Preparation and Characterization of Fluorinated Hydrophobic UV-Crosslinkable Thiol-Ene Polyurethane Coatings

The polyurethane prepolymer terminated with a double bond was synthesized using isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB), 1,4-butanediol (BDO), and 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA). Then, a series of innovative UV-curable polyurethane coatings were prepared by blending ene-terminated polyurethane, fluoroacrylate monomer, and multifunctional thiol crosslinker upon UV exposure. The incorporation of fluoroacrylate monomer and multifunctional thiols into polyurethane coatings significantly enhanced the hydrophobic property, mechanical property, pencil hardness, and glossiness of the polyurethane coatings. This method of preparing UV crosslinkable, hydrophobic polyurethane coatings based on thiol-ene chemistry exhibited numerous advantages over other UV photocuring systems.