Synthesis of bis[(4-hydroxyethoxy)phenyl]sulfone containing urethane acrylates and their applications

UV-curing processes are used in industrial applications because of their advantages such as high speed applications and solvent-free formulations at ambient temperature. UV-curable sulfone containing polyurethane acrylates were synthesized from bis[(4-hydroxyethoxy)phenyl]sulfone (BHEPS), polyols, isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). The polyurethane acrylates characterized with ¹H NMR and FT-IR spectroscopies. The UV-cured coatings and films were formulated with polyurethane acrylates, reactive diluents such as dipropyleneglycol diacrylate (DPGDA), 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA) and photoinitiator. The water wettability of the UV-cured films was investigated by measuring contact angle. Sulfone containing polyurethane acrylates increase mechanical properties such as pendulum hardness, pencil hardness, tensile strength, and e-modulus values. These mechanical properties and chemical-solvent resistance may have been strongly dependant on the sulfone content and crosslinking density.