Acrylated silicones as radiation-curable overprint varnishes

Claim 2

In a method of printing comprising: (a) administering uncured, relatively radiation uncurable, oil-based ink to a surface; (b) immediately covering the uncured inked surface with a radiation-curable coating; (c) radiation curing the radiation-curable coating; and (d) subsequently allowing the ink to cure; the improvoment comprising covering the inked surface with a radiation-curable coating formulated with an acrylated silicone.

Claim 3

The improvement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the acrylated silicone is an acrylated urethane silicone.

Claim 4

The improvement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the acrylated silicone is an acrylated epoxy silicone having the general formula: M--D.sub.x --D.sub.y '"--D.sub.z "--M wherein M is an R 3 '"SiO 0 .5 group; ##STR8## X is a hydrogen or methyl; R'" is an alkyl group having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having from 5 to 7 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 ring carbon atoms, or an alkoxy group having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; R"" is an alkyl group having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms; p is an integer having a value of from about 0 to 25; q is an integer having a value of from about 0 to 25; x is an integer having a value of from 0 to about 100; y is an integer having a value of from 1 to about 5; and z is an integer having a value of from 0 to about 10; and wherein the silicone backbone may be linear, branched or cyclic and may be continuous or discontinuous being a random arrangement of D, D" and D'" groups.

Claim 5

The improvement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the radiation-curable coating has present a photoinitiator in a concentration of up to 10 weight percent based on the weight of the acrylated silicone present.

Claim 6

The improvement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the acrylated silicone has a acrylated functionality of from 1 to 100.

Claim 7

The improvement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the acrylated silicone has a molecular weight of from about 425 to about 90,000.

Claim 8

The improvement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the acrylated silicone has a viscosity at 25° C. of from 10 cps to 400 cps.

Claim 9

The improvement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the acrylated silicone has a acrylate equivalent weight of from about 200 to about 1500.

Claim 10

The improvement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the acrylated silicone has the formula MD r D s 'M where M is Me 3 SiO 0 .5 ; D is Me 2 SiO D' is ##STR9## r is an integer having a value of from 25 to about 500; and s is an integer having a value of from 1 to 100.