Adhesion of UV-curable resins containing alkoxysilane monomers on glass surfaces

UV-curable systems containing different alkoxysilane monomers coated on glass surfaces were studied with the aim of deepening the knowledge of the factors influencing the adhesion properties between the two phases. Two monomers containing alkoxysilane groups (methacryloyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, MEPTS, and 3-(trimethoxysilyl)-propanethiol, TSPT) were introduced into a typical epoxy-acrylic resin network by an UV-curing technique and linked to the network through copolymerization (MEPTS) or chain transfer (TSPT) reaction. The formation of adhesion bonds between the polymer network and the glass surface was investigated. Higher adhesion values and faster bonding formation were obtained by using the TSPT monomer. XPS analyses on the polymer films indicated differences in the atomic content on the two sides of the films. The different adhesion results obtained are attributed to the network structures and cross-linking densities.