Siliconization

In siliconization processes, oxygen-reduced inert UV curing is often used – a state-of-the-art technology that ensures maximum efficiency and quality. By replacing the oxygen in the reaction chamber with nitrogen, the formation of ozone, odors, and yellowing is prevented. At the same time, inks, coatings, and varnishes cure significantly faster. Precise inerting chambers, continuous monitoring of residual oxygen levels, and energy-efficient lamp control guarantee stable production conditions. The result is uniform, high-quality silicone release coatings with excellent process reliability and reduced resource consumption.

Nitrogen inertisation is a proven method to significantly reduce the migration of substances from packaging into the product. By combining a controlled printing process with nitrogen inertisation, unwanted substance transfer can be prevented while ensuring product quality and safety. This method is particularly important in industries handling sensitive fillings.

The advantages of inertisation lie in process optimization and the minimization of chemical residues. The proportion of photo initiators can be significantly reduced while achieving higher double bond conversion with a lower UV dose. Curing under nitrogen almost completely eliminates the typical UV odor. High printing speeds of up to 450 m/min are possible at a residual oxygen content of 50 ppm, and for special applications such as silicones, the oxygen content can even be reduced below 50 ppm.

Inert-UV technology for siliconization uses nitrogen (N₂) to displace oxygen from the reaction chamber, preventing oxygen from interfering with the radical curing of silicones. This inert atmosphere results in faster, more complete curing, improved product quality, and enhanced surface properties such as lower tackiness, creating advantages for applications like release coatings and high-precision medical devices.

This technology is crucial for applications like silicone release liner production for tapes or labels, where a perfectly smooth and tack-free surface is essential, siliconization of papers and films for packaging and for specialty substrates or medical devices needing precise, high-quality silicone components.

Hoenle inert-UV systems cure silicone rapidly under oxygen-free conditions, resulting in a high-quality, fully polymerized material.