Weathering performance of thermoset and photoset acrylate coatings.

K. Zahouily--Ecole Natianale Superieure de Chimie de Muihouse-Universite de Haute-Alsace (*)

A. Valet--Ciba Specialty Chemicals Inc. (+)

Thermosetting and photosetting acrylate polymers have been tested for their resistance to accelerated weathering. The chemical changes occurring both upon curing and upon photoaging have been followed by infrared spectroscopy. In the photodegraded polymers some functional groups are lost (ether, amide, CH groups) and oxidation products are formed (carbonyl and hydroxyl groups). The UV-cured polyurethane-acrylate coatings we