ABSTRACT
The monomers which form superior coatings are polycyclic. Those which have been most extensively studied are the spiro ortho carbonates (I) and the spiro ortho esters (II). Presynthesized spiro ortho esters (SOE) and polycyclic spiro ortho carbonate and SOE, which are liquids or readily liquefiable, have been reported, but information on bulk formulation and coatings systems is chiefly in the Japanese literature. Other commercial coating processes used for UV cure coatings on large shapes are curtain coating and flow coating. EPOLIN UV cure coatings containing spiro ortho ester have excellent flexibility and noncracking aging behavior. Expanding monomers are used as practical mixtures with conventional monomers or oligomers. Expanding monomers are unique in that when they form polymers, they do so with expansion in volume. This differs from conventional monomers which polymerize with shrinkage. Expanding monomer SOE based coatings systems are developing in many practical ways. The Toagosei system based on presynthesized SOE is yielding encouraging application results.c.
