooring, Wood and Building
Products
Boston Electronics
91 Boylston Street
Brookline, MA 02445
617-566-3821
boselec.com
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense,
Automotive/Transportation, Biomedical/
Medical, Electronics, Industrial, Medical
Devices, Plastics & Composites, Printing &
Packaging
Carestream
8124 Pacific Avenue
White City, OR 97503
541-831-7374
tollcoating.com
Industries Served: Aerospace/Defense,
Automotive/Transportation, Biomedical/
Medical, Ceramics, Consumer Products,
Electronics, Glass, Industrial, Inkjet/Digital
Printing, Medical Devices, Plastics &
Composites, Printing & Packaging

uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 39

MANUFACTURERS DIRECTORY
ChemQuest Technology Institute
1100 Confroy Drive, Suite 2
South Boston, VA 24592
434-570-1400
chemquest.com
Industries Served: Aerospace/Defense,
Automotive/Transportation, Biomedical/
Medical, Concrete, Consumer Products,
Electronics, Glass, Industrial, Manufacturing:
Metals, Medical Devices, Metal Finishing,
Plastics & Composites, Printing & Packaging,
Residential & Commercial Flooring, Sporting
Goods, Wood and Building Products
DDU Enterprises Inc.
PO Box 4254
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
310-698-0288
Fax: 310-698-0307
doctoruv.com
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense, Apparel,
Automotive/Transportation, Biomedical/
Medical, Ceramics, Collision Repair &
Refinishing, Concrete, Consumer Products,
Electronics, Glass, Industrial, Inkjet/
Digital Printing, Manufacturing: Metals,
Medical Devices, Metal Finishing, Plastics
& Composites, Printing & Packaging,
Residential & Commercial Flooring, Sporting
Goods, Wood and Building Products
Dvorchak Enterprises LLC
706 Heartwood Drive
Monroeville, PA 15146
412-996-5225
dvorchakenterprisesllc.com
Industries Served: Aerospace/Defense,
Automotive/Transportation, Collision Repair &
Refinishing, Electronics, Wood and Building
Products
Dymax Corporation
318 Industrial Lane
Torrington, CT 06790
860-482-1010 / 877-396-2988
Fax: 860-496-0608
dymax-oc.com
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense,
Automotive/Transportation, Biomedical/
Medical, Consumer Products, Electronics,
Medical Devices
40 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019
Excelitas Technologies
2260 Argentia Road
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5N 6H7
905-821-2600
Fax: 905-821-2055
EIT Instrument Markets excelitas.com
309 Kelly’s Ford Plaza SE Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Leesburg, VA 20175 Manufacturing, Automotive/Transportation,
703-478-0700 Biomedical/Medical, Industrial, Inkjet/
eit.com Digital Printing, Medical Devices, Printing &
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive Packaging, Wood and Building Products
Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense,
Automotive/Transportation, Biomedical/
Medical, Ceramics, Collision Repair & GEW (EC) Limited
Refinishing, Consumer Products, Electronics, Crompton Way
Glass, Industrial, Inkjet/Digital Printing, Crawley, West Sussex,
Manufacturing: Metals, Medical Devices, United Kingdom RH10 9QR
Metal Finishing, Plastics & Composites, +44 (0) 1737 824 500
Printing & Packaging, Residential & gewuv.com
Commercial Flooring, Sporting Goods, Wood Industries Served: Automotive/
and Building Products Transportation, Biomedical/Medical,
Concrete, Consumer Products, Electronics,
Glass, Industrial, Inkjet/Digital Printing,
Enercon Industries Medical Devices, Metal Finishing, Plastics
W140 N9572 Fountain Boulevard & Composites, Printing & Packaging,
Menomonee Falls, WI 53051 Residential & Commercial Flooring, Sporting
262-255-6070 Goods, Wood and Building Products
Fax: 262-255-7784
enerconind.com
Industries Served: Aerospace/Defense,
Automotive/Transportation, Consumer
Products, Industrial, Inkjet/Digital Printing,
Medical Devices, Metal Finishing, Plastics & Hamamatsu Photonics
Composites, Printing & Packaging, Sporting Deutschland GmbH
Goods, Wood and Building Products Arzbergerstraße 10
D-82211 Herrsching
+49 81521375-171
Energy Sciences, Inc.
42 Industrial Way Fax: +49 81521375-188
hamamatsu.de
Wilmington, MA 01887
978-694-9000 Industries Served: Industrial, Inkjet/Digital
Printing, Printing & Packaging, Residential &
Fax: 978-694-9046
ebeam.com Commercial Flooring
Industries Served: Aerospace/Defense,
Apparel, Automotive/Transportation, Hampford Research
Biomedical/Medical, Consumer Products, 54 Veterans Boulevard
Glass, Industrial, Inkjet/Digital Printing, Statford, CT 06615
Manufacturing: Metals, Metal Finishing, 203-375-1137
Plastics & Composites, Printing & Packaging, Fax: 203-386-9754
Residential & Commercial Flooring, Wood hampfordresearch.com
and Building Products Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Manufacturing, Consumer Products,
Electronics, Inkjet/Digital Printing, Printing &
Packaging
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

Hanovia Specialty Lighting LLC
6 Evans Street
Fairfield, NJ 07004
973-651-5510
Fax: 973-651-5550
hanovia-uv.com
Industries Served: Ceramics, Glass,
Industrial, Metal Finishing, Plastics &
Composites, Printing & Packaging,
Residential & Commercial Flooring, Wood
and Building Products
Hauthaway Corporation
638 Summer Street
Lynn, MA 01905
781-592-6444
Fax: 781-599-9565
hauthaway.com
Industries Served: Aerospace/Defense,
Biomedical/Medical, Electronics, Industrial,
Inkjet/Digital Printing, Medical Devices,
Plastics & Composites, Residential &
Commercial Flooring, Sporting Goods
Heraeus Noblelight America LLC
910 Clopper Road
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
301-527-2660
Fax: 301-527-2661
heraeus-noblelight.com/uvamericas
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense, Apparel,
Automotive/Transportation, Biomedical/
Medical, Ceramics, Collision Repair &
Refinishing, Concrete, Consumer Products,
Electronics, Glass, Industrial, Inkjet/
Digital Printing, Manufacturing: Metals,
Medical Devices, Metal Finishing, Plastics
& Composites, Printing & Packaging,
Residential & Commercial Flooring, Sporting
Goods, Wood and Building Products
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
MANUFACTURERS DIRECTORY
Honle UV America, Inc. IST America Corporation
261 Cedar Hill Street, Building C 121 - 123 Capista Drive
Marlboro, MA 01752 Shorewood, IL 60404-8851
508-229-7774 815-733-5345
Fax: 508-229-8530 ist-uv.com
honleuv.com Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Industries Served: Automotive/ Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense,
Transportation, Biomedical/Medical, Collision Automotive/Transportation, Biomedical/
Repair & Refinishing, Electronics, Industrial, Medical, Collision Repair & Refinishing,
Inkjet/Digital Printing, Medical Devices, Electronics, Industrial, Inkjet/Digital Printing,
Printing & Packaging Manufacturing: Metals, Medical Devices,
Metal Finishing, Plastics & Composites,
Printing & Packaging, Residential &
Hybrid Plastics Inc. Commercial Flooring, Sporting Goods, Wood
55 WL Runnels Industrial Drive and Building Products
Hattiesburg, MS 39401
601-434-9637
Fax: 601-545-3103
hybridplastics.com
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive Kao Collins Inc.
Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense, 1201 Edison Drive
Biomedical/Medical, Consumer Products, Cincinnati, OH 45216
Plastics & Composites 513-948-9000
kaocollins.com
Industries Served: Aerospace/Defense,
Apparel, Automotive/Transportation,
Biomedical/Medical, Ceramics, Concrete,
Consumer Products, Electronics,
IGM Resins Inc. Glass, Industrial, Inkjet/Digital Printing,
3300 Westinghouse Boulevard Manufacturing: Metals, Medical Devices,
Charlotte, NC 28273 Metal Finishing, Plastics & Composites,
704-945-8775 Printing & Packaging, Residential &
Fax: 704-945-8721 Commercial Flooring, Sporting Goods, Wood
igmresins.com and Building Products
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Manufacturing, Automotive/Transportation,
Electronics, Industrial, Inkjet/Digital Printing, KJCJ Consulting
Printing & Packaging, Residential & 951-445-3151
Commercial Flooring, Wood and Building mwvkdv.wix.com/kjcj-consulting
Products Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Manufacturing, Industrial, Inkjet/Digital
Printing, Plastics & Composites, Printing &
INX International Ink Co. Packaging, Sporting Goods
150 N. Martingale, Suite 700
Schaumburg, IL 60173
630-382-1800 Kopp Glass
2108 Palmer Street
Fax: 847-969-9758
inxinternational.com Pittsburgh, PA 15218
412-271-0190
Industries Served: Apparel, Glass, Industrial,
Inkjet/Digital Printing, Printing & Packaging koppglass.com
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense,
Automotive/Transportation, Biomedical/
Medical, Glass, Industrial, Inkjet/Digital
Printing, Medical Devices, Printing &
Packaging
UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 41
MANUFACTURERS DIRECTORY
Kromachem Inc.
c/o RRBB, 265 Davidson Avenue, Suite 210
Somerset, NJ 08873-4120
+44 (0) 1923 223368
Fax: +44 (0) 1923 239308
kromachem.com
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Manufacturing, Apparel, Automotive/
Transportation, Ceramics, Consumer
Products, Glass, Industrial, Inkjet/Digital
Printing, Plastics & Composites, Printing
& Packaging, Residential & Commercial
Flooring, Sporting Goods, Wood and Building
Products
Kyocera International, Inc.
25 Northwest Point Boulevard, #660
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
847-981-9665
Fax: 847-981-9495
global.kyocera.com/uvled
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Manufacturing, Automotive/Transportation,
Biomedical/Medical, Ceramics, Consumer
Products, Electronics, Industrial, Inkjet/
Digital Printing, Medical Devices, Printing
& Packaging, Residential & Commercial
Flooring, Wood and Building Products
Michelman
9080 Shell Road
Cincinnati, OH 45236-1299
513-794-4285
Fax: 513-793-2504
michelman.com
Industries Served: Inkjet/Digital Printing,
Printing & Packaging
Miltec UV
146 Log Canoe Circle
Stevensville, MD 21666
410-604-2900
Fax: 410-604-2906
miltec.com
Industries Served: Aerospace/Defense,
Automotive/Transportation, Biomedical/
Medical, Ceramics, Concrete, Electronics,
Glass, Medical Devices, Metal Finishing,
Plastics & Composites, Printing & Packaging,
Residential & Commercial Flooring, Sporting
Goods, Wood and Building Products
42 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019
Miwon North America
100 Arrandale Boulevard, Suite 104
Exton, PA 19341
484-872-8177
Fax: 484-874-8717
miramer.com
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense,
Automotive/Transportation, Concrete,
Electronics, Glass, Industrial, Inkjet/Digital
Printing, Plastics & Composites, Printing
& Packaging, Residential & Commercial
Flooring, Wood and Building Products
Nagase America Corporation
546 Fifth Avenue, 16th Floor
New York, NY 10036
212-703-1340
Fax: 212-398-0687
nagaseamerica.com
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Manufacturing, Automotive/Transportation,
Biomedical/Medical, Electronics, Industrial,
Inkjet/Digital Printing, Plastics & Composites,
Printing & Packaging, Wood and Building
Products
National Polymer
10200 Gottschalk Parkway
Chagrin Falls, OH 44023
440-708-1245
Fax: 440-708-1246
nationalpolymer.com
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Manufacturing, Automotive/Transportation,
Ceramics, Electronics, Industrial, Medical
Devices, Metal Finishing, Plastics &
Composites, Printing & Packaging,
Residential & Commercial Flooring, Wood
and Building Products
Nazdar Ink Technologies
8501 Hedge Lane Terrace
Shawnee, KS 66227
913-422-1888
Fax: 913-422-2295
nazdar.com
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense, Apparel,
Automotive/Transportation, Biomedical/
Medical, Ceramics, Glass, Industrial, Inkjet/
Digital Printing, Manufacturing: Metals,
Plastics & Composites, Printing & Packaging,
Residential & Commercial Flooring, Sporting
Goods, Wood and Building Products
Nedap UV
Parallelweg 2
Groenlo, The Netherlands 7141 DC
+31 544471860
nedap-uv.com
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Manufacturing, Electronics, Glass, Industrial,
Inkjet/Digital Printing, Medical Devices, Metal
Finishing, Plastics & Composites, Printing
& Packaging, Residential & Commercial
Flooring, Wood and Building Products
OWLE Technologies
Costa Mesa, CA
owle.com
Industries Served: Automotive/
Transportation, Biomedical/Medical,
Industrial, Wood and Building Products
PCT Ebeam and Integration
8700 Hillandale Road
Davenport, IA 52806
563-285-7411
Fax: 563-285-7433
pctebi.com
Industries Served: Biomedical/Medical,
Consumer Products, Electronics, Industrial,
Inkjet/Digital Printing, Metal Finishing,
Plastics & Composites, Printing & Packaging,
Residential & Commercial Flooring, Wood
and Building Products
Penn Color, Inc.
400 Old Dublin Pike
Doylestown, PA 18901
215-345-6550
penncolor.com
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Manufacturing, Automotive/Transportation,
Consumer Products, Electronics, Glass,
Industrial, Inkjet/Digital Printing, Medical
Devices, Plastics & Composites, Printing
& Packaging, Residential & Commercial
Flooring, Wood and Building Products
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
 MANUFACTURERS DIRECTORY

RAHN USA Corporation

Phoseon Technology 1005 N. Commons Drive
7425 NE Evergreen Parkway Aurora, IL 60504
Hillsboro, OR 97124 630-851-4220
503-439-6446 rahn-group.com Siltech Corporation
phoseon.com Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive 225 Wicksteed Avenue
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing, Electronics, Industrial, Inkjet/ Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4H 1G5
Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense, Digital Printing, Wood and Building Products 416-424-4567
Automotive/Transportation, Electronics, siltech.com
Glass, Industrial, Inkjet/Digital Printing, Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Medical Devices, Printing & Packaging, Wood Manufacturing, Industrial, Printing &
and Building Products Packaging

Sappi North America

89 Cumberland Street, PO Box 5000
Westbrook, ME 04092
207-856-4000
sappirelease.com Sun Chemical
Industries Served: Aerospace/Defense, 135 West Lake Street
Apparel, Automotive/Transportation, Northlake, IL 60164
Biomedical/Medical, Consumer Products, 708-236-3798
PL Industries, division of Industrial, Plastics & Composites, Printing Fax: 708-562-0580
Esstech, Inc. & Packaging, Residential & Commercial sunchemical.com
48 Powhattan Avenue Flooring, Sporting Goods, Wood and Building Industries Served: Printing & Packaging
Essington, PA 19029 Products
610-299-4118
Fax: 610-521-4600
plindustries.esstechinc.com
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense,
Automotive/Transportation, Biomedical/
Medical, Electronics, Glass, Industrial, Inkjet/ Sartomer Americas Ushio America, Inc.
Digital Printing, Medical Devices, Plastics & Oaklands Corporate Center, 5440 Cerritos Avenue
Composites, Printing & Packaging, Wood and 502 Thomas Jones Way Cypress, CA 90630
Building Products Exton, PA 19341 800-838-8446
610-363-4100 Fax: 714-229-3180
sartomer.com ushio.com/uv/
Precision Ink Corp.
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
151 Stanley Street
Manufacturing Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense,
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
847-952-1500 Biomedical/Medical, Inkjet/Digital Printing,
Fax: 847-952-1515 Siegwerk EIC LLC Plastics & Composites, Printing & Packaging
precisioninkcorp.com 1 Quality Products Road
Industries Served: Printing & Packaging Morganton, NC 28655
800-368-4657
Fax: 828-438-9513
Prime UV – IR
siegwerk.com
416 Mission Street
Industries Served: Metal Finishing, Plastics
Carol Stream, IL 60188
& Composites, Printing & Packaging
630-681-2100
primeuv.com
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
UV III Systems, Inc.
59 Cedarvale Estates
Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense,
Alburgh, VT 05440
Automotive/Transportation, Biomedical/
508-883-4881
Medical, Ceramics, Consumer Products,
uv3.com
Electronics, Glass, Industrial, Inkjet/
Industries Served: Aerospace/Defense,
Digital Printing, Manufacturing: Metals,
Automotive/Transportation, Collision Repair &
Medical Devices, Metal Finishing, Plastics
Refinishing, Concrete, Electronics, Industrial,
& Composites, Printing & Packaging,
Metal Finishing, Residential & Commercial
Residential & Commercial Flooring, Sporting
Flooring, Wood and Building Products
Goods, Wood and Building Products
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 43
MANUFACTURERS DIRECTORY

Vergason Technology, Inc.

166 State Route 224
Van Etten, NY 14889
607-589-4429
vergason.com
Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Manufacturing, Aerospace/Defense,
Van Technologies, Inc. (Mfgr of Automotive/Transportation, Biomedical/
GreenLight Coatings) Medical, Electronics, Glass, Industrial,
5791 Bergquist Road Manufacturing: Metals, Medical Devices,
Duluth, MN 55804 Metal Finishing, Plastics & Composites ZEXI USA LLC
218-525-9424 7361 Calhoun Place, Suite 550
Fax: 218-525-5594 Wikoff Color Corporation Rockville, MD 20855
greenlightcoatings.com 1886 Merritt Road (240) 450-2588
Industries Served: Aerospace/Defense, Fort Mill, SC 29715 Fax: 240-450-2591
Automotive/Transportation, Biomedical/ 803-548-2210 zexi-usa.com
Medical, Ceramics, Concrete, Consumer Fax: 803-548-5728 Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive
Products, Electronics, Glass, Industrial, wikoff.com Manufacturing, Consumer Products,
Manufacturing: Metals, Medical Devices, Industries Served: 3D Printing/Additive Electronics, Glass, Industrial, Inkjet/Digital
Metal Finishing, Plastics & Composites, Manufacturing, Inkjet/Digital Printing Printing, Manufacturing: Metals, Metal
Residential & Commercial Flooring, Sporting Finishing, Plastics & Composites, Wood and
Goods, Wood and Building Products Building Products

TECHNOLOGY

The UV+EB Technology

Buyers Guide is available
online all year.

Visit uvebtechnology.com
and click on the
Buyers Guide tab.

44 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

LAROMER® UA 9089
A highly flexible polyurethane acrylate resin for energy-cure inks,
overprint varnishes and laminating adhesives. LAROMER UA 9089
provides adhesion on a variety of plastic substrates and is suitable
for outdoor print applications. In addition, LAROMER UA 9089 is
diluent-free and increases bond strength in laminating and adhesive.

BASF offers a variety of solutions within the LAROMER portfolio.

Visit www.basf.us/flexiblepackaging to explore what BASF has

to offer.

Connect with us
Insights | www.insights.basf.com

To request a sample visit, www.basf.us/dpsolutions

Follow us on Twitter @BASF_DR_NA
 PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVES

By Chris Orilall,
Zack Weinert, Jon
Scholte, Chuck
Recent Progress in UV-/EB-
Curable Pressure Sensitive
Dong, and Jeff
Klang, Arkema
Inc., Sartomer

Adhesives
Business Unit

Abstract

E nergy-curable pressure sensitive adhesives (EC-PSAs) eliminate the need for drying, solvent extraction
or preheating steps (compared to traditional waterborne, solventborne and hot melt methods). These
processing benefits make such adhesives particularly suitable for temperature-sensitive substrates and in-line
application. Here, we demonstrate structure-property relationships between PSA formulation and properties
such as tack, peel strength, shear resistance and temperature performance. Highlights include screening the
viscoelastic properties and investigating routes to higher shear adhesion failure temperature (SAFT) PSAs.

Introduction
Adhesives are nonmetallic materials used to bond other materials by adhesion to their surfaces and cohesion
within the adhesive layer. Two different processes describe most adhesive bonding: 1) the adhesion
phenomenon or 2) by PSA action. In the former, adhesive fluid is transformed into a solid upon bonding.
A PSA, however, conserves its fluid state after its bond building. Therefore, some notable benefits of PSAs
are that the resistance to de-bonding is moderate and the joint may be delaminated without destroying the
laminate components.1

Today, the three main PSA technologies are waterborne (WB-PSA), solventborne (SBPSA) and hot melts
(HM-PSA). The global demand for these types of PSAs totals ~ 93%, with the rest being UV-curable hot
melts (UVHM-PSA) and silicone-based PSAs.2 Broadly speaking, SBPSAs and UVHM-PSAs tend to offer
“high” performance, HM-PSAs offer medium performance and WB-PSAs offer lower performance at the
lowest cost. Each of these technologies has its advantages, but also distinct disadvantages: low solvent/
plasticizer resistance for HM-PSAs, high concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOC) for SB-PSAs
and large equipment footprints required for WB-PSAs.

Herein, we present a UV-curable or electron beam (EB)-curable PSA made from 100% solids, i.e., no
solvents. These energy-curable systems are sometimes referred to as EC-PSA “syrup” formulations. The
product can be applied as a viscous liquid system without the need for heat (depending on the viscosity
requirements of the coating unit). Without solvents or water, this product eliminates the need for highly
regulated solvent extraction systems or for time-consuming oven-drying steps. As a result, EC-PSAs can lead
to higher productivity and lower manufacturing costs vs. conventional PSA products. Additionally, rapid cure,
improved dimension accuracy, heat resistance, chemical resistance and heavy coating weights are possible. To
use EC-PSAs, existing lines can be retrofitted with a UV lamp, a UV-LED lamp or an EB unit. Additionally,
EC-PSA syrups provide ideal formulation platforms for cure-in-place (CIP) automated applications. As will
be discussed, the viscosity of the EC-PSA formulation can be adjusted by varying the ratio of components,
thus tailoring the formulation for use in any deposition system. More so, this approach allows for control over
the performance of the PSA through choice and composition of starting ingredients.

The main components in a typical EC-PSA formulation areas follow:

 Oligomers: Provide much of the shear strength and also affect tack, peel, reactivity, creep resistance, heat
resistance and chemical resistance.
 Monomers: Mainly serve as reactive diluents, i.e., lower the viscosity of the formulation. These
components also control surface wetting, leveling and other physical properties.
 Photoinitiators: Absorb UV energy to produce free radicals that induce polymerization. Formulations
intended for EB curing do not need photoinitiators to polymerize.
46 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
 Additives
o Stabilizers prevent premature curing due
to low-level light exposure in storage.
o Tackifiers improve the pressure-sensitive
nature or “stickiness” of the adhesive.
o Other additives include adhesion
promoters, fillers, antioxidants,
plasticizers, color pigments, dyes,
defoamers, flatting agents, wetting
agents and slip aids.

In general, the most fundamental material

properties governing EC-PSA performance are3:
 Rheology
o Study of the change in form and flow
of a material. It generally is applied to
viscoelastic materials.
o Uncured state: Rheology is important
with regard to application and coating.
o Cured state: PSA material must have
sufficient flow to provide wetting and
tack, yet have enough resistance to stress Figure 1. Storage modulus (G') as a function of temperature for four
to provide for high adhesive strength. commercially available (proprietary) Sartomer oligomers.
 Molecular Weight
o PSAs are based on very high-molecular-weight using UV-LED lamps (365 nm or 395 nm). After curing, the
rubber polymers, which restrict flow by molecular samples were laminated onto silicone release paper, and 1-inch
entanglement. strips were cut for testing. For EB curing, the liquid PSA coatings
o When high strength, heat resistance and chemical were cured using an ESI eBeam unit at 50 ft/min, typically
resistance are required, the molecules must be chemically between 5 to 15 Mrad and 175 kV with just one pass.
crosslinked to provide for a three-dimensional network
structure. 180° peel strength. The PSA peel samples were prepared
 Acrylate Functionality by applying 1-inch-wide PSA strips to stainless steel or
o Number of unsaturated sites per molecule. polypropylene panels (ChemInstruments) using two passes with
o Crosslink density increases with the functionality of the a 4.5-pound automatic roller. The PSA-laminated samples and
resin, all else equal. panels were stored in a constant humidity room (at 72°F and 60%
humidity) for a predetermined dwell time (one hour, one day
Additionally, the type of substrate is critical to EC-PSA or three days) before testing. The peel strengths were measured
performance. In general, metals have high surface energy and tend at a 180° angle with a peel speed of 12 in/min following the
to result in high peel strengths, while plastics have low surface ASTM-D903-98 standard using a tensile tester (Instron 5543).
energy and tend to result in lower peel strengths. For plastics,
treated surfaces tend to improve PSA performance (versus Probe tack. The probe tack was measured following
untreated surfaces). ASTM-D2979-95 using a probe tack tester (ChemInstruments
PT-500).
Experimental details
Sample preparation. PSAs were typically coated onto a 50 μm Shear resistance. Shear resistance was tested following ASTM
untreated PET facestock using an automatic film coater (MTI 4498-95. One square inch of PSA was applied to a stainless steel
Corp. MSK-AFA-II). The thickness of the liquid PSA coating was panel using two passes with a 4.5-lb automatic roller. The PSA
controlled by a combination of the viscosity of the formulation, and panel were allowed a dwell time of one hour before testing.
the gap of the coater (adjusted by a micrometer screw gauge) and A mass of 1 kg or 2 kg was then attached to the other end of the
the speed of the automatic coater. The liquid PSA coating was PSA strip. A shear tester (ChemInstruments Shear-10) was used
then cured by using one or multiple passes under one or two 400 to hold the samples vertically while the mass suspended and to
W/in mercury vapor lamps (Inpro system) with a speed of 50 ft/ record the time required for the PSA strip to fully detach from the
min. The effective energy density (mJ/cm2) was measured using substrate. The shear resistance is reported as this time in minutes.
a power puck (EIT UV Powerpuck II). The PSAs also were cured
page 48 
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 47
 PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVES
 page 47

Shear adhesion failure Table 1. Effect of photoinitiator concentration on PSA performance.

temperature (SAFT).
SAFT test samples were 1% TPO 3% TPO 5% TPO
prepared in a similar manner LC HC LC HC LC HC
to shear resistance samples. Peel strength on stainless steel (lb/in)
One square inch of PSA was 1 day 1.00 1.25 4.99 5.61 5.79 7.68
applied to a stainless steel 3 day 0.36 1.10 8.47 3.92 7.42 7.57
panel using two passes with
a 4.5-lb automatic roller. Peel strength on polypropylene (lb/in)
The PSA and panel were 1 day 0.90 1.10 4.16 4.63 4.33 4.85
allowed a dwell time of 1 3 day 1.12 0.35 4.23 3.60 6.27 6.2
hour before testing. A 1 kg
mass was then attached to Shear resistance on stainless steel, 2 kg (mins)
the other end of the PSA 1 hour 0 0 378 536 2,276 2,062
strip. A shear tester housed
in an oven was used to (UV-PSA thickness = 2.7 mil) LC = 200 mJ/cm 2 HC = 400 mJ/cm 2
perform the test. The starting
temperature (T0) was noted (usually room temperature) and the frequency of 1 Hz and heating rate of 3°C/min. All samples were
oven temperature ramp (ramp rate of 1°C/min) and timer were tested using 8 mm parallel plate applying a static compressive
started simultaneously. When the mass fell, the SAFT value for force and tested in shear mode in the linear viscoelastic region.
that PSA sample was calculated as: ramp rate (°C/min) x time The peak tan δ temperature and storage modulus G' at 20°C are
(min) + T0 (°C). reported. Frequency sweeps were done at 30°C in RDA 111,
using 8 mm parallel plates from 0.01 rad/s to 100 rad/s.
Rheology. Dynamic mechanical analysis experiments were
performed using a rheometer (TA Instruments RDA111) at a Results and discussion
In this paper, we investigated the role of oligomers, monomers,
photoinitiators and curing on EC-PSA performance.

'RLQJ3KRWRFKHPLVWU\7KLV Choice of oligomers. Previously, we described how rheology

can be used to down-select oligomers for use in PSAs.4 Here,
6XPPHU"6LOWHFK&DQ+HOS the Dahlquist Criterion specifies that for measurable quick tack,
the elastic modulus must be below a certain fixed value that is
6HUYLFLQJWKH(QHUJ\&XUHG&RDWLQJVDQG'3ULQWLQJ fairly independent of the nature of the adhesive, the adherend and
,QGXVWULHVZLWKXQLTXHVLOLFRQHEXLOGLQJEORFNV the applied pressure. In the case of PSAs, tack ceased when the
storage modulus (G') was greater than 105 Pa.5,6 A typical DMA
<RXU7HFKQRORJ\ screening of four commercially available oligomers is shown in
2XU&KHPLVWU\ Figure 1. Here, Oligomers 1 and 2 would not be suitable for use
in PSAs because G' is greater than 105 Pa. Oligomers 3 and 4 both
meet the Dahlquist Criterion for PSAs. Oligomer 3, however,
would be most suitable because of its ability to flow while
maintaining some structural integrity.

The effect of photoinitiator

<RXU7HFKQRORJ\
,QQRYDWLYHDQG
2XU&KHPLVWU\ concentration on peel strength
&XVWRPL]HG3URGXFWV
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dĞů͗;ϰϭϲͿϰϮϰͲϰϱϲϳ͖&Ădž͗;ϰϭϲͿϰϮϰͲϯϭϱϴ
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48 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
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 PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVES
 page 48

Table 2. Effect of photoinitiator type on PSA performance.

the PSAs were rigid
and, to some extent,
Photoinitiator brittle. They had high
Omnirad Omnirad Omnirad shear and temperature
BAPO TPO
184 2022 4265 resistance, but low impact
Peel strength on stainless steel (lb/in) and peel strengths; high
1 day 3.92 7.68 5.21 4.26 2.92 barrier properties against
3 day 5.13 7.57 9.00 4.78 4.38 chemicals and water –
along with low water
Peel strength on polypropylene (lb/in) uptake and swelling – but
1 day 4.10 4.85 3.68 3.51 3.23 poor resistance to thermal
cycling. They were prone
3 day 5.10 6.20 4.78 3.97 3.45
to crack propagation and
had low thermal expansion
Shear resistance on stainless steel, 2 kg (mins) coefficients. Conversely,
1 hour 692 2,062 880 1,524 1,200 the opposite effects were
observed when the Tg of
the EC-PSA was less than
Table 3. PSA performance comparison for UV-cured and EB-cured PSAs using the same base service temperature.
formulation (5% photoinitiator for the UV PSA formulation and no photoinitiator for the EB PSA
formulation). Choice of photoinitiator.
To investigate the
Property UV cured EB cured effects of photoinitiator
Viscosity at 25°C (cP) 6,650 6,650 concentration in an EC-
PSA formulation, we
Cured PSA Thickness (mil) 2.7 2.1 varied the diphenyl(2,4,6-
Curing Method UV (H Bulb) EB trimethylbenzoyl)
2 phosphine oxide (TPO)
Energy (J/cm ) 0.49 10 Mrad/175 kV
loading from 1% to 5%
180° Peel on Stainless Steel; 1 day (lb/in) 7.6 4.2 into a base UV PSA
180° Peel on Polypropylene; 1 day (lb/in) 4.8 4.5 formulation (CN 9073).
The liquid formulation
Probe Tack (lb) 2.26 2.06 was cured at 200 mJ/
Room Temp Shear 2 kg (hr) 34 >167 cm2 (low cure, LC) and
Room Temp Shear 1 kg (hr) 84 >167 400 mJ/cm2 (high cure,
HC). The thickness of
SAFT ( 0F) 185 435 the cured PSA was held
Refractive Index 1.49 1.49 constant at 68 μm. Table
1 shows the results of the
Choice of monomers. The coating unit used in the PSA PSA performance evaluation that followed. The testing included
application often sets the viscosity limits of the liquid formulation. peel strength on stainless steel and polypropylene at different
This constraint, in turn, dictates the amount of monomer(s) that dwell times, and shear resistance using a 2 kg mass. At 1%
go into the final EC-PSA formulation. Many monomers have TPO concentration, we observed some adhesive performance
viscosities as low as 10 cP. The choice of acrylate monomer but no shear resistance – most probably an indication that the
depends on the final PSA performance being sought, i.e., type formulation was undercured. We noticed that the shear resistance
of substrate, peel strength, shear, tack, application temperature increased from ~500 mins to ~ 2000 mins for formulations made
of liquid PSA, service temperature of cured PSA, removable/ with 3% TPO and 5% TPO respectively. Not surprisingly, we
permanent use, etc. In general, increasing the monomer expect that this is due to greater degree of cure for 3% TPO
functionality leads to higher cure speed, higher Tg, higher crosslink vs. 5% TPO. The effect of photoinitiator concentration on peel
density, higher shear strength, greater chemical resistance, greater strength is less evident as other factors – such as dwell time,
thermal resistance and lower flexibility. Often a combination of energy dosage and thickness – play larger roles. However, overall
monomers of varying Tg is used to tailor properties. better performance was seen with 5% TPO vs. 3% TPO.

Certain trends were observed for the EC-PSA in its cured state. We also investigated the choice of photoinitiator on PSA
When the adhesive Tg was greater than the service temperature, performance. Here, we investigated PSA performance of a
50 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
base UV PSA formulation
(CN 9073) with 5% loading of
either 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl-
diphenyl phosphine oxide (TPO),
Omnirad® 184, Omnirad®
2022 or Omnirad® 4265 and
with 3% loading of phenylbis
2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl-
phosphine oxide (BAPO) (to
standardize amount of radicals
generated). PSA performance for
formulations with these different
photoinitiators is captured in
Table 2. (PSA adhesives were
all 68 μm thick and cured using
H bulb at 400 mJ/cm2). The
results indicate that the choice of
photoinitiator is crucial to PSA Figure 2. Range of UV PSA performance (tack and peel) achievable to-date.
performance and is dependent on
the other components in the formulation and on curing conditions. employed, while no photoinitiator was required for EB curing.
Just as different adhesive properties can be accessed within UV
UV PSA vs. EB PSA. We investigated the PSA performance of curing alone, different PSA performances were observed between
a base energy-curable formulation (CN 9073) cured via UV and the two curing methods. The main advantage of EB curing was
EB (Table 3). For the UV-curable formulation, 5% TPO was higher shear and unprecedented high SAFT. We also have seen
page 52 

uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 51

 PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVES
 page 51

high PSA performance when curing using UV-

LED lamps (365 nm and 395 nm) comparable
to that shown in Table 3, but this finding has not
been fully investigated.

Versatility of EC-PSAs
Figure 2 captures the range of PSA performance
(tack and peel) achievable to-date via UV
curing. While this figure does not capture the
viscosity of each data point, it does demonstrate
how EC-PSAs can be tailored to meet very
specific PSA application targets. One interesting
advantage that EC-PSAs may be able to offer is
low tack with high peel strength, which could
potentially be useful for applications where
minimal pressure is required for bonding.
Furthermore, Figure 3 shows the range of SAFT
values that can be achieved by either UV PSA
or EB PSA. In the case of EB-cured PSAs,
SAFT values of > 400°F are unprecedented, and
current research and development efforts are
focused on extending the achievable property
spaces of both UV- and EB-PSAs, e.g., UV-
PSAs with high SAFT and high peel strength. Figure 3. Overview of the achievable SAFT values as a function of peel strength
We have attributed higher SAFT values for EB for UV-PSAs and EB-PSAs.
PSAS to the higher acrylate conversion for EB
cure vs. UV cure, which directly results in higher crosslinking ability to tailor each formulation to specific performance targets
density for EB PSAs vs UV PSAs. makes this approach very versatile. 

Conclusion
In summary, we found that a number of variables affect EC-PSA
properties, including rheology and chemical characteristics. The
relationships between different measures of adhesive performance
were analyzed, as were different methods of curing PSAs.
Specifically, the choice and amount of oligomer, monomer,
photoinitiator and additives are all crucial to the starting point
liquid formulation. With this wealth of available chemistry, the
range of achievable EC-PSA performance is quite broad, and the
One interesting advantage
that EC-PSAs may be able to
offer is low tack with high peel
strength, which could potentially
be useful for applications where
minimal pressure is required for
bonding.
References
1. Benedek. Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives and Applications, 2nd ed.
(2004) New York, NY. Marcel Dekker, Inc.
2. AWA Global Specialty Pressure-Sensitive Tape Market Study 2016.
3. Petrie, Edward M., “Formulating UV-Curing Liquid Pressure-
Sensitive Adhesives,” Adhesives and Sealants Industry Magazine.
November 2008.
4. J. Lu and C. Dong. Radiation Curable Pressure Sensitive Adhesives.
Radtech 2016.
5. “Viscoelastic Properties of Pressure Sensitive Adhesives,” The
Journal of Adhesion, 60:1-4, 233-248.
6. C. A. Dahlquist. Proc. Nottingham Conference on Adhesion. Part
III, Chapter 5, p. 134.
Acknowledgments
The authors want to thank Zachary Hoffman, Kejun Chen and
the rest of the research and development team at Sartomer. We
also thank Sara Reynaud of the Arkema Analytical department
for training, support and advice concerning the rheology of PSAs.
We thank our PSA counterparts at Bostik and Arkema Coating
Resins. We would also like to thank Im Rangwalla at Energy
Science Inc. (ESI) for the coating and curing of EB-PSA samples.

52 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

 who can use energy
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food safety a real boost?
you can.

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 TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE
Nilpeter Introduces New Solutions in FA-Line
Celebrating its 100-year anniversary, Denmark-based Nilpeter,
a manufacturer of narrow web flexo, offset and digital printing
solutions, now offers FA-Line presses with a number of new,
groundbreaking technologies. The all-new multi-substrate
22" FA-Line features a new 22" quick-change die station, UV
lamination and UV LED drying. The 17" FA-Line press features
cold foil and lamination, as well as Nilpeter’s new high-speed
semi-rotary diecutting unit. This press will run in combination
with two new technologies: high-build inkjet varnish and high-
opacity white inkjet units. For more information, visit
www.nilpeter.com.
GEW to Launch LeoLED UV Curing System
GEW (EC) Limited, England, a manufacturer of UV curing
systems for the coating and converting industries, is set to launch
its latest innovation, the LeoLED UV Curing System. In LeoLED,
the technology has been redesigned and refined for simplicity
while delivering maximum power and UV energy density. The
LeoLED cassette is compatible with GEW’s ArcLED hybrid
system. The design of LeoLED brings several new benefits: the
50 mm width window gives a long dwell time and is waterproof-
sealed for easy cleaning. It is resilient to dust and ink ingress.
The LED array delivers electrical power at 88 W/cm and an
54 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019
intensity of 25 W/cm2, with minimal light loss due to the direct
UV path. The integral water-cooling system gives LeoLED high
operating capability and reliability. For more information, visit
www.gewuv.com.
Harris & Bruno Expands Thin Substrate
Handling Capabilities
Machine manufacturer Harris & Bruno International, with
US headquarters in Roseville, California, has announced that
enhanced thin substrate capabilities are available on the ExcelCoat
series of offline/inline sheet coaters. The innovative ExcelCoat
Thin Substrate Kit allows AQ and UV coating of substrates as
thin as 0.0035". By utilizing specially designed air blast nozzles
and air knives, this feature allows thin substrates to efficiently
and reliably move through the coating head without wrapping.
The ExcelCoat Thin Substrate Kit allows for consistent run
speed for thin substrates and is incorporated on all new machines
and available as an upgrade to existing machines. For more
information, visit www.harris-bruno.com.
Kao Collins Launches New X-BAR Website
Industrial inkjet solution provider Kao Collins, Cincinnati, Ohio,
has launched a new website for its recently released X-BAR print
module and controller. The site will allow industrial printers
looking to upgrade their existing equipment to schedule a live
demo at Kao Collins’s Cincinnati headquarters. The X-BAR
handles aqueous dye, aqueous pigment, pigment polymer, and
UV- and EB-curable inks. Available since November 2018, the
new X-BAR print module utilizes SAMBA technology to produce
excellent, high-quality images on everything from porous bond to
high-gloss coated stock at speeds up to 1,000 fpm. The X-BAR
Universal Controller is a superior system that replaces end-of-
life controllers with the added benefit of being able to integrate
multiple print head technologies on a single platform. For more
information, visit www.kaoxbar.com.
DSM Expands Skins® Resins Family
Royal DSM, a global company in nutrition, health and sustainable
living, has launched a new resin product, via the Skins® family,
to enable silky-feel design and packaging across a wider range
of applications. The new product is AgiSyn™ 248 resin, also
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
 Pillar Technologies Unveils
CTG Max Electrode
ITW Pillar
Technologies, Hartland,
Wisconsin, introduced
its CTG Max Electrode.
It significantly reduces
treatment station
cost by concentrating
power output to one
electrode assembly for
most applications. The
CTG Max Electrode
is customized to the
curvature of a specified
ground roll, minimizing gap-setting time. There is no edge-
arcing, as seen with square or round electrode profiles, which do
not contour to the ground roll. The perfect solution for all non-
known as Silky UV. This UV-curable resin for flexographic and conductive material applications, particularly high-speed lines,
screen overprint varnishes delivers excellent silk-feel properties. the CTG Max Electrode also does not require internal cooling for
The low viscosity of this resin’s range makes it well suited for the treating of most web materials. Its internally cooled design is
use in flexographic printing or varnishing units. Thanks to good available for thermally sensitive materials and for plasma system
chemical and abrasion resistance, Skins® Silky can be used on applications. Featuring low maintenance, rigid stainless steel
a range of papers, cardboards and plastics. This range of resins construction, the CTG Max is built for the life of the treating
is easy to process and offers long-term performance. For more station. For more information, visit www.pillartech.com. 
information, visit at www.dsm.com.

uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 55

 LAMINATING ADHESIVES

UV LED Low-Migration
By Jake Staples,
Technical Team
Leader, Ashland

Laminating Adhesives
for Flexible Packaging
T he global flexible packaging market continues to evolve as shifts in consumer preference lean more
toward convenience in single-serve or grab-n-go options, extended shelf life and sustainability. In addition
to consumers driving innovation in flexible packaging, wide web and narrow web converters are beginning to
converge into the packaging space as they see increased opportunity in equipment and coating technologies,
thereby lowering the barrier to entry. With the advancements in ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV LED)
curing technology, opportunities in the flexible packaging space become more available to the converter base.

Flexographic packaging market trends

According to a Smithers Pira forecast, the global flexographic printing industry was expected to reach
$980 billion last year, primarily driven by growth in packaging and labels.1 With more than 15,000 label
converters and almost 500 flexible packaging converters globally – operating multiple press technologies in
multiple plants – there is growing merger and acquisition activity that is converging the two market segments,
convoluting the packaging space while strengthening a converter’s position. With the label market slated to
grow only 2% annually and flexible packaging at a strong 5%, there is even more reason for a company to
acquire adjacent technologies or competitors to complement its business strategy.

Many drivers are attributed to the growth in the flexographic packaging market, including consumer
preferences (particularly from millennials, who desire convenience and single-serve packaging), the need
for increased shelf life, pet food manufacturers moving away from multiwall bags to flexible packaging and
growing interest in moving away from rigid to flexible structures.

Flexographic market segments

The flexographic market segments can be divided into three primary categories: narrow web, mid web and
wide web, each defined in Table 1. Note: the widths defining each market segment are a general specification
and not stated industry standard.

Due to the significant growth in flexographic flexible packaging, the limitations of traditional UV curing
technologies that currently prohibit label and flexible packaging converters from participating in this segment
have been exposed. This is particularly true in the food and beverage segment, which is more than 50% of

Table 1. Flexographic market segments

56 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

the overall flexible packaging market.
One way to eliminate the barrier is to
fully understand the benefits of UV LED
technology and the value it brings to the
flexible packaging market.

Types of UV LED flexographic

formulations and technologies
Inks, coatings and adhesives formulated
for cure with UV LED are increasingly
gaining traction in the narrow, mid
and wide web markets. While some
formulations – such as silicone-release
Figure 1. a) UV LED laminating adhesive press set-up and b) UV LED PSA press set-up
and highly functional coatings – with
smaller overall market demand have
seen limited UV LED development, the
broader portfolio of UV LED-formulated Table 2. Advantages of UV curing
inks, coatings and adhesives already
exist commercially for a wide range of Benefits of Conventional Mercury
Additional Benefits of UV LED
and UV LED
converter requirements. In situations
when off-the-shelf formulations are not Viable with Inks, coatings, and adhesives Long source life (+20K hours)
the best match for a particular application, 100% solids formulations Marginal UV degradation over life
the existing formulation typically can be
Brighter and bolder colors Superior cured whites, metallics and
modified to fit the converter’s specific fluorescents
processing, construction or application Scratch, water and chemical resistance
needs. Instant On/Off (no shutters)
Fast and complete cure
50% lower energy consumption
No volatile organic compounds in exhaust
The greatest commercial use today at Reduces heat transfer to media
Eliminates racking or thermal oven
press speeds of up to 1,000 fpm are UV
More compact heads with solid state
LED formulated line, process and high- Increases production speeds
technology
density inks, in both general purpose and Reduces needed floor space
low-migration formulations. Metallic and Further increases production speeds
Reduces reject rates
fluorescent UV LED variations also are Further reduces needed floor space
being adopted by converters, since the Reduces waste
Improves overall process control
use of UV LED curing sources results in Superior adhesion to media
No mercury filled bulbs
a truer and brighter cured metallic and Formulations can be left in press
fluorescent look. In addition, fluorescents No ozone or exhaust
Long pot life
have been shown to fade less when passed Better adhesion and through cure
under multiple UV LED lamps on a press Lower maintenance
than with a similar number of passes under
conventional mercury lamps. Recent formulation improvements based or solventless inks, coatings and adhesives. Converters
in clear UV LED primers, laminating adhesives and protective often will run a UV-cured silicone release coating in nitrogen,
over-varnishes now are enabling nonyellowing in the final cure a UV-cured protective over-varnish or a laminating adhesive in
at increasing press speeds that are approaching those of UV LED combination with these formulations. This is commonly done
cured inks. offline or at a specified distance from the solvent formulations
in order to comply with appropriate explosion-proofing
Advantages of UV LED curing requirements. It is important to note that, due to the electrical
While new narrow web presses sometimes are sold with hot design of UV LED sources and their compactness, UV LED
air driers for water-based and solvent-based formulations, the curing offers the potential to convert many of these mid and wide
majority are equipped with UV driers. This is due to the many web applications to UV and even run UV LED technology inline
operational and final product advantages that UV curing offers with solvent formulations.
converters and brand owners.
Regardless of the web width or press configuration, UV LED
For the mid and wide web flexo, gravure and coating market curing offers all the advantages associated with conventional
segments, presses are generally built to run water-based, solvent- page 58 
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 57
 LAMINATING ADHESIVES
 page 57
mercury lamps, as well as additional environmental, operational
and performance benefits (see Table 2).
UV LED laminating process
In flexible packaging applications, the process of laminating
is used to securely bond two or more flexible constructions,
Table 3. Most common flexible packaging structures
Table 4. FDA’s Toxicology and Chemistry Guidelines: www.fda.gov/Food/
IngredientsPackagingLabeling/PackagingFCS/default.htm
58 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019
such as PET, PE, PP, paper and foil, among others. The two
constructions are unwound on press from their respective rolls.
The laminating adhesive is applied to the substrate with lower
absorption properties before being nipped or pressed to the second
substrate. Formulation application methods include flexo, gravure
and coaters. The two substrates, combined with the wet adhesive
sandwiched between both layers,
then are passed underneath the UV
LED source for immediate cure (see
Figure 1). Pressure-sensitive adhesives
(PSAs), on the other hand, are dry
cured, since the first construction and
PSA are passed under the UV source
before being pressed to the second
construction.
Since UV LED has the advantage of
transferring less heat to the pouch
structures, it expands the range of
substrate gauges that can be used in an
application. It should be noted: This
is not a cold cure technology, as UV
LED wavelengths still are a form of
energy. UV LED basically results in
less energy being converted to heat at
the substrate surface when compared to
other curing sources.
For some incredibly heat-sensitive
substrates, it is helpful to cure on the
outside surface of a chilled drum or
roller as a means of managing better
substrate and process control, but it is
not always necessary.
UV LED laminating adhesives
vs. traditional UV laminating
adhesives
In determining the potential value
proposition of UV LED vs. traditional
UV mercury technology, one should
look to the higher performance of the
laminating adhesives in conjunction
with UV LED curing technology. With
UV LED, the corresponding laminating
adhesive provides a longer pot life
and immediate cure, as compared to
solvent-free laminating adhesives,
which may take up to five days to fully
cure. With the benefit of immediate
cure, flexible packaging rolls can be
slit and pouched immediately, offering
the converter short runs and quick
turns to their customers. In addition,
page 60 
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
 LAMINATING ADHESIVES
 page 58

UV LED laminating adhesives can be

Table 5. Migration data from trial
applied with existing flexographic or
gravure cylinders, and UV LED stations 1% Consumption Factor (ppb)
can easily be retrofitted onto existing
equipment, which equals lower total Press
capital investment. Sample Label Speed/100% Monomer 1 Monomer 2 Photoinitiator 1
UV LED Power
Low-migration regulatory
compliance for flexible packaging
C-1 Control ND ND ND
In complying with regulations in food
safety, particularly when introducing UV C-2 Control ND ND ND
LED laminating adhesives, utilization C-3 Control Sample lost during extraction testing
of the appropriate regulatory agency –
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) S4-1 100 fpm 29 38 3
– guidelines for migration and risk S4-2 100 fpm 27 33 2
assessment is critical. For the US, relying
on the FDA’s Toxicology and Chemistry S4-3 100 fpm 26 34 2
guidelines is the most logical starting
point. Following these guidelines in
S5-1 300 fpm 45 47 7
developing the needed migration protocol
that simulates the foods and conditions S5-2 300 fpm 41 42 6
of use for food packaging, in addition S5-3 300 fpm 38 41 6
to determining the risk of exposure to
chemical migrants, will protect converters
from potential legal implications. S6-1 500 fpm 75 79 12
S6-2 500 fpm Sample lost during extraction testing
There are three areas that must be
understood to evaluate safety in food S6-3 500 fpm 54 52 8
packaging applications. First, it is
necessary to understand the types of foods
and ingredients that are going to be packaged. Table 3 shows the Secondly, once the application and the type of food that is being
most common flexible packaging structures matched to typical packaged have been identified using the FDA’s Toxicology and
end use applications and their corresponding adhesive laminating Chemistry Guidelines (see Table 4), it is necessary to determine
technology. the recommended simulants that will need to be used in condition
testing to determine the migratory properties of the structure.

Last, consider the conditions of use to which the pouch will be

Recent formulation subjected during the processing phase. Using the FDA conditions,
improvements in clear UV LED testing must be completed per the appropriate condition for
the required application. According to the FDA, the various
primers, laminating adhesives conditions to be potentially tested are as follows:

and protective over-varnishes A. High temperature, heat sterilized or retorted [ca. 121ºC
(250ºF)]
now are enabling nonyellowing B. Boiling water sterilized (100ºC)
C. Hot filled or pasteurized above 66ºC (150ºF)
in the final cure at increasing D. Hot filled or pasteurized below 66ºC (150ºF)
E. Room temperature filled and stored (no thermal treatment in
press speeds that are the container)
approaching those of UV LED F. Refrigerated storage (no thermal treatment in the container)
G. Frozen storage (no thermal treatment in the container)
cured inks. H. Frozen or refrigerated storage: ready prepared foods intended
to be reheated in container at time of use
page 62 

60 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

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 LAMINATING ADHESIVES
 page 60

Table 6. Migration data from lab samples

1% CF* (ppb) 1% CF* (ppb) 1% CF* (ppb)
A: 95 % B: 10 % C: 10 %
EtOH/ Mono. Mono. EtOH/ Mono. Mono. EtOH/ Mono. Mono.
PI 1 PI 1 PI 1
Condition of 1 2 Condition of 1 2 Condition of 1 2
Use E Use E Use C
A-1: 100FPM 10 17 3 B-1: 100FPM 6 14 2 C-1: 100FPM 9 20 3
A-2: 100FPM 10 18 3 B-2: 100FPM 5 12 2 C-2: 100FPM 8 19 3
A-3: 100FPM 11 21 3 B-3: 100FPM 5 12 2 C-3: 100FPM 7 17 2

A-4: 300FPM 12 20 8 B-4: 300FPM 6 16 6 C-4: 300FPM 10 25 7

A-5: 300FPM 11 19 8 B-5: 300FPM 5 15 6 C-5: 300FPM 9 25 7
A-6: 300FPM 10 19 8 B-6: 300FPM 5 15 6 C-6: 300FPM 10 26 7

A-7: 500FPM 17 27 10 B-7: 500FPM 8 17 7 C-7: 500FPM 14 30 7

A-8: 500FPM 17 27 9 B-8: 500FPM 7 15 6 C-8: 500FPM 17 31 7
A-9: 500FPM 16 24 9 B-9: 500FPM 6 14 5 C-9: 500FPM Sample lost

A-10: control < DL < DL ND B-10: control < DL < DL ND C-10: control < DL < DL ND
A-11: control < DL < DL ND B-11: control < DL < DL ND C-11: control < DL < DL ND
A-12: control < DL < DL ND B-12: control < DL < DL ND C-12: control < DL < DL ND
*Consumption Factor

I. Irradiation (ionizing radiation)
J. Cooking at temperatures exceeding 121ºC (250ºF)
Another key aspect to consider when evaluating the structure
is the type of functional barrier being used. The functional
barrier prevents a varying degree of migration of the nonfood
contact material in what is being pouched – particularly if the
contents are food. However, there is little guidance from the
FDA or European Union that defines performance of an adequate
functional barrier and its corresponding acceptable migration
levels.2 Ultimately, it is the converter and contract packager’s
responsibility to determine the needed functional barrier. When
testing the structural compliance of the package, ensure the hazard
information of the migrants and safe dietary levels are reviewed.
The FDA default exposure values can be used to determine the
exposure level of the package, such as percent of diet exposed
to the packaging type. This can be calculated by dividing the
safe dietary level by the exposure where a detection limit can be
derived.
The same FDA regulatory requirements that apply to today’s
packaging standards also are applicable when transitioning from a
traditional laminating adhesive, such as solvent-free, to UV LED.
As long as the appropriate steps are taken in the risk assessment
of the packaging – including component migration, toxicological
data established limits and performing tests in all applicable food
types, temperatures and conditions – UV LED technology is a
viable, efficient and green method of cure.
Furthermore, UV LED technology has the advantage of providing
a curing process that is reliable, repeatable and extremely
controllable. With low migration and regulatory compliance, it is
critical that process variables are monitored and kept within the
defined operating window.
UV LED technology, coupled with UV LED-formulated
laminating adhesives for low-migration applications, represent
an innovative and sustainable technological trend that will have
growing importance in flexible packaging for those early adopters
searching for market differentiation in the narrow, mid and wide
web space.
Experimental
Laminations were made on the Mark Andy P5 press with a Mark
Andy Gen 2 ProLED (Phoseon FP601), 20 W/cm², 395 nm, flat
glass emitting window, UV LED curing station. The flexographic
anilox for applying the adhesive was 360 lpi/5.42 bcm. Multi-
Plastics (MP) 2 mil PE was the base, and MP 75 gauge PP was
the overlaminate. The laminating adhesives tested were Ashland
Adhesive 1 and Adhesive 2. The press was run up to 500 fpm
and at LED power settings ranging from 25% to 100%. Neither
adhesive displayed any yellowing. The best adhesive bonds
for this construction were achieved by Adhesive 1, so these
laminations were chosen for migration testing. Initial hand peels
resulted in destructive bonds up to 500 fpm at 25% power.

62 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

 The migration testing was
conducted by placing the
laminations in specially designed
aluminum and glass cells (see
Figure 2), with the food contact
side of the construction exposed
to the food simulant. The food
simulant was 95% ethanol to
cover fatty food types, and 10
ml/sq.in. was applied as the
default amount. Condition of
Use C (hot fill above 150°F)
was tested by holding the food
simulant in the cells at 66°C for
Figure 2. Custom migration 2 hours, followed by 10 days
cells at 40°C. HPLC-MS analysis
was performed to detect any
components of the adhesive in the food simulant, and the data
were reviewed by a food packaging toxicologist, who performed a
risk assessment. A safe threshold of 50 ppb was set by taking into
account toxicological data and daily consumption factor of 1%
used in Food Contact Notification (FCN) 642.
The data are presented in Table 5. These results indicated that
the samples made at up to 300 fpm are safe for use in food
packaging. The laminations made at 500 fpm had migration of
both monomers above the limit.
A second round of laminations were made in the lab. A Harper
flexographic hand proofer with a 260l pi/5.48 bcm anilox was
used for applying the adhesive to the samples, and they were
cured with an American UV fitted with a Heraeus 16W/cm², 395
nm, UV LED at 100% power. MP 3 mil PE was the base, and
MP 75 gauge PP was the overlaminate. The laminating adhesive
tested was Adhesive 1. The conveyor belt was run up to 500
fpm. Migration testing was conducted by placing the laminations
in aluminum and glass cells with the food contact side of the
construction exposed to the food simulant. The food simulants
were 95% ethanol to cover fatty food types and 10% ethanol
to cover aqueous food types and 10ml/sq.in. was applied as the
default amount.
Three conditions were tested. Condition of Use C (hot fill above
150°F) was tested by holding the food simulant in the cells at
66°C for two hours, followed by 10 days at 40°C. Condition
of Use E (room temperature fill and storage with no thermal
treatment) was tested by holding the food simulant in the cells at
40°C for 10 days. HPLC-MS analysis was performed to detect
any components of the adhesive in the food simulant, and the data
were reviewed by a food packaging toxicologist who performed a
risk assessment. A safe threshold of 50 ppb was set by taking into
account toxicological data and daily consumption factor of 1%
used in FCN 642. The data are presented in Table 6. These results
indicated that all the samples are safe for use in food packaging.
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
With low migration and
regulatory compliance, it is
critical that process variables
are monitored and kept within
the defined operating window.
Conclusion
Under the right conditions of adhesive chemistry, degree of cure,
laminate construction, food type and condition of use, UV LED
laminating adhesives are safe for use in flexible food packaging.
It is important for converters to confirm the safety of the adhesive
used in the flexible packaging. This can be achieved by careful
adhesive selection and control of manufacturing practices.
Suppliers of UV LED curing stations and laminating adhesives
can assist in this process. 
Acknowledgements
The author acknowledges Dr. Joseph Spinnato of Ashland for
his work on the migration risk assessment, Jennifer Heathcote of
Eminence UV for her advice during the press trial and Catherine
Heckman of Ashland for her assistance. The trial was supported
by FlintGroup through the use of its pilot press.
References
1. Smithers Pira, 1/2014, Global printing market to top $980 billion by
2018, <www.smitherspira.com/news/2014/january/global-printing-
market-to-top-980-billion-by-2018>
2. FDA, 12/14/2017, Packaging & Food Contact Substances
(FCS), <www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/
PackagingFCS>
Jake Staples, technical team leader for Ashland, specializes in
radiation curable coatings, primers and adhesives, with more
than 17 years of energy-curable expertise – particularly within
the development of UV LED and EB technologies. His roles
include product development, application support and technical
sales. He has presented at industry conferences, including
RadTech events. He earned a BA in physics from Carthage
College and an MS in mechanical engineering from the University
of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 63
 INDUSTRY
Plastics Decorating Magazine to Host The
Surface Summit in Michigan
Plastics Decorating magazine, Topeka, Kansas, will host its first
sponsored event, The Surface Summit, on November 5, 2019, in
Dearborn, Michigan. The one-day educational opportunity will
offer technical papers and workshops targeting surface treatment
and curing technologies for molded plastics in a variety of end-
use markets. In addition to programming, a Supplier Trade
Fair will provide access to leading industry members and their
latest technologies. Increasing the value to attendees, RadTech
North America International will host that association’s Fall
Meeting on the day prior to The Surface Summit. Attendees of
both events will receive valuable industry insights and technical
knowledge to improve the use of surface pretreatment, cleaning
and curing methods in their own facilities. For registration and
more information, visit www.plasticsdecorating.com/surface-
summit-2019.
Hydromer Launches Next Generation Website
Branchburg, New Jersey-based Hydromer Inc., offering specialty
polymers and surface coating technologies, contract coating
services and custom-designed equipment, announced the launch
of its next generation website. The site features new capabilities to
accelerate current and future clients’ ability to access information
about products and services. This includes the capability to
interact globally on a 24/7 basis with customer service experts
and to browse the website in several different ways, according
to individualized search preferences. Download access for “on-
the-spot” content such as white papers, brochures and product
information also is available. For more information, visit
www.hydromer.com.
Technical Industry Resource Eminence UV
Now Available
A new Chicago-based enterprise – Eminence UV – has launched
to provide consulting and resources on arc, microwave and UV
LED curing equipment, and related applications. The company
offers UV curing guidance to converters, manufacturers
and OEMs seeking unbiased technical assistance. Eminence
UV assists clients in the decision-making process, shortcuts
development timelines and helps navigate new UV curing
purchases and retrofits. Founder Jennifer Heathcote has held
roles in UV since 1998, including applications engineering,
sales, business development and general management. Heathcote
is an authority on conventional UV systems and UV LED
technology, as well as their use across a range of industrial curing
applications. For more information, visit eminenceuv.com.
Coating Tech Slot Dies to Host Coating Tech
Institute at Carestream
Coating Tech Slot Dies – an Eau Claire, Wisconsin-based
custom manufacturer of slot dies – and Rochester, New York-
headquartered Carestream – a partner in simultaneous, precision
multilayer coating technology and manufacturing – will host
64 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019
Coating Tech Institute at Carestream’s Windsor, Colorado,
facility October 22 through 24, 2019. A user conference for the
slot die coating industry, Coating Tech Institute is presented with
classroom teaching followed by hands-on learning opportunities
in Carestream’s laboratory and on its pilot coating line. Session
topics include rheology, defect resolution, troubleshooting and
beyond. For more information, visit www.coatingtechinstitute.com.
Carbon® and Arkema Partner
to Advance Digital Manufacturing
Redwood City, California-based Carbon, a digital manufacturing
company, and Arkema, an international provider of advanced liquid
resins solutions through its Sartomer business line, announced a
strategic partnership to deliver a new era of materials performance
and supply chain model for Carbon’s manufacturing partners.
Arkema has made an investment of $20 million to Carbon® Growth
Funding Round to support the next generation of fully integrated
digital manufacturing platforms with a deeper collaboration,
cutting-edge materials and innovative solutions. For more
information, visit www.Carbon3d.com and www.arkema.com.
PCT Ebeam and Integration Enters HP
Graphics Solutions Partner Program
PCT Ebeam and Integration, LLC (PCT), Davenport, Iowa, an
electron beam systems provider, has announced its participation
in the HP Graphics Solutions Partner Program. This program
facilitates HP Graphic Arts customers’ growth and profitability
through partner solutions and technologies for numerous printing
applications. PCT’s Core 100 ebeam system provides curing of
overprint varnishes (OPVs) for flexible packaging production
without lamination and is ideal for demanding applications
including hot-fill, pasteurization, form fill and seal, and lidding.
Gloss, matte and soft-touch OPV finishes are available to design
effects for packaging possibilities. The process provides fast,
solvent-free, instantly cured, digitally printed packaging. For
more information, visit www.pctebi.com.
Jim DeFife Receives
Global Achievement Award
Jim DeFife, vice president Pressure-Sensitive
Materials at Multi-Color Corporation, Batavia,
Ohio, has received the prestigious R. Stanton
Avery Global Achievement Award 2019.
DeFife has been a driving force in the global
label industry for almost 40 years, with a
career focus on the development of technical
solutions that have revolutionized and grown
the pressure-sensitive market – first with
Avery Dennison and then, for the past 17 years, with Spear and
Multi-Color. Sponsored by Avery Dennison, the R. Stanton Avery
Global Achievement Award recognizes an innovation or idea that
has helped transform and advance the label industry across the
world. For more information, visit www.labelawards.com.
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

HP Opens New 3D Printing and Digital
Manufacturing Center of Excellence
Technology company HP Inc. recently opened its new 3D Printing
and Digital Manufacturing Center of Excellence in Barcelona,
Spain. The Center is one of the world’s largest and most advanced
research & development facilities for the next-generation
technologies powering the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It brings
together hundreds of additive manufacturing experts in more
than 150,000 sq. ft. of innovation space. The facility is dedicated
to the development of HP’s industrial 3D printing portfolio and
provides a large-scale factory environment specifically designed
for active collaboration across HP engineering and R&D groups,
customers and partners. For more information, visit www.hp.com/
go/3DPrint.
IST Metz Hosts UV Days 2019
Organizer and UV specialist IST Metz, Nürtingen, Germany,
recently held its in-house exhibition, UV Days. UV Days 2019
saw more than 1,300 guests and 55 exhibitors from 46 countries.
With over 30 impulse and short presentations, 16 live print
demonstrations on the company’s own sheetfed offset press, eight
live demonstrations on the narrow web press and three different
print jobs – the event was the ninth UV Days of IST Metz. A
highlight among the print jobs was the PadBook, a fold-out folder
that serves as a mobile and compact office. It contains several
holders for supplies and accessories, features a magnetic closure
and can be folded to create a tablet holder. During the exhibition,
visitors could have the print gimmick personalized by type artist
Sigrid Artmann with UV varnish or with a modern laser engraving
by exhibitor Polar Mohr. With 13 industrial partners, industrial
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
applications were represented more strongly than ever before at
UV Days. For more information, visit www.ist-uv.com.
Phoseon Forms Wholly Foreign Owned
Enterprise in China
Phoseon Technology, Hillsboro, Oregon, announced the formation
of a Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise (WFOE) in China to better
serve the Chinese and greater Asia-Pacific markets. The new
limited liability
company reinforces
Phoseon’s
commitment to the
region and allows it
to make investments
and facilitate local
sales and service
transactions. The
WFOE also enables
Phoseon to source
and potentially build local products for the domestic market. For
more information, visit www.phoseon.com.
In Memorium: Gordon Knight
Industry pioneer Gordon B. Knight,
founder of ultraviolet curing company UV
III Systems, Inc., of Alburgh, Vermont,
passed away on April 20, 2019, at UVM
Medical Center in Burlington. Born in
London, England, Knight went abroad
to Alberta and then Quebec, where he
met and married his wife, Loretta. They
moved between Massachusetts and Illinois
before settling in Vermont. A creative man with machine
design skills and finishing application ability, Knight solved
a multitude of challenges for his UV-cured finish customers
at UV III Systems, Inc., the company he founded in 1984 and
which his youngest son, Elliot, continues to operate.
In Memoriam: Philip S. Cohen
Cincinnati, Ohio-based Michelman, devel-
oper and manufacturer of environmentally
friendly advanced materials, announced
that Philip S. Cohen, former president and
chairman, passed away on May 3, 2019, in
Cincinnati, Ohio. Cohen served an active
role at Michelman from 1956 until the early
2000s. He facilitated the manufacturing of
Resisto Coat™, understood the “Voice of
the Customer” before it became a popular term, and Michel-
man’s most long-lasting innovations grew out of his efforts.
Cohen was born on December 31, 1930, graduated from
Hughes High School, Miami University and obtained an MBA
from Xavier University. 
UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 65
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 NEW FACES

ACTEGA, a global Oligomer, adhesive, coating, dispensing

producer of coatings,
inks, adhesives and
sealants serving the
print and packaging
industries, has appointed
Lee Andrews as vice
Andrews Fron president of sales and
marketing for ACTEGA
North America. In this position, Andrews will oversee sales,
marketing, business development and brand owner activities.
Rebecca Fron has been hired as business manager, segment –
rigid packaging. Fron will be responsible for all rigid packaging
activities in North America and ensure that ACTEGA’s
development efforts continue to align with current customer,
market and regulatory needs.
International manufacturer of equipment
for the plastics, converting and packaging
industries Enercon Industries Corporation,
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, has announced
that Nate Fales will be serving Enercon
customers in the role of service manager. In
this role, Fales will lead the support team of
Fales mechanical and electrical engineers.
and light-curing systems developer Dymax
Corporation, Torrington, Connecticut,
has announced the appointment of Dave
Koppenhaver as the new Americas director
of sales. Koppenhaver will be responsible for
achieving revenue growth targets in adhesives
and equipment, while continually elevating Koppenhaver
Dymax commercial effectiveness with
partners.
LED light source provider Innovations in
Optics, Inc., Woburn, Massachusetts, has
announced the addition of Dennis Donahue
as director of manufacturing operations.
Donahue will report directly to the CEO,
Thomas Brukilacchio. 
Donahue

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Exploring UV-Curab
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uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 67
 LOW FREE OLIGOMERS

Facile One-Step Synthesis

By Igor V.
Khudyakov, PhD,
DSc, Research

of Photocurable Urethane
and Development
Director,
Performance
Coatings
International
Laboratories Acrylates
Introduction

U rethane acrylates (methacrylates) are valuable oligomers widely used in industry. They are used in
adhesives, protective and decorative coatings, dental fillings, labels, inks and as coatings for optical fiber.
As review, synthesis of the most common and simple urethane acrylates consists of two steps and includes
three reagents: polyol-diol (P) polyether or polyester, diisocyanate (D) and a capping agent – hydroxyl-
substituted acrylate (A). The most common diisocynates are isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), tolylene
diisocyanate (TDI), methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and p-phenylene diisocyanate (PPDI). The
acrylate often is 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) or 2–hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA).

In the first step, the polyol-diol reacts with an excess of the diisocyanate. After that the oligomer D–P is
capped with the acrylate (the second step). Elevated temperatures and catalysts are required in each of the
two steps. The final oligomer should result in all reagents having reacted with each other. The number of used
equivalents (n) of NCO of the diisocyanate will be equal to the sum of OH equivalents of the polyol-diol and
the acrylate:

Equation 1. n(diisocyanate) = n(polyol-diol) + n(acrylate)

or
n(D) = n(P) + n(A)

Completion of a reaction is usually controlled by infrared (IR). Fortunately, the NCO group has strong
absorption in the mid-IR spectrum (2270 cm-1)1,2, and it allows monitoring of the disappearance of NCO
with high accuracy. Selection of one or another diisocynate, polyol-dio, acrylate and a molecular weight of
polyol-diols allows the creation of urethane acrylates with a wide range of physical/mechanical properties in
the cured and the liquid state. Further, a ratio of ingredients n(D): n(P): n(A) can be varied. Such variation
obviously leads to the changes in properties of the final product. Certainly, variation of n(D): n(P): n(A)
should not violate Equation 1.

The method described above often is called direct synthesis.1 It is possible to run a reverse synthesis.1 In
reverse synthesis, the first step is a reaction between the diisocyanate and the acrylate, with subsequent
reaction of D–A with the polyol-diol. Interestingly, the same amounts of the same diisocyanate, polyol-
diol and acrylate lead to products with quite different properties prepared by the direct or reverse synthesis.
Reverse addition leads to lower molecular weight (MW) and lower viscosity (ƞ) of the final urethane acrylate.
Direct vs. reverse synthesis is another purposeful way to change properties of the synthesized urethane
acrylates with the same amount of the same reagents.1

Low Free monomer (LF) oligomers. In the first stage of (direct) synthesis, chemists often take n(D) = 2
n(P). A naïve expectation is that the product D–P will have a structure as presented in Figure 1a. However,
formation of the product presented in Figure 1b occurs. Macromolecules presented in Figure 1b are formed
by chain extension of the primary D-P products by the second polyol-diol molecule. In a general case, both
products schematically presented in Figure 1 are formed. Moreover, NCO-terminated macromolecules may
include more than two polyol-diol molecules in their structures.

Products of a reaction between diisocynates with polyol-diols change under condition n(D) ≥ 10 n(P). Under
such a condition, a chain extension (Figure 1b) is negligible because the polyol-diols are surrounded by a
68 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
 Thus, the product formed under the condition
n(D) ≥ 10 n(P) is presented on the Figure
1a. The mixture has an excess of non-reacted
diisocynate. Diisocynate can be stripped under
vacuum, and an individual product (Figure
1a) is an LF oligomer or LF prepolymer. LF
stands for the extremely low concentration
of non-reactive hazardous free diisocynate.
LF oligomers are commercially available
at a modest cost. They are not hazardous:
reactive–NCO is present, but it is bound to
a macromolecule polyol-diol. LF oligomers
are thermally cured with different curative
agents [1,4- butanediol, 2-aminoethanol, 4,4’-
methylenebis(2-chloroaniline) (MOCA), others]
in the preforms. Wheels, belts, balls and other
high–performance objects are made from the
cured LF oligomers.

Obviously, LF oligomers have relatively low

Figure 1. Pictorial presentation of a reaction of polyol-diols (blue objects) with molecular weight distribution, equal to that of
diisocyanate (red objects) under condition n(D) = 2 n(P); (a) simple expectation of the initial polyol-diol (Figure 1a).4 Common
the formed D–P structure; (b) expected product with chain extension. oligomers have wider molecular weight
distribution due to chain extension (Figure 1a
and b). In this article, we compare common and
LF oligomers, which have the same ratios n(D):
HEA HEA n(P): n(A) = 2:1:1 in the final product. Further,
LF oligomers have a lower viscosity (h) than
HEA HEA
HEA HEA common oligomers.4 One may argue that it
is not obvious that common oligomers have
HEA HEA higher h than the relevant LF oligomers. High
h of high molecular weight chain-extended
products may be compensated by low h of non-
reacted diisocynate (Figure 1b). Diisocynate
usually is a liquid at ambient conditions.
However, for many polymers, h ~ Mk, where
k > 1. That way, contribution of high MW
components into h is not compensated by low
MW components – at least in this case.

Capping of LF oligomers
MWD Different commercial LF oligomers can be
MWD
capped with hydroxyl acrylates in order to get
a b urethane acrylate. It is the one-step reaction
mentioned in the title. The capping agent will
Figure 2. Pictorial presentation of molecular weight distribution of the capped LF be HEA. The molecular weight distribution of
oligomers (a) and of relative common urethane acrylates (b). Common urethane urethane acrylate made with LF oligomers will
acrylates consist of all the strips presented in this figure. The horizontal scale for be smaller than those of analogous common
two molecular weight distributions is the same. urethane acrylates. (See Figure 2.) The h of
common urethane acrylate is higher than that of
large excess of diisocynates. Rate (or probability) of a reaction relative urethane acrylates made with LF oligomers (cf., above).
of polyol-diols with diisocynates is much higher than with P–D Oligomers with relatively low h are valuable because they require
because [D]>>[P–D]. Moreover, a rate constant of a reaction of a none (or a small amount) of reactive diluent, which changes
hydroxyl group with free diisocynates usually is higher than that properties of the final curable coating.
of a reaction of –OH with a second –NCO of D–P.3 page 71 
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 69
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 LOW FREE OLIGOMERS
 page 69
Figure 3. GPC traces of common urethane acrylate (a) and of the relevant urethane acrylate made with LF oligomer.
One will notice that common urethane acrylates include low
molecular weight compound HEA-D-HEA (Figure 2b). Low
MW additives usually have a detrimental effect on the elastic
properties of the cured coatings. HEA–D–HEA are usually
solid compounds under ambient conditions. Cure of specially
prepared melted A–D–A compounds leads to their shatter under
light or to very hard coatings. Urethane acrylates prepared from
LF oligomers do not have A-D-A. The latter compound often
is called diadduct. Experimental data (Figure 3) confirm the
statements made above.
uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org
A summary of properties of materials prepared by direct vs.
reverse synthesis,1 prepared at different D/P ratios2 and acrylated
LF vs. common urethane acrylates4 is presented in the cited
literature.
The possible application of LF oligomers in the
coatings for optical fiber
Acrylated LF oligomers may find an application in photocurable
coatings for optical fiber. The primary coating of optical fiber
should be elastomeric, soft, have high elongation-to-break, low
Tg, low storage (elastic) modulus and low molecular weight
page 72 
UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 71
 LOW FREE OLIGOMERS
 page 71

distribution.5 (Many of these requirements listed above are 3.
interdependent.) Low molecular weight distribution of coatings
for optical fiber is required for a speedy application of coating.5 4.
LF oligomers capped by HEA or another acrylate are promising
5.
candidates of coatings for optical fiber.
Szycher, M. Szycher’s Handbook of Polyurethanes; CRC Press:
Boca Raton, FL, 1999, ch 2.
Zhu, Z.; Khudyakov, I.V.; Rosenberg, R.O. Radiation-Curable
Polyurethane. US6943202B2.
Khudyakov; I.V.; Purvis; M. B.; Overton, B. J. Formulation of UV-
curable coatings for optical fiber for a fast cure. US 6887918.

Conclusions.
Acknowledgment. The author is grateful to Vince Gajewski (ret.)
Photocurable urethane acrylates can be made in one stage by the
and Jerry Bryce of COIM USA for useful discussions.
catalyzed addition of hydroxyl-substituted acrylate to commercial
LF oligomers. A variety of commercially available LF oligomers,
Igor V. Khudyakov, PhD, DSc, is research and development
as well as capping agents, allows simple synthesis urethane
director at Performance Coatings International Laboratories,
acrylate oligomers with different properties in the liquid and
Bangor, Pennsylvania. PCI is a manufacturer and supplier of
cured state. That makes LF oligomers especially valuable for
high-performance oligomers and coatings, including thermal and
small or startup companies that intend to produce cost-effective
UV-curable coatings with high abrasion resistance. Khudyakov
products with a wide range of applications. Additional benefits of
holds 21 US patents, has written or contributed to more than
such urethane acrylates are their relatively low viscosity and low
200 scientific and technical publications, and has presented at a
molecular weight distribution. 
number of conferences, including RadTech International North
America and RadTech Europe. For more information, email ivk@
References
1. Swiderski, K.W.; Khudyakov, I.V. Industrial & Engineering pcoatingsintl.com or startatj@aol.com.
Chemistry Research, 2004, 43, 6281.
2. Khudyakov, I.V.; Swiderski, K.W.; Greer, R.W. Journal of Applied
Polymer Science, 2006, 99, 489.

The Surface Summit

Surface Treatment & Cleaning, UV, UV LED
and Electron Beam Curing for Molded Plastics

Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019 • Dearborn Inn, Dearborn, Michigan

(The RadTech North America Fall Meeting will take place the preceding day.)

• Full day of technical

papers and workshops
• Networking
opportunities
• Tabletop exhibits from
leading suppliers

Visit plasticsdecorating.com for details and registration (online by July 1).

72 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

2019 FALL MEETING
Monday, November 4, 2019
The Dearborn Inn - Dearborn, Michigan

Join us in Dearborn for exciting meetings and continuing new

initiatives in our UV LED, 3D Printing, Application Support,
Transportation, and Printing & Packaging focus groups.

RadTech.org
 REGULATORY NEWS

Changes to Public Availability of TSCA Section 5 Submissions

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is moving to a real-time system of providing information to
the public as part of a commitment to ensure transparency in its program. Starting May 30, 2019, EPA began
publishing Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 5 (PMN, MCAN and SNUN) notices and attachments
– including any health and safety studies, any modifications thereto and all other associated information
in ChemView – in the form received. The EPA will not review filings with sanitized confidential business
information before publishing. Learn more at https://www.epa.gov/reviewing-new-chemicals-under-toxic-
Doreen M. substances-control-act-tsca/filing-pre-manufacture-notice-epa#tab-1.
Monteleone, Ph.D.,
New Chemical Review Backlog: Action Needed!
director of
At the April 9, 2019, US House subcommittee budget hearing, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler was
sustainability &
questioned about the current caseload for new chemical reviews. When reminded that current legislation
EHS initiatives,
mandates that new chemical reviews be completed within 90 days but no later than 180 days, Wheeler confirmed
RadTech
that, of the 527 pending new chemical review submissions, 110 are older than 90 days and 270 are older than
International 180 days.
North America
doreen@ If your company’s new chemical notification is among the 380 submissions in backlog, RadTech urges you to
radtech.org inform your state’s congressional delegation. Submit a simple letter referencing Wheeler’s statements from the
hearing and noting that this impacts your company directly. The letter or message may be submitted through
your state’s senators’ and representatives’ webpages (see https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials). Explain how the
delay affects plans for commercialization, and remind elected officials of the number of workers and economic
impact your company’s facility contributes within the state.
Contact Michael Gould, RadTech EHS Chair (Michael.Gould@Rahn-Group.com), if you send a communication
and share what response you receive. Depending on the level of engagement by senators or representatives,
RadTech will work with Bergeson & Campbell’s TSCA New Chemicals Coalition to set up face-to-face
meetings over the next few months to keep the dialogue going.
Improvements to New Chemicals Website Increase Transparency
The US EPA has updated its new chemicals statistics webpage. The page now includes a flow chart showing the
number of new chemicals cases (PMNs, SNUNs and MCANs) at each stage of review and detailed descriptions
of each step in the process. These changes are the first step in a larger effort to increase the transparency of the
new chemicals program and ensure stakeholders and the public can quickly and easily view EPA’s progress in
reviewing new chemicals submissions.
TRI Data May Not Be Accurate
The top watchdog overseeing the US EPA issued a “management alert” warning that the agency’s public data on
toxic substance releases are not accurate. EPA’s Office of Inspector General (IG) said the inconsistencies were
“of sufficient concern to warrant immediate reporting.”
The emergency letter from the acting IG to the head of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention
warned that certain information EPA released publicly about its toxic chemical releases did not match internal
data. The IG found the discrepancy while auditing the EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), which annually
collects information about toxic chemical releases reported by both industrial and government facilities.
Chemicals covered by the TRI are known to cause cancer or other chronic human health effects.
Study on PV29 Released
The US EPA has announced the release of 24 studies on Pigment Violet 29 (PV29) used by the agency to
develop the draft risk evaluation under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act,
which amended TSCA. PV29 is a chemical used as a colorant, primarily in inks, paints, coatings and plastics.
Robust summaries of the studies were provided to the public, along with the draft risk evaluation, on Nov. 15,
2018. Since that time, companies in the study have revised confidentiality claims, dropping most of them.
The EPA has reviewed the remaining claims of confidential business information and determined that the
information is entitled to confidential treatment. The release of these studies does not change the EPA’s
proposed “no unreasonable risk” determination. More information can be found online at https://www.epa.gov/
assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/draft-risk-evaluation-pigment-violet-29.

74 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

 News from the West Coast
UV/EB Recognized in CA Senate Resolution
The office of Senator Mike Morrell has issued a California State Senate Resolution highlighting the contributions
of RadTech International and the technology it promotes. RadTech sought the resolution to encourage UV/
EB/LED technology as a pollution-prevention strategy. The association pointed out that conversion to UV/EB/
LED would reduce emissions of criteria pollutants and greenhouse gases. Since UV/EB is an energy-efficient
Rita Loof, technology, energy savings would be achieved through its implementation. Furthermore, manufacturing jobs
director of regional would be created and retained in California.
environmental California Senate Members Resolution No. 397 recognizes RadTech’s contribution to the community as a “vital”
affairs, RadTech one. It points out that RadTech has made a positive impact in the State of California and throughout the nation as
International an international forum for education and information related to UV/EB technology. RadTech’s effort to provide
North America regulatory and technical support as encouragement for member companies to keep their operations in the US also
rita@radtech.org was recognized. “RadTech International is responsible for helping to create jobs and strengthen the economy…”
the document states.
SCAQMD Requests Five-Year Extension to Meet Standard
The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) is asking the US Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) for an additional five years to meet federal clean air requirements. The district seeks a “voluntary
reclassification” for the 1997 eight-hour federal standard for ozone in Coachella Valley. If granted, the area will
be reclassified to “extreme” status, and EPA will allow South Coast AQMD up to five additional years (June
2024) to reach attainment.
According to SCAQMD, Coachella Valley is currently classified as “severe nonattainment” for ground-level
ozone and faced a June 2019 deadline to meet the federal air quality standard of 0.08 parts per million (ppm). The
valley is downwind from the South Coast Air Basin. When high levels of ozone form in SCAQMD, it is blown
toward Coachella Valley. The same process occurs with ozone precursors, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and
volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from mobile and stationary sources. Those emissions are the main
culprit for high ozone levels in the Coachella Valley.
The Coachella Valley has attained federal standards for one-hour ozone, particulate matter 2.5, nitrogen oxides,
lead and sulfur dioxide. SCAQMD’s regulations are credited with the attainment.
If approved by EPA, the new “extreme” classification would result in stricter emissions thresholds for major
stationary sources in the area, lowering the threshold from 25 tons per year to 10 tons per year for NOx and
VOCs. It also could result in more stringent permitting requirements. In addition, the agency will be required to
revise its State Implementation Plan, which serves as the roadmap toward meeting the federal standard.
Grants for Community Air Protection Program
The California Legislature has budgeted $495 million in the past two years for local air districts to provide
incentives for technologies that reduce air pollution. Although most of the funding is directed at mobile sources,
funds also may be used for changes at local industrial facilities that reduce emissions of toxic or smog-forming
pollutants.
The legislature has appropriated incentive funding to support early actions to address localized air pollution in
communities that are most affected. Between fiscal years 2017-18 and 2018-19, the state budget has appropriated
the California Air Resources Board (CARB) almost $500 million in “California Climate Investments” funding
for Community Air Protection (CAP) incentives to be administered by air districts in partnership with local
communities.
The program has new eligibility for the replacement of equipment at locations of stationary sources of air
pollution that will result in direct reductions of Toxic Air Contaminants or criteria air pollutants. For stationary
sources, proposed incentives would cut hexavalent chromium emissions from chrome plating facilities through
conversion to less toxic trivalent chromium or through the installation of emissions control technologies.
Proposals would reduce air pollution in schools through a suite of project types intended to reduce children’s risk
of exposure in classrooms along with emissions of criteria air pollutants in and around schools. The proposed
new project types include replacement of aging furniture with low- or no-added formaldehyde products and air
filtration enhancements. UV/EB/LED processes may be well positioned to fill the need. For more information,
contact rita@radtech.org. 

uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 | 75

 CALENDAR

SEPTEMBER 29-30: NIST/RadTech Workshop. Use of Photopolymer

Materials in Additive Manufacturing. For more information,
15-18: PHOTOPOLYMERIZATION FUNDAMENTALS
visit www.radtech.org.
2019, Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, Monterey, California.
For more information, visit www.radtechintl.org/
Photopolymer2019 NOVEMBER
4: RadTech Fall Meeting, The Dearborn Inn - Dearborn,
OCTOBER Michigan. For more information, visit www.radtech.org.
3-5: PRINT 19, McCormick Place North, Chicago, Illinois.
5: Surface Summit, The Dearborn Inn - Dearborn,
For more information, visit www.printtechnologies.org.
Michigan. For more information, visit
www.plasticsdecorating.com/surface-summit-2019.
15-16: RadTech Europe Conference & Exhibition 19,
Westin Grand Munich, Munich, Germany. For more
8-11: Pack Expo International, McCormick Place,
information, visit www.radtech2019.com
Chicago, Illinois. For more information, visit
www.packexpointernational.com.
17-20: RadTech Asia 2019 Conference & Exhibition,
Hangzhou, China. For more information, visit http://
radtechasia2019.csp.escience.cn

23-25: PRINTING United, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention

Center, Dallas, Texas. For more information, visit
www.printingunited.com.

ADVERTISING INDEX
American Ultraviolet ................................................................. americanultraviolet.com ...................................................................................... 27
BASF .......................................................................................... basf.us/flexiblepackaging .................................................................................... 45
BCH North America Inc............................................................ bch-bruehl.com .................................................................................................... 59
Dymax ........................................................................................ dymax.com/ax550 ................................................................................................ 49
EIT Instrument Markets ............................................................ eit.com .................................................................................................................. 21
Excelitas Technologies ............................................................. excelitas.com .........................................................................................Back Cover
Heraeus ..................................................................................... heraeus-noblelight.com/uvamericas .................................................................. 55
Honle UV America Inc. ............................................................. honleuv.com ........................................................................................................... 5
IGM Resins ................................................................................ igmresins.com/contact ..............................................................Inside Back Cover
IST America ............................................................................... ist-uv.com ............................................................................. Inside Front Cover, 11
Kao Collins ................................................................................ kaocollins.com ...................................................................................................... 51
Miltec UV ................................................................................... miltec.com ............................................................................................................ 17
Miwon Specialty Chemical Co., Ltd. ....................................... miramer.com ......................................................................................................... 34
Nagase ...................................................................................... nagaseamerica.com/uveb ................................................................................... 33
Phoseon Technology ................................................................ retrofit.phoseon.com ........................................................................................... 29
Plastics Decorating Surface Summit ....................................... plasticsdecorating.com........................................................................................ 72
PRINT 19 .................................................................................... printevent.com ..................................................................................................... 66
PRINTING United ..................................................................... printingunited.com .............................................................................................. 70
RadTech Fall Meeting 2019...................................................... radtech.org ........................................................................................................... 73
RadTech UV+EB 2020 ............................................................... radtech2020.com .................................................................................................. 31
RAHN ......................................................................................... rahn-group.com...................................................................................................... 1
Sartomer Arkema ...................................................................... sartomer.com ........................................................................................................ 61
Siltech Corporation .................................................................. siltech.com ............................................................................................................ 48
Sun Chemical ............................................................................ sunchemical.com/energy_curable ...................................................................... 53
Ushio .......................................................................................... ushio.com/uv ........................................................................................................ 19

76 | UV+EB Technology • Issue 3, 2019 uvebtechnology.com + radtech.org

IGM RESINS
WE BRING IT ALL TOGETHER.
 High-Performance
OmniCure® LED UV
Curing Solutions

• Enhance cure speeds and efficiencies with a range

of optical output and wavelength options

• Simplify integration with compact, air-cooled

form factors

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• Improve product yields and reduce operational costs

• Expand cure capabilities of adhesives, coatings,

and inks

www.excelitas.com
omnicure@excelitas.com
2260 Argentia Road, Mississauga, Ontario, L5N 6H7 CANADA