ASHLAND SPECIALTY CHEMICAL INTRODUCES FLEXCURE™ SELF-INITIATING RESIN
19 February 2004 - Ashland Inc

Unlike conventional UV-cured resin systems, this new class of molecules is 'self-initiating.' With exposure to typical commercial UV energy dosages, optimum cure can be achieved with little or no photoinitiator.

'The FlexCure technology platform also provides unparalleled resin design flexibility,' says Dr. Luca P. Fontana, vice president of Global Technology, Ashland Specialty Chemical. 'The chemistry and process used to produce these resins allow for outstanding control and customization of the final product, including composition, molecular weight, functionality, and architecture. To an end-user, this means that the resulting polymeric resin can be engineered to provide a custom solution for the requirements of a wide variety of applications, including graphic arts, flooring and automotive.'

Ashland Drew Industrial, a business group of Ashland Specialty Chemical, is the first to commercialize the technology within several of the company's target markets, including graphic arts and coatings. One primary advantage of FlexCure resin technology is its ability to provide the final product characteristics required for numerous applications, such as viscosity, with limited use of diluent monomers. These resins can also be designed to have excellent pigment affinity for color dispersions.

'Certain segments of the graphic arts, printing and coatings industries have not converted to UV-curable systems, despite the increased productivity advantages,' says Harold D. Moffat, vice president of Marketing, Drew Industrial. 'This, in part, stems from the required use of relatively high levels of photoinitiators to serve as a catalyst for the polymerization and crosslinking of conventional UV-curable ink systems. Residual, unreacted photoinitiators remain in the cured material, posing some health, safety or performance issues. FlexCure resins offer the additional advantage of reducing - or eliminating - the need for photoinitiators.'

Adds Dr. Fontana, 'We expect the FlexCure technology to serve as a platform for several Ashland Specialty Chemical business groups. It serves as a strong example of Ashland's ability to leverage our strengths, best practices, processes and capabilities for serving customers.'

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