Automobile Sector Using UV-Curable Resins to Reduce Emissions
Ultraviolet (UV)-curable resins, which are made to harden and set by using a light source, are used to formulate coatings, adhesives, and inks. Products formulated from such resins are being used in the industrial coatings, electronics, graphic arts, mining, aerospace, and defense sectors. This can be attributed to the zero emission offered by these products. Unlike traditional inks, coatings, and adhesives, UV-cured products do not release carcinogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) due to the absence of hydrocarbons in them.
Additionally, the increasing adoption of consumer electronics, such as smartphones and wearable devices, will propel the consumption of UV-curable resins due to the surging use of UV-cured inks in the production of printed circuit boards (PCBs), which are used in the displays of mobile phones and other gadgets. Besides, the escalating use of UV-cured adhesives in phone and electronic manufacturing assembly will fuel the consumption of UV-curable resins globally. Moreover, the hardness offered by them makes them ideal for wearable electronics.
In addition, high volumes of such materials are being used in the packaging industry due to the booming demand for UV-curable inks here. The increasing adoption of such inks for packaging solutions can be attributed to the safety features and zero-emission properties of such resins. This can also be credited to the booming demand for eco-friendly packaging products and improving economic standards.
Currently, the requirement for such products of end-use industries is being met by Toagosei Co. Ltd., Wanhua Chemical Group Co. Ltd., DIC Corporation, BASF SE, Covestro AG, Arkema Group, The Nippon Synthetic Chemical Industry Co. Ltd., Hitachi Ltd. (now Showa Denko Materials Co. Ltd.), Koninklijke DSM N.V, and Miwon Specialty Chemical Co. Ltd. These companies use oligomers, photoinitiators, monomers, pigments, and additives to formulate such products. Resins formulated from all of these different substances are used in the production of coatings, adhesives, inks, filling materials, masking materials, and soldering materials and stamping motor protective layers.
According to P&S Intelligence, Asia-Pacific (APAC) dominated the UV curable resins market in the recent past, and it is also expected to adopt such resins at the highest rate in the foreseeable future. This can be attributed to the increasing implementation of stringent VOC emission norms, escalating consumer awareness about UV-curable resins, rising environmental concerns, and expanding consumer electronics industry. Moreover, the burgeoning production and sale of automobiles in China will create a huge requirement for such resins.
Therefore, the mounting demand for automobiles and consumer electronics and rising need for safe and eco-friendly packaging solutions will propel the consumption of resins that can be hardened via exposure to UV radiation.