Highly functional bio-based acrylates with a hard core and soft arms: From synthesis to enhancement of an acrylated epoxidized soybean oil-based UV-curable coating

In the field of UV-curable resin, acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO) is a crucial industrial bio-based acrylate, but it cannot be used alone owing to its poor thermal and mechanical properties. In this study, a series of highly functional acrylates containing a triazine ring as the rigid core and long fatty chains as soft arms were synthesized, these synthesized acrylates were then added to AESO to prepare UV-curable coating. The chemical structure and molecular weight of these acrylates were characterized through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and gel permeation chromatography, and the curing behavior of the coating was studied using real-time infrared. The results of tensile testing, dynamic thermomechanical analysis and thermogravimetric analysis showed that the addition of highly functional acrylates significantly improved the thermal and mechanical properties of UV-cured films compared with pure AESO. In addition, the hardness of the AESO-based UV-cured coating was enhanced after the addition of highly functional bio-based acrylates. Compared with commercial petroleum-based acrylates with a similar structure, highly functional bio-based acrylates have a higher bio-based content and show more comprehensive performance.