GE Advanced Materials has added a new and unique grade - UV9200* epoxysilicone - to its growing family of UV-cure products, targeting applications in the converting industry. GE's UV9200 material is among the lowest viscosity reactive silicones available for radiation-cure coating applications.

An excellent candidate for direct gravure, offset gravure, and flexo coating techniques, UV9200 silicone's low viscosity permits even deposition at reduced coat weight. This may translate into reduced materials costs for customers, and may enable them to use coating equipment already on the factory floor without the need for expensive upgrades.

GE's non-volatile UV9200 silicone may also enhance the manufacture of release films, where its excellent flowout performance delivers good coverage with low coat weight. Used in epoxysilicone formulas, UV9200 silicone can also help improve optical clarity in clear films.

This new silicone is a unique addition to UV-cure products currently available on the market. The polymer structures of competitive materials exhibit much longer chain lengths, making them more viscous and limiting their use as diluents in UV-cure formulations. The exclusive cationic system of GE's UV9200 silicone not only co-cures with GE's family of UV9200 grades without migration, but also helps customers to blend it with other GE UV-release grades to reduce viscosity without the use of non-silicone reactive diluents, such as vinyl ethers.

“The new UV9200 grade is a significant addition to GE's already impressive line of UV-curable silicones,” said Matthew Bottone, global marketing manager, GE Advanced Materials. “Its low-viscosity qualities and its compatibility with other grades in our UV9000 family deliver a range of cost and performance benefits to customers across the converting industry.”