Abstract: The ultraviolet curing coatings based on the acrylic rosin(β-acryloxyl ethyl)ester were prepared by UV light curing process. Conversion of carbon-carbon double bond during the UV curing process was investigated by ATR FT-IR. Mechanical properties of the coatings with different curing level were measured by pencil hardness. The pencil hardness of the cured coating changed from 2H to 3H up to final falling off from the substract with curing time increasing; the adhesion force changed from 1 grade to 2 grade up to final falling off from the substrace with curing time increasing. It is concluded that the initial carbon-carbon double bond conversion was greatly affected by the dosage of initiator and the intensity of UV light; adopting thinner coating (from 75 μm to 25 μm) or using Irgacure 1173 as initiator would accelerate the rate of the curing reaction; acrylic rosin(β-acryloxyl ethyl)ester could be cured in 50 seconds.

Key words: acrylic rosin, ultraviolet curing coatings, curing kinetics