UV-curable coatings are a boon to the paint industry, as they not only reduce VOCs but also speed up production processes and provide protective, durable and attractive finishes. UV-curable polyurethane acrylates have been synthesized from polyester polyol (1,6-hexanediol, adipic acid and ethylene glycol), toluene diisocyanate and three types of reactive diluents i.e., ethoxylated phenol monoacrylate (EOPA), 1,6-hexanediol -diacrylate (HDDA) and trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA). In this paper several formulations of UV-curable polyurethane acrylate resins were used to study the effect of reactive diluents on performance properties. It was observed from the results that UV-cured polyurethane acrylate resin films on metal surfaces exhibit excellent gloss (60°), mechanical, and chemical- and stain-resistant properties.
