Use of α-diketones as visible photoinitiators for the photocrosslinking of waterborne latex paints

The efficiency of several alpha-diketones as visible light photoinitiators for the crosslinking of waterborne latex dispersions in the presence of acrylic monomers was evaluated. Among the eight a-diketones studied, camphorquinone allows the fastest curing speed, and the curing of the acrylic waterborne coating is not affected by the presence of oxygen. The properties of the sunlight-cured volatile organic compound (VOC)-free pigmented paints prepared from the waterborne latex are as good or better than the equivalent conventional paint containing VOCs. (C) 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.