THERMOFORMABLE AND SCRATCH-RESISTANT PHOTOPOLYMER COATINGS

1 . A varnish composition, crosslinkable under the action of UV-visible radiation, comprising:

A) at least one multifunctional urethane acrylate oligomer comprising 2 to 9 acrylate functions, which is the product of the reaction of a diisocyanate or triisocyanate with a hydroxylated acrylate monomer, preferably with a stoichiometric excess of a hydroxylated acrylate monomer, said hydroxylated acrylate monomer being a random mixture resulting from the reaction of a polyol with a stoichiometric deficiency of acrylic acid, with the proviso that the chain of the diisocyanate or triisocyanate has not been extended beforehand by a polyol, polyester, polyether or polycarbonate comprising residual hydroxyl functions;

B) at least one reactive diluent selected from acrylate monomers; and

C) at least one photoinitiator suitable for the light source used for the crosslinking;

D) optionally at least one surface agent; and

E) optionally at least one stabilizing anti-UV agent.

2 . The composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one multifunctional urethane acrylate oligomer comprising 2 to 9 acrylate functions corresponds to the following formula I A or I B :

in which:

R 1 represents a C1 to C10 aliphatic, mono- or bicyclic C5 to C8 alicyclic or C6 to C13 aromatic radical, preferably C1 to C10 aliphatic or C5 to C8 alicyclic radical optionally substituted with one or more C1-C6 alkyl radicals;

R 2 independently represents a linear, branched or cyclic C1-C10 alkyl group, the C1-C10 alkyl chain being able to be optionally interrupted by an ester (—C(═O)O—) or ether (—O—)-function; and

each instance of n independently represents a mean number of acrylate functions of between 1 and 4, preferably between 1 and 3, preferably between 1 and 2, preferably 1 for the formula I A , and between 1 and 3; preferably between 1 and 2, preferably 1 for the formula I B .

3 . The composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one reactive diluent is selected from diacrylate monomers.

4 . The composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one reactive diluent is a mixture of two acrylate monomers selected from mono-, di-, tetra- or hexacrylate monomers, preferably aliphatic or alicyclic, most preferentially a mixture of two diacrylate monomers, preferably aliphatic or alicyclic.

5 . The composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the multifunctional oligomer is an aliphatic urethane diacrylate, tetracrylate, or hexacrylate, preferably an aliphatic urethane diacrylate.

6 . The composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the multifunctional oligomer is a multifunctional aliphatic urethane acrylate oligomer comprising 6 to 9 acrylate functions.

7 . The composition as claimed in claim 1 , also comprising a hybrid organic-inorganic reactive diluent that may react by photopolymerization and photosol-gel reaction, of formula

R 4 (4-m) —Si—(R 5 ) m ,

in which

m represents an integer between 1 and 3;

each instance of R 4 independently represents a non-hydrolyzable group covalently bonded to Si via a carbon atom, it being understood that at least one instance of R 4 comprises an unsaturated photopolymerizable group; and

each instance of R 5 independently represents a hydrolyzable group selected from C1-C6 alkoxy, C1-C6 acyloxy, a halogen atom or an amino group; preferably C1-C6 alkoxy such as methoxy or ethoxy, preferably methoxy.

8 . The composition as claimed in claim 1 , comprising at least two acrylate, preferably diacrylate, monomer reactive diluents, in which the reactive diluents/multifunctional oligomer weight ratio is between 1.5 and 3.5, preferably between 1.5 and 3.0, the ratio being calculated taking into consideration the sum by weight of the acrylate monomers.

9 . The composition as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a diacrylate monomer as reactive diluent, in which the diacrylate monomer/multifunctional oligomer weight ratio is between 1.3 and 1.7.

10 . The composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the photoinitiator is chosen from:

type I radical photoinitiators

of the family of the acetophenones, alkoxyacetophenones and derivatives such as 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone and 2,2-diethyl-2-phenylacetophenone;

of the family of the hydroxyacetophenones and derivatives such as 2,2-dimethyl-2-hydroxyacetophenone, 1-hydroxycyclohexylphenyl ketone, 2-hydroxy-4′-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-2-methylpropiophenone and 2-hydroxy-4′-(2-hydroxypropoxy)-2-methylpropiophenone;

of the family of alkylaminoacetophenones and derivatives such as 2-methyl-4′-(methylthio)-2-morpholinopropiophenone, 2-benzyl-2-(dimethylamino)-4-morpholinobutyrophenone and 2-(4-(methylbenzyl)-2-(dimethylamino)-4-morpholinobutyrophenone;

of the family of benzoin ethers and derivatives such as benzyl, benzoin methyl ether and benzoin isopropyl ether;

of the family of phosphine oxides and derivatives such as diphenyl(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide (TPO), ethyl(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phenylphosphine oxide (TPO-L) and bis(2,6-dimethoxybenzoyl)-2,4,4-trimethylphenylphosphine oxide (BAPO);

type II radical photoinitiators

of the family of benzophenones and derivatives such as 4-phenylbenzophenone, 4-(4′-methylphenylthio)benzophenone, 1-[4-[(4-benzoylphenyl)thio]phenyl]-2-methyl-2-[(4-methylphenyl) sulfonyl]-1-propanone;

the family of thioxanthones and derivatives such as isopropylthioxanthone (ITX), 2,4-diethylthioxanthone, 2,4-dimethylthioxanthone, 2-chlorothioxanthone and 1-chloro-4-isopropylthioxanthone;

the family of quinones and derivatives such as anthraquinones including 2-ethylanthraquinone and camphorquinones;

the family of esters of benzoyl formate and derivatives such as methyl benzoylformate; the family of metallocenes and derivatives such as ferrocene, titanium bis(eta 5-2,4-cyclopentadien-1-yl)bis(2,6-difluoro)-3-(1H-pyrrol-1-yl)phenyl) and (cumene)cyclopentadienyl iron hexafluorophosphate;

the family of dibenzylidene ketones and derivatives such as p-dimethylaminoketone;

the family of coumarins and derivatives such as 5-methoxy and 7-methoxy coumarin, 7-diethylamino coumarin and N-phenylglycine coumarin;

photoinitiators of the family of dyes such as triazines and derivatives, fluorones and derivatives, cyanins and derivatives, safranins and derivatives, 4,5,6,7-tetrachloro-3′,6′-dihydroxy-2′,4′,5′,7′-tetraiodo-3H-spiro[isobenzofuran-1,9′-xanthen]-3-one, pyrylium and thiopyrylium and derivatives, thiazines and derivatives, flavins and derivatives, pyronines and derivatives, oxazines and derivatives, rhodamines and derivatives;

a mixture of at least two of the abovementioned photoinitiators.

11 . The composition as claimed in claim 10 , wherein, when the composition also contains a hybrid organic-inorganic reactive diluent, said at least one photoinitiator also contains at least one cationic photoinitiator selected from onium salts, organometallic complexes and non-ionic photoacids, wherein the hybrid organic-inorganic reactive diluent may react by photopolymerization and photosol-gel reaction and corresponds to formula

R 4 (4-m) —Si—(R 5 ) m ,

in which

m represents an integer between 1 and 3;

each instance of R 4 independently represents a non-hydrolyzable group covalently bonded to Si via a carbon atom, it being understood that at least one instance of R 4 comprises an unsaturated photopolymerizable group; and

each instance of R 5 independently represents a hydrolyzable group selected from C1-C6 alkoxy, C1-C6 acyloxy, a halogen atom or an amino group; preferably C1-C6 alkoxy such as methoxy or ethoxy, preferably methoxy.

12 . The composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the surface agent is a silicone-based or acrylic copolymer-based surface agent.

13 . The composition as claimed in claim 1 , also comprising at least one UV stabilizer selected from UV absorbers and sterically hindered amines.

14 . The composition as claimed in claim 1 , which composition is crosslinkable in the absence of solvent.

15 . The composition as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises:

(i)

A) 30 to 50% by weight, preferably 35 to 45% by weight, of an aliphatic urethane diacrylate (such as CN981®, CN9001® or CN991®), tetracrylate (such as CN9276®), or hexacrylate (such as CN9210® or EB1290) oligomer, preferably an aliphatic urethane diacrylate oligomer such as CN981®;

B) an aliphatic diacrylate monomer such as SR238®, as reactive diluent, at an amount of 40 to 60%, preferably 45 to 55% by weight;

C) 1 to 10%, preferably 3 to 7% by weight of a radical photoinitiator as defined in claim 10 ; preferably a type I radical photoinitiator, most preferentially 1-hydroxycyclohexylphenyl ketone (Irgacure 184®);

D) optionally 1 to 10% by weight of a surface agent; and

E) optionally 1 to 10% by weight of a UV stabilizer;

the sum of the percentages of all the components being equal to 100% of the total weight of the composition subjected to crosslinking; and

wherein the diacrylate monomer/multifunctional oligomer weight ratio is between 1.3 and 1.7;

(ii)

A) 20 to 50% by weight, preferably 20 to 40% by weight, of an aliphatic urethane diacrylate (such as CN981®, CN9001® or CN991®), tetracrylate (such as CN9276®), or hexacrylate (such as CN9210® or EB1290) oligomer, preferably an aliphatic urethane diacrylate oligomer such as CN981®;

B) a mixture of two aliphatic or alicyclic diacrylate monomers, such as SR238® and SR833S®, as reactive diluents, at an amount of 50 to 70%, preferably 55 to 70% by weight;

C) 1 to 10%, preferably 3 to 7% by weight of a radical photoinitiator as defined in claim 10 ; preferably a type I radical photoinitiator, most preferentially 1-hydroxycyclohexylphenyl ketone (Irgacure 184®);

D) optionally 1 to 10% by weight of a surface agent; and

E) optionally 1 to 10% by weight of a UV stabilizer;

the sum of the percentages of all the components being equal to 100% of the total weight of the composition subjected to crosslinking;

wherein the diacrylate monomers/multifunctional oligomer weight ratio is between 1.5 and 3.5, preferably between 1.5 and 3.0; the sum by weight of the two reactive diluents being taken into consideration for calculating this ratio; and

the acyclic aliphatic diacrylate monomer (such as SR238®) and the alicyclic diacrylate monomer (such as SR833S®) are present in a weight ratio of 40/60 to 90/10, preferably 45/55 to 85/15;

or (iii)

A) 45 to 65%, preferably 50 to 60% by weight of an aliphatic urethane oligomer having a functionality of greater than or equal to 6; preferably an aliphatic urethane hexacrylate, octacrylate or nonacrylate oligomer;

B) 25 to 45%, preferably 30 to 40%, by weight of an aliphatic diacrylate monomer as reactive diluent;

C) 5 to 15%, preferably 5 to 7% by weight of a radical photoinitiator as defined in claim 10 ; preferably a type I radical photoinitiator;

D) optionally 1 to 10% by weight of a surface agent, preferably from the class of silicones; and

E) optionally 1 to 10% by weight of a UV stabilizer;

the sum of the percentages of all the components being equal to 100% of the total weight of the composition subjected to crosslinking.

16 . A process for preparing a scratch-resistant and abrasion-resistant thermoformable varnish, said process comprising the formation of said varnish by crosslinking the composition of claim 1 under the action of UV-visible radiation.

17 . The process as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the source of UV or visible radiation is an LED or a discharge lamp.

18 . (canceled)

19 . A process for protecting a support from scratches and abrasion, said support preferably being thermoformable or thermally drape-formable, said process comprising the following successive steps:

a) coating a surface of an optionally thermoformable or thermally drape-formable support with a varnish composition as claimed in claim 1 ;

b) curing the varnish composition covering the coated surface of the support by crosslinking said composition under the action of UV-visible radiation; and

c) in the case in which said support is thermoformable or thermally drape-formable, optionally shaping the varnished support by thermoforming or thermal drape forming.

20 .- 23 . (canceled)

24 . A scratch-resistant and abrasion-resistant varnished article, which is preferably thermoformable or thermally drape-formable, able to be obtained by a process as claimed in claim 16 .

25 . (canceled)

26 . A scratch-resistant and abrasion-resistant thermoformable varnish, characterized in that it results from the crosslinking, under the action of UV-visible radiation, of at least one composition as defined in claim 1 .