Presenters Name: Muhammad Imran
Employment Title: PhD candidate
Company:School of Science, University of Wollongong
Biography: Muhammad Imran completed his MPhil in Chemistry in 2020 and has been pursuing his PhD at the University of Wollongong, Australia, since 2022. His research, conducted in collaboration with A & I Coatings, an Australian industry partner, focuses on the organic synthesis of Photoinitiators and their application in LED-cured surface coatings. His broader interests encompass organic synthesis, surface coatings, nanoparticle and sustainable chemistry, with a strong emphasis on the industrial applications of advanced materials
Presentation Title: The development of a pilot-scale method to evaluate photoinitiator efficiency for LED-cured coatings
Presentation Abstract: At last year’s SCAA conference, Phil Barker presented the origin of our Research Project supported by the Australian Research Council (LP180100550 “New photoinitiators and polymers for tack-free LED cured surface coatings”). He reported on new photoinitiators and the new evaluation protocol using an inline photochemical reactor coupled to a mass spectrometer, which detects, in real time, the oligomers formed during the initial stages of LED photopolymerisation. However, traditional laboratory scale methods to assess the efficiency of photoinitiators often fail to replicate real-world curing conditions. Consequently, discrepancies in performance arise during full-scale production. Hence, an implementation phase is required to bridge the gap between laboratory research and industrial application where the initial findings are translated to a full-size pilot line. In this study, we demonstrate the operation of the pilot line, considering the features and variables required to optimise the curing process and ensure optimal photoinitiator performance and efficiency. The formulations studied comprised commercial photoinitiators, oligomers and reactive diluents. Various parameters were tested and optimized including LED intensity, distance from sample, line speed, photoinitiator concentration, film thickness, and depth of curing. Characterisation of the cured coatings was performed via qualitative tests (i.e. visual appearance, fingernail, thumb print), chemical tests (double rub and stain resistance) and quantitative tests (double-bond conversion measured by ATR-FTIR). To test the durability of the coatings, exterior exposure testing and migration studies have been performed. This work explores photoinitiator efficiency in LED curable systems, ensuring compliance with industrial standards and providing reliable and scalable data. Taken as a whole, we seek to accelerate commercialisation of high-performance photoinitiators and to strengthen our industrial collaborations in coatings, adhesive and 3D printing applications.
