New fluorinated acrylic monomers for the surface modification of UV-curable systems

New fluorinated acrylates were synthesized and used as modifying additives for acrylic UV-curable systems. Their chemical structure is: CnF2n+1 R-OCO- CH=CH2, where the linear perfluorinated chain contains from 4 to 10 carbon atoms, while R is a linear alkyl group containing or not a thioether group. Notwithstanding their very low concentration, the fluorinated monomers cau sed a dramatic change of the surface properties of the films, without chang ing their curing conditions and their bulk properties. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements showed that the monomers were able to concentrate selectively on the surfaces of the films, depending on their chemical stru cture and on the kind of substrate employed. The synthesis of the fluorinat ed monomers and the relationship between their chemical structure and the f inal surface properties of the UV-cared films will be discussed. (C) 1999 J ohn Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 77-87, 1999.