Synergistic Catalyst Combination for the Preparation of Radiation Curable Oligomers

Abstract

Radiation curable coating compositions are disclosed. In some embodiments, the coating compositions are used to coat substrates such as packaging materials and the like for the storage of food and beverages. The coating compositions may have a (meth)acrylate functional polyether polyol prepared by reacting an epoxidized vegetable oil in the presence of a phosphoric acid compound to form an epoxy phosphate, and reacting the epoxy phosphate with a hydroxyl functional (meth)acrylatein the presence of an acid catalyst to form the(meth)acrylate functional polyether polyol.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A radiation curable coating composition comprising a (meth)acrylate functional polyether polyol prepared by a method comprising:
 a) reacting an epoxidized vegetable oil with a phosphoric acid compound to form an epoxy phosphate;   b) reacting the epoxy phosphate with a hydroxyl functional (meth)acrylate in the presence of an acid catalyst to form the (meth)acrylate functional polyether polyol.   
     
     
         2 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the reaction of step a) is conducted in the presence of a hydroxyl functional material. 
     
     
         3 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hydroxyl functional (meth)acrylate is blended with a hydroxyl functional material. 
     
     
         4 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the acid catalyst comprises a triflic acid, a triflate salt of a metal of Group IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB or VIIIA of the Periodic Table of Elements (according to the IUPAC 1970 convention), a mixture of the triflates salts, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hydroxyl functional (meth)acrylate comprises 4-hydroxy butyl (meth)acrylate, hydroxy ethyl (meth)acrylate, hydroxyl propyl (meth)acrylate, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the phosphoric acid compound comprises phosphoric acid, super phosphoric acid, an aqueous solution of the foregoing, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the phosphoric acid compound is present in an amount from about 0.001 to about 25 wt % of the (meth)acrylate functional polyether polyol. 
     
     
         8 . A method of coating a substrate comprising:
 a) applying the coating composition of  claim 1  to the substrate; and   b) curing the coating composition with electron beam or ultraviolet radiation.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the reaction of step a) is conducted in the presence of a hydroxyl functional material. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the hydroxyl functional (meth)acrylate is blended with a hydroxyl functional material. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the acid catalyst comprises a triflic acid, a triflate salt of a metal of Group IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB or VIIIA of the Periodic Table of Elements (according to the IUPAC 1970 convention), a mixture of the triflates salts, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the hydroxyl functional (meth)acrylate comprises 4-hydroxy butyl (meth)acrylate, hydroxy ethyl (meth)acrylate, hydroxyl propyl (meth)acrylate, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the phosphoric acid compound comprises phosphoric acid, super phosphoric acid, an aqueous solution of the foregoing, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the phosphoric acid compound is present in an amount from about 0.01 to about 25 wt % of the (meth)acrylate functional polyether polyol. 
     
     
         15 . A substrate coated with the coating composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . A substrate coated with the coating composition of  claim 8 .