Grantee Research Project Results
2000 Progress Report: Solventless, Electron Beam-Cured Acrylate Coating Formulations for Flexible Magnetic Media Manufacture
EPA Grant Number: R826728Title: Solventless, Electron Beam-Cured Acrylate Coating Formulations for Flexible Magnetic Media Manufacture
Investigators: Nikles, David E.
Institution: The University of Alabama at Birmingham
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: October 1, 1998 through September 30, 2001
Project Period Covered by this Report: October 1, 1999 through September 30, 2000
Project Amount: $285,000
RFA: Technology for a Sustainable Environment (1998) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
The objective of our research program is to lead the flexible magnetic media industry into the 21st century by providing new tape and floppy disk manufacturing processes that prevent air pollution. Our approach is to replace the organic solvents used in the coating process with a mixture of liquid acrylate monomers. The monomers serve as the solvent to disperse the magnetic pigments and dissolve any other ingredients, rendering fluidity and coatability to the formulation. Upon electron beam irradiation, the acrylates polymerize to give a solid binder with the requisite mechanical properties. The object of this research project is to identify the binder materials package that enables the solventless coating process.Progress Summary:
Research has focused on solving our most challenging problem, which is dispersion on the rheology of the dispersions. We are seeking methods to achieve solventless acrylate dispersions with a magnetic particle loading greater than 30 volume percent. Significant progress has been made toward realizing solventless, radiation cured coating formulations for magnetic tape manufacture. A series of trimethoxysilanes were bound to the surface of commercial magnetic particles, either videotape grade cobalt-modified g-Fe2O3 or state-of-the-art iron particles. The silanes made a covalent bonds with surface hydroxyl groups on the particles. Solventless formulations were prepared using particles treated with the coupling agents. The particle loading was up to 40 weight percent. The viscosity for the solventless formulations showed an exponential decrease as a function of increasing shear rate. This was similar to the shear-thinning behavior observed for conventional solvent-based formulations. New acrylate functionalized silane coupling agents, either branched or polymeric, were synthesized. Using a long spacer between the silane functional group and the branch point relieved steric crowding for the branched coupling agents.Future Activities:
Research will continue to identify solventless radiation cured coating formulations for magnetic tape manufacture.Journal Articles on this Report : 1 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 15 publications | 8 publications in selected types | All 6 journal articles |
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Hail SB, Nikles DE. Synthesis and characterization of copoly(acrylate)s with silane functional groups in the side chains. Polymer Preprints 2000;41(2):1305-1306. |
R826728 (2000) R826728 (Final) |
not available |
Supplemental Keywords:
air, VOC, solvents, pollution prevention, green chemistry, clean technologies, environmentally conscious manufacturing, chemistry, engineering, electronics., Sustainable Industry/Business, RFA, Scientific Discipline, Air, Industry Sectors, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Manufacturing - NAIC 31-33, Sustainable Environment, Environmental Chemistry, tropospheric ozone, indoor air, air toxics, source reduction, waste minimization, indoor air quality, hazardous emissions, pollution prevention, liquid acrylate monomers, treatment, stratospheric ozone, environmentally conscious manufacturing, environmental exposure, flexible magnetic media manufacture, coupling agent, polymer design, sustainable development, cleaner production, acrylate coating, green process systems, waste reduction, industrial innovations, innovative technology, electron beam-cured vinyl ether coating formulations, air pollution control, green chemistryProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.