The key difference between epoxy resin and UV resin is that epoxy resin has a high durability with heat resistance and scratch resistance, whereas UV resins are less durable and are neither heat nor scratch resistant.
A resin is a sticky flammable organic substance, insoluble in water, exuded by some trees and other plants. Epoxy resin and UV resin are two types of resin materials.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Epoxy Resin
3. What is UV Resin
4. Epoxy Resin vs UV Resin in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Epoxy Resin vs UV Resin
What is Epoxy Resin?
Epoxy resins are a type of reactive pre-polymers and polymers containing epoxide groups. This material can react either with themselves (via catalytic homopolymerization) or with other co-reactants such as polyfunctional amines, acids, phenols, alcohols, and thiols to form cross-links. We often name these co-reactants as hardeners or curatives. Furthermore, the cross-linking process we use here is curing. The product of this cross-linking or curing process is a thermosetting polymer material having favorable mechanical properties and high thermal and chemical resistance.
In the curing process of epoxy resin, there are several dozen chemicals we can use as curative agents. Some examples include amines, imidazoles, anhydrides, and photosensitive chemicals. Generally, the uncured epoxy resin material has poor mechanical, chemical, and heat-resistant properties. The curing of epoxy resins is an exothermic reaction. Sometimes, this reaction produces sufficient heat that can cause thermal degradation of the resin if the conditions are not controlled.
There are many different applications of epoxy resins, including coating applications, adhesives, composite material production, industrial tooling applications, bonding matrix along with glass or carbon fiber fabrics to produce composites with high strength-to-weight characteristics, etc.
What is UV Resin?
UV resin is a type of resin that belongs to the group of synthetic resins and cures from the energy of the sun or UV devices. Typically, UV reins cure completely within a few minutes, and we can use them for sealing, bonding, and coating material. This resin material is applied in a thin layer, and it remains wet until it is exposed to UV light. This light can be either sunlight or under the light of a UV lamp.
Moreover, UV resin is useful in sealing collages and embedded items in metal bezels to cast shapes in molds and also to create an enameled look in jewelry. Usually, a UV resin is made of monomers, oligomers, photopolymerization, initiators, and other additives. When it is exposed to UV light, the photoinitiator tends to undergo a chemical reaction, allowing it to bond independent oligomers and monomers into a more complex chain. We call these chains polymers. Therefore, in short, UV resin is a material that polymerizes and cures in a short time by the energy of UV rays emitted from a UV irradiation device.
What is the Difference Between Epoxy Resin and UV Resin?
The key difference between epoxy resin and UV resin is that epoxy resin has high durability with heat resistance and scratch resistance, whereas UV resins are less durable and are not heat or scratch resistant.
The below infographic presents the differences between epoxy resin and UV resin in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Epoxy Resin vs UV Resin
Epoxy resins are a type of reactive pre-polymers and polymers containing epoxide groups, while UV resin is a type of synthetic resin that is cured from the energy of the sun or UV devices. The key difference between epoxy resin and UV resin is that epoxy resin has high durability with heat resistance and scratch resistance, whereas UV resins are less durable and are not heat or scratch resistant.
Reference:
1. “UV Resin.” UV-Curable Resins.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Mix of Epoxy Resin and Hardener” By Dzhang2680 – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Tonic Water unter Normal- und UV-Licht” By GeoTrinity – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia