Photocatalyst system and ultraviolet light curable coating compositions containing the same

Claim 2

A photocatalyst system comprising a. at least one aromatic ketone or aromatic aldehyde photosensitizer which 1. has a triplet energy in the range of from about 54 kilocalories per mole to about 72 kilocalories per mole, and 2.

Claim 3

promotes polymerization bimolecular photochemical reactions of the energy donor type; and b. at least one aromatic ketone photoinitiator which generates a radical pair by way of unimolecular homolysis resulting from photoexcitation, at least one member of said radical pair being capable of initiating addition polymerization of acrylic groups, said aromatic ketone photoinitiator being selected from the group consisting of ethyl benzoin ether, isopropyl benzoin ether, butyl benzoin ether, isobutyl benzoin ether, α, α-diethoxyacetophenone, α, α-diethoxy-α-phenylacetophenone, α, α-dimethoxy-α-phenylacetophenone, 4,4'-dicarboethoxybenzoin ethyl ether, benzoin phenyl ether, α-methylbenzoin ethyl ether, α-methylolbenzoin methyl ether, α, α, α-trichloroacetophenone, mixtures of butyl isomers of butyl benzoin

Claim 4

promotes polymerization bimolecular photochemical reactions of the energy donor type; and b. at least one aromatic ketone photoinitiator which generates a radical pair by way of unimolecular homolysis resulting from photoexcitation, at least one member of said radical pair being capable of initiating addition polymerization of acrylic groups, said aromatic ketone photoinitiator being selected from the group consisting of ethyl benzoin ether, isopropyl benzoin ether, butyl benzoin ether, isobutyl benzoin ether, α, α-diethoxyacetophenone, α, α-diethoxy-α-phenylacetophenone, α, α-dimethoxy-α-phenylacetophenone, 4,4'-dicarboethoxybenzoin ethyl ether, benzoin phenyl ether, α-methylbenzoin ethyl ether, α-methylolbenzoin methyl ether, α, α, α-trichloroacetophenone, mixtures of butyl isomers of butyl benzoin

Claim 5

ether, and mixtures thereof. 2. The photocatalyst system of claim 1 wherein said photosensitizer is present in an amount in the range of from about 25 percent to about 90 percent by weight of said photocatalyst system and wherein said photoinitiator is present in an amount in the range of from about 10 percent to about 75 percent by weight of said photocatalyst system.

Claim 6

The photocatalyst system of claim 2 wherein said photosensitizer is benzophenone.

Claim 7

The photocatalyst system of claim 3 wherein said photoinitiator is isobutyl benzoin ether.

Claim 8

The photocatalyst system of claim 3 wherein said photoinitiator is a mixture of butyl isomers of butyl benzoin ether.

Claim 9

A ultraviolet high curable coating composition comprising: a. at least one aromatic ketone or aromatic aldehyde photosensitizer which 1.has a triplet energy in the range of from about 54 kilocalories per mole to about 72 kilocalories per mole, and 2. promotes photopolymerization through bimolecular photochemical reactions of the energy donor type; b. at least one aromatic ketone photoinitiator which generates a radical pair by way of unimolecular homolysis resulting from photoexcitation, at least one number of said radical pair being capable of initiating addition polymerization of acrylic groups, said aromatic ketone photoinitiator being selected from the group consisting of ethyl benzoin ether, isopropyl benzoin ether, butyl benzoin ether, isobutyl benzoin ether, α, α-diethoxyacetophenone, α, α-diethoxy-α-phenylacetophenone, α, α-dimethoxy-α-phenylacetophenone, 4,4'-dicarboethoxy-benzoin ethyl ether, benzoin phenyl ether, α-methylbenzoin ethyl ether, α-methylolbenzoin methyl ether, α, α, α-trichloroacetophenone, mixtures of butyl isomers of butyl benzoin ether, and mixtures thereof; and c. a resin having acrylic unsaturation and capable of being free radially addition polymerized by interaction with said photosensitizer and said photoinitiator upon exposure to ultraviolet light.

Claim 10

A ultraviolet high curable coating composition comprising: a. at least one aromatic ketone or aromatic aldehyde photosensitizer which 1.has a triplet energy in the range of from about 54 kilocalories per mole to about 72 kilocalories per mole, and 2. promotes photopolymerization through bimolecular photochemical reactions of the energy donor type; b. at least one aromatic ketone photoinitiator which generates a radical pair by way of unimolecular homolysis resulting from photoexcitation, at least one number of said radical pair being capable of initiating addition polymerization of acrylic groups, said aromatic ketone photoinitiator being selected from the group consisting of ethyl benzoin ether, isopropyl benzoin ether, butyl benzoin ether, isobutyl benzoin ether, α, α-diethoxyacetophenone, α, α-diethoxy-α-phenylacetophenone, α, α-dimethoxy-α-phenylacetophenone, 4,4'-dicarboethoxy-benzoin ethyl ether, benzoin phenyl ether, α-methylbenzoin ethyl ether, α-methylolbenzoin methyl ether, α, α, α-trichloroacetophenone, mixtures of butyl isomers of butyl benzoin ether, and mixtures thereof; and c. a resin having acrylic unsaturation and capable of being free radially addition polymerized by interaction with said photosensitizer and said photoinitiator upon exposure to ultraviolet light.

Claim 11

The ultraviolet light curable coating composition of claim 6 wherein: a. said photosensitizer is present in an amount in the range of from about 0.01 percent to about 50 percent by weight of the binder of said coating composition; b. said photoinitiator is present in an amount in the range of from about 0.01 percent to about 10 percent by weight of the binder of said coating composition; and c said resin is present in an amount in the range of from about 20 to 100 percent by weight of the binder of said coating composition.

Claim 12

The ultraviolet light curable coating composition of claim 7 wherein said photosensitizer is benzophenone.

Claim 13

The ultraviolet light curable coating composition of claim 8 wherein said photoinitiator is isobutyl benzoin ether.

Claim 14

The ultraviolet light curable coating composition of claim 8 wherein said photoinitiator is a mixture of butyl isomers of butyl benzoin ether.

Claim 15

The ultraviolet light coating composition of claim 7 wherein monoacrylic functional monomer is present in the range of from about 0 to about 80 percent by weight of the binder of said coating composition.

Claim 16

The ultraviolet light curable coating composition of claim 7 wherein extender pigment which is generally transparent to ultraviolet light is present in an amount in the range of from about 0 to about 70 percent by weight of said coating composition.

Claim 19

at least one aromatic ketone photoinitiator which generates a radical pair by way of unimolecular homolysis resulting from photoexcitation, at least one member of said radical pair being capable of initiating addition polymerization of acrylic groups, said aromatic ketone photoinitiator being selected from the group consisting of ethyl benzoin ether, isopropyl benzoin ether, butyl benzoin ether, isobutyl benzoin ether, α, α-diethoxyacetophenone, α, α-diethoxy-α-phenylacetophone, α, α-dimethoxy-α-phenylacetophenone, 4,4'-dicarboethoxybenzoin ethyl ether, benzoin phenyl ether, α-methylbenzoin ethyl ether, α-methylbenzoin methyl ether, α, α, α-trichloroacetophenone, mixtures of butyl isomers of butyl benzoin ether, and mixtures thereof, and 3. a resin having acrylic unsaturation and capable of being free radically addition polymerized by interaction with said photosensitizer and said photoinitiator upon exposure to ultraviolet light; and b. exposing said coated substrate to ultraviolet light to cure said coating into a hard mar and abrasion resistant film.

Claim 20

at least one aromatic ketone photoinitiator which generates a radical pair by way of unimolecular homolysis resulting from photoexcitation, at least one member of said radical pair being capable of initiating addition polymerization of acrylic groups, said aromatic ketone photoinitiator being selected from the group consisting of ethyl benzoin ether, isopropyl benzoin ether, butyl benzoin ether, isobutyl benzoin ether, α, α-diethoxyacetophenone, α, α-diethoxy-α-phenylacetophone, α, α-dimethoxy-α-phenylacetophenone, 4,4'-dicarboethoxybenzoin ethyl ether, benzoin phenyl ether, α-methylbenzoin ethyl ether, α-methylbenzoin methyl ether, α, α, α-trichloroacetophenone, mixtures of butyl isomers of butyl benzoin ether, and mixtures thereof, and 3. a resin having acrylic unsaturation and capable of being free radically addition polymerized by interaction with said photosensitizer and said photoinitiator upon exposure to ultraviolet light; and b. exposing said coated substrate to ultraviolet light to cure said coating into a hard mar and abrasion resistant film.

Claim 21

The method of claim 13 wherein: a. said photosensitizer is present in an amount in the range of from about 0.01 percent to about 50 percent by weight of the binder of said coating composition; b. said photoinitiator is present in an amount in the range from about 0.01 percent to about 10 percent by weight of the binder of said coating composition; and c. said resin is present in an amount in the range of from about 20 to 100 percent by weight of the binder of said coating composition.

Claim 22

The method of claim 14 wherein said photosensitizer is benzophenone.

Claim 23

The method of claim 15 wherein said photoinitiator is isobutyl benzoin ether.

Claim 24

The method of claim 15 wherein said photoinitiator is a mixture of butyl isomers of butyl benzoin ether.

Claim 25

The photocatalyst system of claim 1 wherein said photoinitiator is selected from the group consisting of α, α-diethoxyacetophenone, α, α-diethoxy-α-phenylacetophenone, α, α-dimethoxy-α-phenylacetophenone and mixtures thereof.

Claim 26

The ultraviolet light curable coating composition of claim 1 wherein said photoinitiator is selected from the group consisting of α, α-diethoxyacetophenone, α, α-diethoxy-α-phenylacetophenone, α, α-dimethoxy-α-phenylacetophenone and mixtures thereof.

Claim 27

The method of claim 13 wherein said photoinitiator is selected from the group consisting of α, α-diethoxyacetophenone, α, α-diethoxy-α-phenylacetophenone, α, α-dimethoxy-α-phenylacetophenone and mixtures thereof.