Alumina and zirconia acrylate nanocomposites coatings for wood flooring: Photocalorimetric characterization

Radiation curable coatings are presently the standard in wood flooring industries, although important improvements can still be brought to these coatings. In this work, nanocomposites coatings for wood flooring were prepared from various acrylate reactives. Nanoparticles were added in the neat acrylate formulation prepared from two acrylate monomers, two acrylate oligomers, a defoaming agent and a photoinitiator. Particle size characterization was performed by a dynamic light scattering technique. Reinforcing agents and coupling agents addition effects on acrylate resin conversion were studied by photo-calorimetry (photo-DSC). For each nanocomposite sample, heat of reaction and induction time were determined from exotherms and these datas were used to study the effects of reinforcing agents and coupling agents on curing kinetics of radiation curable nanocomposite coatings. Photo-DSC studies show that nanoparticles and coupling agent clearly affect coatings polymerization. In fact, zirconia nanoparticles tend to decrease polymerization. Alumina nanoparticles do not affect negatively curing coatings. Silane coupling agent affects positively the curing of acrylate coatings, although zirconate coupling agent tends to decrease it.