Evaluation of alkane sulfonic acid catalysts and derivatives for curing activity in a melamine/acrylic polyol coating formulation using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

FTIR measurements may be able to replace more laborious physical property d eterminations and thus serve as an efficient screening methodology in catal ysis driven processes. This possibility was considered in evaluating alkane sulfonic acids catalyst performance to promote the cure of a melamine resi n with acrylic polyols. The example chosen here is an evaluation of alkane sulfonic acid derivatives to measure catalytic efficiency of the cure react ion between hexamethoxymethylmelamine (HMMM) and an acrylic polyol. The IR measurements provided information on the extent of reaction, via monitoring the disappearance of the OH stretching mode at 3472 cm(-1) associated with the acrylic polyol. This method may also be used to provide detailed infor mation on reaction kinetics and insight into the cure mechanism. As the rea ction proceeds, the coating's properties change and IR measurements can ser ve as a probe for these changes.