UV coating and ink adhesion problems? LA 547Q/5416 solves copper substrate adhesion issues!

In electronic components, hardware accessories and many other fields, copper plates are widely used due to their excellent electrical and thermal conductivity. UV coating, as a key process for enhancing the protection, decoration and functionality of copper plate surfaces, directly determines the product's lifespan, stability and reliability based on its adhesion strength. Insufficient adhesion can easily lead to coating peeling、 blistering and failure, thus affecting product performance and even causing safety hazards.

To select high-quality products suitable for the free radical curing system of copper plate substrates, we conducted targeted multi-dimensional adhesion tests to simulate the product's tolerance under different usage scenarios. This test focused on multiple products、comparing their performance in the initial state and after aging in extreme environments, ultimately identifying the two core products with the best performance—5416 and 547Q. The following will detail the test process and results, providing accurate reference for industry applications.

PART 01 Experimental Overview

01. Experimental Objective

To evaluate the adhesion performance of different products in a free radical curing system on copper substrates, verify their performance stability in the initial state, after high-temperature baking aging and after boiling water immersion aging and screen out core products with strong adhesion and excellent aging resistance to meet the stringent requirements of practical applications.

02. Experimental Methods

The adhesion test uses the cross-cut adhesion test and the rating standard is 0B-5B. The higher the rating, the better the adhesion.

03. Experimental Equipment

Cross-cutting tool, tape, oven, boiling water kettle, etc.

PART 02 Comparison of the three test states and results

This test included three core scenarios to comprehensively simulate the environmental challenges products may face from manufacturing to use: initial state、oven baking at 150℃ for 30 minutes and boiling in water for 1 hour. Adhesion data for each product was tested and appearance changes were recorded.

Initial State Adhesion Test:Test conditions

After UV curing, the product was placed in a normal temperature and humidity environment for direct adhesion testing.

Oven Baking at 150℃ for 30 minutes Adhesion Test

The cured sample was placed in an oven at 150℃ for 30 minutes. After cooling to room temperature, the adhesion test was conducted, simulating the effect of high-temperature light aging on coating adhesion.

Boiling in Water for 1 Hour Adhesion Test

Test conditions: The cured sample was placed in a pot of boiling water and immersed for 1 hour. After removal, the surface moisture was wiped off and the sample was cooled to room temperature for adhesion testing、simulating the erosion of coating adhesion by a humid and high-temperature water environment.

The experimental images and data above show that traditional UV-cured phosphate esters and small-molecule mercaptosilane coupling agents only exhibit good adhesion under high-temperature baking conditions. However, after subsequent boiling, the adhesion drops to 0B, failing to meet long-term resistance to damp heat.

The adhesion results for 547Q are 4B、5B and 3B; for 5416, they are 3B、4B and 3B. For UV-cured systems without baking and free radical curing systems involving high-temperature thermal processes, adhesion is significantly improved, while water resistance is excellent.

In summary, this adhesion test on free radical curing systems for copper substrates comprehensively verified the performance of each product through three scenarios: initial state、oven drying at 150℃ for 30 minutes and boiling for 1 hour. The results show that products 5416 and 547Q performed excellently in all tests, possessing strong adhesion and excellent environmental aging resistance, effectively coping with various harsh conditions in practical applications, making them ideal choices for free radical curing systems on copper substrates.

PART 03 Core Product Highlights

● LA 547Q: LA 547Q is an adhesion promoter containing macromolecular hydrophobic groups. It can bond difficult-to-bond metals such as copper in free radical curing systems and remains effective even at low temperatures.

● LA 5416: LA 5416 is an adhesion promoter containing hydrophobic groups. It can bond difficult-to-bond metals such as copper in free radical curing systems and remains effective even at low temperatures.

● Product Advantages:

Super Strong Adhesion:Specifically designed for difficult-to-bond metal substrates such as copper, it achieves strong adhesion in free radical curing systems and remains effective at low temperatures.

Wide Range of Applications:Widely applicable to UV-cured vacuum coatings, plastic topcoat spraying, inks, laminating adhesives, glass coatings, metal coatings, UV-cured solder resist inks for circuit boards, UV wood coatings and many other fields.

Multi-functional Gains:

1. Assists in improving the cross-linking performance of free radical curing systems, achieving low moisture permeability and low gas permeability.

2. Improves the processing performance of thermoplastics, imparting excellent viscoelastic properties to the material surface, while also providing waterproof and anti-slip effects.

3. When added to multilayer co-extruded films, it can effectively inhibit the migration of interlayer additives and improve interlayer adhesion.

Additionally: Kastar also offers other adhesion promoters for different systems and substrates! Feel free to inquire!