Statistical mixture design of experiment studies for UV curable coating formulations for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) substrates

This thesis was studied in cooperation of Arçelik A.Ş. to fulfill the goal of developing high stratch resistance, environment friendly, water-borne, UV curable, transparent coating formulation for Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) surfaces. ABS and Polycarbonate/acyrlonitrile butadiene styrene (PC/ABS) is used for plastic parts of the small home appliances as an example top covers of coffe machines and dishwashers in Arçelik A.Ş. and its stratch resistance is very low (0,1 N) like the most of all plastics as well. Therefore it can be stratched easily and lost their appealing, gloss appearance in a short time. This issue cause to displeasure and complaints of customers decrasing the preferability of the products between the other brands. Two different solution can be offered for this problem. It might be added some additives to increase the stratch resistance of plastics which is a harder way. On the other hand, high stratch resistance coating formulation can be developed as a more practical solution. In Arçelik A.Ş., different kind of functional coatings are used for good appearance (gloss, colour), corrosion-protection, anti-finger and easy to clean surfaces. However, currently all kind of coatings which are used in Arçelik, are cured thermally. These thermally cured coatings are not energy-saving because of their high curing temperature and long curing time. In contrast UV-curable of coatings are energy-saving with their application in ambient curing temperatures in addition, it provide to able to cure temperature-sensitive substrates like plastics. The other superior property over the themal curing system is obtaining higher stratch resistance and gloss coatings using UV curing systems. Considering of these advantages of UV-curable coatings, this thesis study objected to developing coating formulation and applying the formulation to ABS surfaces using in products in Arçelik and UV curing of it. As it is know, it is not meaningful to obtain high stratch resistance coating but it is not adhesive to substrate with a long-time durability. Therefore adhesion to surface is the most significant issue to overcome. To ensure for quality, coatings are tested by different test methods according the Arçelik quality requirements for stratch resistance aiming to increase 0.1 N to 3 N, 100% adhesion to surface and their durability against to different chemical and physical effects.