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Bio-based alkyd polyols for UV-curable water-borne polyurethane acrylate coatings
A recent study demonstrates that bio-based alkyd polyols derived from fatty acids are suitable raw materials for high-performance UV-curable water-borne polyurethane acrylate coatings.
A research team from China has developed four different bio-based alkyd polyols derived from oleic acid and coconut oil-based fatty acids. These polyols were used to synthesise UV-curable water-borne polyurethane acrylate dispersions (UV-WPUAs), which were subsequently formulated into coating films. The study aimed to systematically evaluate the influence of alkyd polyol structure on both dispersion properties and coating performance.
All UV-WPUAs exhibited low viscosity, small particle sizes, high zeta potentials, and a semitransparent appearance, indicating good dispersion stability. However, notable differences were observed in the properties of the cured coatings, depending on the chemical composition of the respective alkyd polyols.
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Structure–property relationships in UV-WPUA coatings
The best overall performance was achieved with the UV-WPUA-2 system, based on an alkyd polyol synthesised from oleic acid, hexahydrophthalic anhydride, neopentyl glycol, and trimethylolpropane. This coating showed excellent physical properties, strong chemical resistance, and acceptable resistance to yellowing. According to the authors, these characteristics result from a higher crosslinking density and the absence of aromatic structures commonly associated with yellowing.
Overall, the study confirms the suitability of bio-based alkyd polyols as sustainable building blocks for UV-curable water-borne polyurethane acrylate coatings and provides practical guidance for future formulation development.
Source: Duan, Y. et al., UV-curable waterborne polyurethane acrylate coatings prepared from bio-based alkyd polyols. J. Coat. Technol. Res. 22, 2163–2177 (2025).
Category: Coatings Technologies
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