In the rapid development of modern industry, the demand for high-performance materials is increasing. As an important organic chemical raw material, hexanediol (1,6-Hexanediol, abbreviated as HDO) has shown broad application prospects in many fields with its unique molecular structure and excellent performance. Especially in the field of UV light curing coatings, the application of HDO provides key support for the improvement of product performance and the development of new materials.Hexanediol, with the chemical formula HO(CH2)6OH, is a straight-chain fatty glycol. Its molecule contains two hydroxyl groups, which makes HDO have high reactive activity and can participate in a variety of chemical reactions, such as esterification, etherification, condensation, etc. HDO is a colorless transparent liquid with a molecular structure: HO-CH2-CH(OH)-(CH2)3-CH3-hydroxyl (-OH) gives it polarity and good solubility, which can be compatible with water-based or polar systems. Hydrophobic alkyl chains enhance the compatibility with non-polar components and improve the fluidity of paints. Physical characteristics Boiling point 250℃ (152℃/2.27kPa) and flash point 102℃ (F115.6℉), low volatility, meet environmental protection requirements. In industrial production, HDO is mainly prepared by hydrogenation of hexanediate or renaphthalate exchange. Its high purity, low chromaticity and other characteristics make it widely used in UV photocuring and polyurethane fields with strict requirements for product quality. Application of HDO in UV photocuring coatings UV photocuring technology is an efficient and environmentally friendly coating curing method, which triggers a polymerization reaction through ultraviolet radiation, so that liquid coatings are quickly transformed into solid films. HDO is mainly used as an active diluent, oligomer synthetic monomer and cross-linking agent in UV photocuring coatings, giving coatings excellent performance. 1. As an active diluent: derivatives of HDO, especially 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA), are commonly used active diluents in UV photocuring coatings. HDDA has two acrylic ester functional groups, which can quickly participate in the polymerization reaction under UV light, reduce the viscosity of the paint, and improve the construction performance. At the same time, the introduction of HDDA can improve the curing speed and make the cured coating film have better hardness, wear resistance, flexibility and adhesion. Compared with traditional volatile organic solvents, active diluents are not volatile and meet environmental protection requirements.2. As an oligomer synthetic monomer: HDO can be used as an important monomer for the synthesis of polyurethane acrylate, polyester acrylate and other UV light-cured oligopolymers. For example, when synthesizing polyurethane acrylate, HDO reacts with isocyanate as a glycol component to form a polyurethane skeleton, and then by introducing acrylic ester groups, it has the ability to cure UV. The straight chain structure and moderate molecular weight of HDO help to improve the flexibility and impact resistance of the obtained oligomer, while maintaining good hardness and chemical resistance. 3. Improve the coating performance: The introduction of HDO can significantly improve the comprehensive performance of UV curing coating. Its long chain structure helps to reduce the curing shrinkage rate and reduce internal stress, thus improving the adhesion and flexibility of the coating and avoiding cracking.In addition, HDO can also improve the water resistance, solvent resistance and weather resistance of the coating, so that it can maintain excellent performance in harsh environments. HDO is widely used in UV photocuring coatings, covering wood coatings, plastic coatings, paper light oil, metal coatings and other fields: Wood coatings: UV curing wood coatings are favored for their high hardness, wear resistance and environmental protection. As an active diluent and oligomer monomer, HDO derivatives can make wood paints hard and wear-resistant surfaces quickly, while maintaining the natural beauty of wood.Plastic coating: In the painting of mobile phone shells, car interiors and other plastic parts, UV curing coatings provide excellent scratch resistance and aesthetics. The introduction of HDO helps to improve the adhesion of the coating film to the plastic substrate, and improve the flexibility of the coating film to adapt to the deformation of plastic parts. Paper gloss oil: UV gloss oil forms a high-gloss and wear-resistant protective layer on the surface of the print. HDO-based active diluents and oligomers can ensure the rapid curing of light oil and provide excellent leveling and gloss. Metal coatings: In metal coils and can coatings, UV curing technology provides an efficient production method. HDO helps to improve the flexibility and adhesion of the coating, so that it can withstand metal bending and stamping without cracking. In the field of UV light-curing coatings, with the increasingly strict environmental protection regulations and the growth of consumers' demand for high-performance coatings, UV curing technology is continuing to develop rapidly. UV coatings have the advantages of fast curing speed, low VOC emissions, energy saving, etc., and are regarded as an important substitute for traditional solvent coatings. UVEB platform: The UV curing paint market is expected to maintain an average annual growth rate of more than 15%. This growth trend has driven the demand for high-performance UV monomers and oligomers, including hexanol derivatives such as HDDA. As a classic dual-sensual active diluent, HDDA is widely used in UV coatings, but its problems such as skin irritation and curing contraction have also promoted the development of new modified monomers. For example, ethoxy or propylened hexene glycol diacrylates (such as 2EO-HDDA) are developed to reduce irritation and improve flexibility. It is worth noting that the research on bio-based UV monomers is also on the rise, and the production process of hexene glycol is also developing in the direction of greening. Some dihydric alcohols from renewable resources (such as bio-based hexenediol) have begun to be used to synthesize UV curing monomers to meet the needs of the coating industry for sustainable raw materials. The technology of biological fermentation to produce hexene glycol has made a breakthrough, and it is expected to reduce dependence on petroleum raw materials in the future. From the perspective of market supply and demand, the demand for hexane glycol as a key raw material will continue to grow. In recent years, the production capacity and output of China's hexane glycol market have improved significantly, and the self-sutiency rate has continued to increase. At the same time, the expansion of downstream application fields (such as the new application of UV curing coatings in 3C electronic and medical device coatings, the application of polyurethane adhesive in new energy battery packaging, photovoltaic module bonding, etc.) has also brought new growth points to hexenediol. In the future, HDO will develop in the direction of bio-based production, functional modification and intelligent application, providing more possibilities for high-performance coatings.
HDOApplication in uv light-curing coatings
2025 06/16