In the rapidly developing [UV LED curing] technology field, the problem of oxygen inhibition has been plaguing the industry. With the increasing demand for environmental protection and energy saving, UV LED as an emerging light source is increasingly widely used in coatings, inks, adhesives and other fields. However, problems such as incomplete curing and sticky surface caused by oxygen inhibition seriously affect product quality and production efficiency. So, in the face of this challenge, how can we effectively solve the problem of oxygen inhibition in UV LED curing? This article will reveal the latest solutions to help you achieve a significant increase in curing efficiency!
The root of the oxygen suppression problem. First, let’s look at the root of the oxygen suppression problem. During the curing process of UV LED, molecular oxygen will physically quench the triplet state of the photoinitiator, remove free radicals or produce peroxide free radicals, resulting in decreased coating performance, incomplete curing, and liquid surface. This phenomenon is particularly evident during the curing process of low-intensity UV leds, such as UV LED or UVA curing, which often results in sticky uncured surfaces. In addition, the wavelength emitted by UV LED light sources is poorly matched to the absorption wavelength of existing photoinitiators, which also exacerbates the problem of oxygen inhibition.
Solution 1: Oxygen free environment curing
The most direct solution to the problem of oxygen suppression is UV LED curing in an oxygen-free environment. By building a sealed UV LED curing box, the internal air is extracted and injected with inert gas (such as nitrogen), you can effectively avoid oxygen interference with curing. This design not only requires high sealing requirements for UV LED curing equipment, but also needs to have good light intensity and automatic control system. Although the technical difficulty is higher, the curing effect is significantly improved, and it is suitable for occasions with high product quality requirements.
Solution 2: Innovative photoinitiators and additives
In addition to building an oxygen-free environment, the development of new photoinitiators that match the [UV LED light source] is also the key to solving the problem of oxygen inhibition. At present, the absorption peaks of photoinitiators available on the market such as TPO, TPO-L, XBPO, etc., in specific bands (such as 365nm, 385nm, 395nm, 405nm) are not strong, resulting in low initiation efficiency. Therefore, it is crucial to find or develop photoinitiators with stronger absorption peaks in this band. At the same time, the use of some auxiliary additives such as free radical arresting agents can also effectively reduce the interference of oxygen molecules on the curing reaction.
Auvcure is a professional manufacturer of all kinds of UVLED point light source, [UVLED line light source], UVLED surface light source and [UV curing machine], and can provide solutions and customization according to the actual needs of customers. The company has Japanese production technology, products are exported to South Korea, Japan, the United States, Brazil and other places. Welcome friends from all walks of life exchange guidance. If you want to know more about UV light fixed machine information, welcome to online consultation customer service or call the company’s service hotline for consultation, we will be happy to provide you with quality service! Some of the information/pictures in this article are from the Internet, only for the purpose of sharing new information in the industry, not for commercial use. If any rights are involved, please inform us immediately, and we will delete it immediately. Thank you.
