UV-Curable Primer-cum-Paint System for Mild Steels based on Sol-Gel Coating Technology

Sol-based coatings derived from organically modified silanes and metal alkoxides have been investigated for the past two decades for their applicability as barrier coatings for corrosion protection of stainless steels and mild steels. Colored sol-gel coatings can also be generated by the addition of pigments. Recently, lot of attention has been given to use of radiation (UV or NIR) curing for densification of protective coatings on metals/steels. In this context, investigations were carried out on the mechanical and corrosion protection properties of UV-curable transparent and colored sol-gel coatings on mild steels for comparison with a painted substrate.