Manufacturers Showcase New Products at RadTech 2010

By David Savastano • Editor

The field of energy curing continues to enjoy expansion despite the economic downturn. As is the case with growth industries, there are plenty of new products that are being developed, many of which can be seen on the show floor during RadTech 2010.

Exhibitors are showcasing a wide variety of new raw materials and equipment during RadTech 2010. For example, Craig Baudendistel, technical sales manager for Shamrock Technologies, noted that Shamrock is showcasing its unique wax line of emulsion products in TRPGDA, including PE, carnauba, and montan in a submicron particle size, as well as other featured products including low-foaming PTFE dispersions.

Sartomer is active on the R&D side, bringing 12 new systems to RadTech 2010. Among the highlights from Sartomer are its CD590 aromatic acrylate monomer, which offers a high refractive index and is flexible, providing for high elongation but low tensile strength. CN821 is an acrylic oligomer that promotes adhesion to a number of different metal and polymer substrates, and provides low shrinkage. CN2283 is a polyester acrylate that has very low viscosity for an oligomeric structure, and polymerizes to a tough, flexible film.

In addition, Sartomer is offering its new CN2930 acryate oligomer, which has a unique, higher Tg chemistry and lower viscosity than many other oligomer structures; and CN9025 and CN9026 urethane acrylates, both of which are hexafunctional aliphatic urethane acrylates whose main utility is in UV/EB hard coatings.

Patrick J. Heraty Jr., market segment manager, graphic arts, coating additives for Evonik Goldschmidt Corporation, Coating Additives/ Tego Division, said that Evonik – Coating Additives/Tego will be showcasing its TEGO Rad line of reactive additives.

“These products offer properties ranging from flow and leveling to providing superb slip and release,” Mr. Heraty added. “All products react into the UV matrix and thus offer extremely low migration. We will also be highlighting our TEGO Dispers 655 and TEGO Dispers 685 for dispersion of both inorganic and organic pigments in radiation-curable systems.”

Tina Snider, market development manager-resins, for BASF in North America, noted that RadTech 2010 is the first opportunity for BASF to showcase the benefits of its recent acquisition of Ciba to the UV and EB curable industry.

“BASF offers a broad portfolio of functional monomers, reactive diluents and photoinitiators, along with additives and pigments to enhance the performance of UV/EB curable coatings, printing inks and adhesives,” Ms. Snider said. “BASF’s team of experts will be available throughout the show to discuss how the company can apply expertise in chemistry, applications and formulations to help customers accomplish their objectives – a set of capabilities strengthened by the acquisition of Ciba.”

Ms. Snider noted that the new products that BASF is highlighting at RadTech 2010 include Irgacure 2100, a liquid photoinitiator for through-cure even in thick, pastel and white pigmented films. On the waterborne UV side for coatings, BASF is showcasing Laromer WA 9057, an acrylic UV crosslinkable emulsion for clear and pigmented primers and topcoats that offers excellent water release for faster processing times; Laromer UA 9060, an aromatic urethane acrylate dispersion with quick physical drying without a whitening effect; and Laromer UA 9059, a UV curable hydroprimer for wood flooring that is sandable after UV curing and has excellent substrate adhesion.

Unimin is making its first appearance at RadTech, and the company is using the opportunity to highlight its MINEX series.

“Unimin Specialty Minerals, Inc. will be showcasing our MINEX functional fillers and extenders at RadTech,” aid Frank Cangelosi, market director – functional fillers and additives, Unimin Corporation. “MINEX represents a unique family of mineral fillers based on a naturally occurring sodium potassium alumino-silicate. They offer a distinctive combination of performance enhancement and cost savings potential in radiation cured coatings. In addition, the optical properties of MINEX are inherently well suited to this market. Virtually transparent to ultraviolet and visible light, MINEX supports efficient UV curing without affecting transparency even at high loading levels.”

Eileen Weber, UV product manager for Red Spot Paint & Varnish Co., has a number of new products on display on the show floor.

“We plan to display a variety of products, some existing technology such as headlamp hardcoats, but also a few new hardcoat applications such as 3D goggle lenses, clear and mirrored film and appliance components,” Ms. Weber said. “We have a new line of pigmented PVC window frames for the Korean market. We’ll also have a large variety of PVD parts on display, as well as products used for cosmetic packaging.

“We are also pleased to announce that Red Spot has collaborated with ReflecTech, Inc., one of this year’s Emerging Technology award winners, on an abrasion resistant hardcoat for the solar market,” Ms. Weber added. “The hardcoat adds a protective shield to the surface of the ReflecTech Mirror Film which is primarily used in utility-scale parabolic trough systems as a high-performance, lower cost alternative to fragile, curved glass mirrors commonly used in such systems. ReflecTech and Red Spot began developing the ARC in mid 2008 as part of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).”

On the equipment side, Ushio America, Inc. is introducing its U-eLektron E-beam System. The U-eLektron, a bench top electron beam exposure system designed for R&D applications, is a 10 keV to 50 keV system with up to 200 μA of cathode current. The U-eLektron, which includes the electron beam gun, exposure chamber and controller/power supply, is priced starting at $17,000. An optional vacuum 1pump system is also available.

“Our U-eLektron E-beam System has been designed as a benchtop R&D system,” said Dr. Mark Viktor, general manager, technical products division, for Ushio America, Inc. “It is designed to be user-friendly and is ideal for proof of concept. It is also relatively inexpensive compared to other EB systems.”