Choosing the Right Triacrylate: TMPTA vs PO₃-TMPTA vs EO₃-TMPTA
Release time:
2025-08-20
In the world of UV and EB curing, reactive monomers are essential for creating fast-drying, durable coatings, inks, and adhesives. Three common trifunctional monomers, TMPTA, PO3-TMPTA, and EO3-TMPTA, are frequently used as key building blocks. While they share a core structure, the addition of propoxy or ethoxy groups drastically changes their performance. This guide provides a concise comparison to help you choose the right monomer for your application.
Performance & Application Comparison
Aspect | TMPTA (CAS#15625-89-5) | PO₃-TMPTA (CAS#53879-54-2) | EO₃-TMPTA (CAS#28961-43-5) |
Structure | Trimethylolpropane core with three direct acrylate groups. No flexible spacers. | Propoxylated chains (-C₃H₆O-) as spacers. | Ethoxylated chains (-C₂H₄O-) as spacers. |
Viscosity (25 °C) | 80-110 | 70-100 | 40-80 |
Shrinkage & Stress | High shrinkage, brittle films | Reduced shrinkage, more flexible | Reduced shrinkage, but more brittle than PO₃ |
Polarity | Neutral | Hydrophobic | Hydrophilic |
Wetting on Pigments | Limited, may cause poor dispersion | Excellent for non-polar substrates & pigments | Good for polar pigments & substrates |
Water / Humidity Resistance | Moderate | Excellent (hydrophobic) | Moderate to poor (absorbs moisture) |
Cure Speed | Very fast | Fast (slightly slower than TMPTA) | Fast (slightly slower than TMPTA) |
Film Hardness | High hardness, excellent abrasion and chemical resistance, very brittle | Good hardness, high flexibility and toughness | Good hardness, moderate flexibility |
Adhesion | General-purpose | Strong on plastics & low-energy surfaces | Strong on paper, glass, metals |
Key Applications | UV coatings, inks, adhesives | UV offset, inkjet inks, outdoor coatings, 3D printing, flexible systems | Paper/board coatings, wood coatings, adhesives for polar substrates |
Takeaway
TMPTA: A fast-curing workhorse, but brittle and prone to shrinkage.
PO₃-TMPTA: The best balance of flexibility, water resistance, and pigment wetting — ideal for inks, plastics, and outdoor durability.
EO₃-TMPTA: Superior cure speed and polar adhesion — best for paper, wood, and metal coatings.
In practice, formulators often blend PO₃- and EO₃-TMPTA to fine-tune performance between durability and cure speed.
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