W. CONSHOHOCKEN, PA — A new ASTM International standard provides a test method for measuring volatiles from acrylate resins, which will allow suppliers to list emissions information on material safety data sheets. The new standard, ASTM D 7767, Test Method to Measure Volatiles from Radiation Curable Acrylate Monomers, Oligomer, and Blends and Thin Coatings Made from Them, is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee D01.21 on Chemical Analysis of Paints and Paint Materials, part of ASTM International Committee D01 on Paint and Related Coatings, Materials and Applications. 

According to Robin E. Wright, Staff Scientist, 3M Corporate Research Process Laboratory, and a member of D01.21, prior to the approval of ASTM D 7767, there had been no direct method for measuring volatiles from formulations sold to end users that were applied and cured as thin coatings, especially coatings with known interferences such as digital inks containing pigments. Formulators can now use D 7767 to generate volatiles data for product material safety data sheets. 

“Current methods for measuring volatiles from UV-curable coatings require that the material be coated on a substrate at the end-use thickness and cured per the manufacturer’s specification,” said Wright. “The raw materials used in these coatings are not designed to be applied and cured alone so there is no prescribed application thickness or cure condition. ASTM D 7767 provides the necessary specifications to repeatably and reproducibly measure volatiles from these raw materials.”  

Wright said companies that purchase acrylate raw materials to make UV-curable blends for hardcoat, overprint varnishes, digital inks and other commercial applications will now be able to look at material safety data sheets and see what the volatiles level from the various monomers and oligomers used in a formulation are, since the volatiles data may be different for the same material from two different suppliers. 

While ASTM D 7767 is now approved, development of the standard will be ongoing, and all interested parties are invited to contribute to D01.21’s standards developing activities.