Anti UV-C Light Stabilizer — Manifesting Both Aesthetics and Functionality of Coatings

2 Jul, 2021

Author : Specialty Chemical Business Unit

We have brought out the anti UV-C light stabilizer for waterborne coatings to fight the pandemic with you, while taking both safety and aesthetics into account!

Our demands for cleaning, sterilization, safety and hygiene have increased in tandem with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to common alcohol and hypochlorous acid, ultraviolet germicidal lamps are also products that have come into hot demand recently. They are widely used in medical institutions, schools, public spaces and so on, where they provide a wide range of fast and effective sterilization functions. Recently, many people have even purchased them for use at home, hoping to provide a safe and healthy living environment for their families.

UV-C germicidal lamp ─ a popular product during pandemic control

Many of the ultraviolet germicidal lamps sold on the market are claimed to be the “UV-C” types with higher functionality of sterilization. People should all be curious: what’s the difference between UV-C and regular ultraviolet? What are the sterilization working principles of germicidal lamps?

Let’s start with an introduction to ultraviolet that we often hear: ultraviolet can be divided into three ranges according to the wavelength distribution of their light rays (as shown in Figure 1), with the longest wavelength, 400nm-320nm, being the UV-A. When it shines on the surface of human skin, it causes tanning and redness, penetrating into the dermis and causing aging of the skin. The energy of the UV-A is also sufficient to cause the breaking of chemical bonds and the deterioration of the polymer materials we use around us in our daily lives.

The second wave band is UV-B, with a wavelength between 320nm-290nm, which is more destructive. When it shines on the surface of human skin, it may result in sunburn and peeling, and at the same time it also causes the deterioration of various polymer materials.

Finally, the third band is UV-C which, in a wavelength of less than 290nm, is the strongest and most destructive band. The energy of this band is the most powerful while its wavelength is the shortest. However, the UV-C emitted by the sun is absorbed by the Earth's ozone layer, so people are not harmed by the UV-C band during outdoor activities.

Figure 1: Ultraviolet spectrogram

How strong is UV-C? According to the indications of experiments, a UV-C germicidal lamp would only need to shine for 30 minutes to be approximately equal to 210 hours of exposure to an ASTM G154-2 standard 313nm UV-B lamp, and that is roughly equal to 175 days of exposure to daylight outdoors! Many ultraviolet germicidal lamps use the powerful energy of the UV-C to destroy the DNA of microorganisms such as viruses and bacteria, so that these bacteria lose their ability to reproduce and replicate, and thus cannot invade the human body to multiply (as shown in Figure 2).

Figure 2: How does ultraviolet germicidal lamps work?

Why do coatings degrade more easily after irradiation with UV-C germicidal lamps?

Places where UV-C germicidal lamps are often used include hospitals, nursing institutions, schools, food processing plants, and so on. The surfaces of doors and windows, glass panels, walls, counters or other important equipment in these places are usually coated with various functional coatings to give them protection or extra functionality. For example, waterborne eco-friendly coatings are used to reduce volatile gases to protect the health of young children or the elderly; using antibacterial coatings as a means to curtail bacterial growth decreases the risk of cross-infection and achieves a protective effect.

As mentioned earlier, the UV-C of ultraviolet is able to sterilize because of its powerful energy, but at the same time, such high energy also destroys the structure of various polymer materials around us. It accelerates the aging of coatings and plastic polymers, and produces problems such as fading, cracking, flaking, and so on. Not only does it damage attractive appearances, but even affects functionality of the products made with polymer materials, thus leading to another problem.

Weatherability expert — Everlight Chemical now launches a total solution for coatings

Weatherability expert Everlight Chemical has striven tirelessly on the research and development of coating protection for more than 20 years, tailoring appropriate anti-aging solutions for various polymer materials. Of these, an excellent record has long been established in the field of light stabilizers specifically for environmental-friendly coatings, with products such as Eversorb® AQ Series for waterborne coatings and the Eversorb® UR Series for UV-curing coatings.

To address the problem of deterioration of various coatings caused by UV-C germicidal lamp irradiation, Everlight utilizes its years of accumulated experience in the industry, using innovative waterborne resin stabilization technology to identify the key factors causing polymer damage. We then developed the “anti UV-C” light stabilizer for waterborne coatings, which is able to disperse well in waterborne resins, and can effectively protect coatings from UV-C damage, improve their weatherability, help them maintain an attractive appearance, and extend their service life!

Features of anti UV-C light stabilizer for waterborne coatings:

1. It’s designed specifically for waterborne coating systems, featuring a high degree of compatibility, instant dispersion, and easy to use

2. Effective ingredients account for as high as 70-90%

3. It protects UV-C sensitive coatings and blocks them from UV-C damages

4. It prevents coatings from fading and effectively improves their durability

5. It has excellent storage stability, and does not easily clot or coagulate into solid lumps at low temperatures

Everlight Chemical — the best partner for coatings ─ provides across-the-board protection for both beauty and functionality! Please do not hesitate to contact us.