Transfer coating by electron initiated polymerization

The high speed and depth of cure possible with electron initiated monomer/oligomer coating systems provide many new opportunities for approaches to product finishing. Moreover, the use of transfer or cast coating using films or metallic surfaces offers the ability to precisely control the surface topology of liquid film surfaces during polymerization.

Transfer coating such as with textiles has been a commercial process for many years and the synergistic addition of EB technology permits the manufacture of unusual new products. One of these, the casting paper used in the manufacture of vinyl and urethane fabrics, is the first EB application to use a drum surface for pattern replication in the coating. In this case the coated paper is cured against, and then released from, an engraved drum surface.

Recent developments in the use of plastic films for transfer have been applied to the manufacture of transfer metallized and coated paper and paperboard products for packaging. Details of these and related processes will be presented as well as a discussion of the typical product areas (e.g. photographic papers, release papers, magnetic media) using this high speed transfer technology.