A research team from IGM Resins, a leader in the development, manufacture and supply of products and technical services to the global radcure industry, has been named by RadTech USA as authors of the best technical paper to be presented at RadTech UV/EB 2016 held in Chicago May 16-18. Dr. Gabriele Norcini, Dr. Marika Morone and Andrea Bernini Freddi earned the honor for their innovative work in photoinitiator chemistry for UV LED curing applications.

Their paper, “Design of New 3-Ketocoumarins for UV LED Curing,” describes their development of a new photoinitiator for LED lamps’ most powerful operation wavelengths (365 nm and 395 nm) that overcomes the yellowing and oxygen sensitivity drawbacks of existing products while retaining high reactivity and solubility. It will be honored at the RadTech 2016 Awards Dinner on Tues., May 17, and Dr. Marone will present the paper on Wed., May 18 during the Photoinitiator session. 

The new 3-ketocoumarins photoinitiators class has low oxygen sensitivity, high reactivity and high solubility with very low yellowing characteristics. New products developed from this technology platform will be suitable for pigmented systems, particularly printing inks such as inkjet, off-set, flexo and screen, but also for all applications which require high speed and low oxygen sensitivity.

“This innovation from IGM responds to a clear demand from multiple market sectors looking to adopt UV LED curing for its low temperature operation, long life, instant start and low energy consumption—but facing challenges with existing photoinitiators,” said Andrew Chambers, Vice President of IGM Resins’ Photoinitiator Business. “Market requirements have moved rapidly in the past few years, but photoinitiator technology has been slow to adapt. This 3-ketocoumarins class of photoinitiators is the first of several IGM will launch in 2016 to satisfy the evolving demands of UV radcure markets.”

The award-winning R&D team works at IGM Resins’ Gerenzano, Italy research and application center near Milan. They joined IGM’s global application and development organization in June 2015, when the company acquired the photoinitiator business of Lamberti. “We congratulate these individuals for this important contribution to IGM’s new generation UV-cure materials,” said IGM CEO Edward Frindt. “IGM is fully committed to UV technology, taking the lead in bringing innovation to the UV marketplace and helping our customers improve their products.”