A decorative film including a base film layer, a printed layer disposed on the base film layer, and a protective layer disposed on the printed layer and having a texture is described. The protective layer includes a cured product of a radiation curable inkjet ink which is obtained by inkjet printing, and the impact resistance of the decorative film at 10° C. is greater than or equal to 40 in-lbs. The decorative film is not cracked in a bending resistance test in accordance with JIS K 5600-5-1:1999.

An apparatus and methods for using coatings for metal applications are disclosed. According to one embodiment, an article comprises a cured polymeric film having a first reaction product of a cationic photoinitiator and a compound suitable for cationic polymerization. The article has a second reaction product of a free-radical photoinitiator and a compound suitable for free-radical polymerization. The article has a metal substrate, wherein the cured polymeric film coats the metal substrate.

An apparatus and methods for using coatings for metal applications are disclosed. According to one embodiment, an article comprises a cured polymeric film having a first reaction product of a cationic photoinitiator and a compound suitable for cationic polymerization. The article has a second reaction product of a free-radical photoinitiator and a compound suitable for free-radical polymerization. The article has a metal substrate, wherein the cured polymeric film coats the metal substrate.

A method of applying a coloured coating to a decorative element such as a gemstone. The method comprises: providing an ink mixture comprising an ink and an organic carrier, the carrier comprising a polymerisable organic material; arranging the ink mixture and the decorative element in a plasma; and allowing the ink mixture to polymerise on a surface of the decorative element to form a polymerised colour coating. The polymerisable organic material may comprise a polymerisable siloxane or a polymerisable oxysilane.

Provided is an active energy ray-curable ink composition for offset printing that exhibits superior properties comparable to ink compositions containing trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA), regardless of containing no TMPTA. This can be achieved through preparation of an active energy ray-curable ink composition for offset printing which contains at least one selected from the group consisting of diallyl phthalate resin, polyfunctional polyester acrylate, and rosin-modified alkyd resin having an sp value of 9.0 to 11.0 (cal/cm.sup.3).sup.½, and contains ethylene oxide (EO)-modified TMPTA monomers having one to nine EO units in the molecule.

Provided is an active energy ray-curable ink composition for offset printing that exhibits superior properties comparable to ink compositions containing trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA), regardless of containing no TMPTA. This can be achieved through preparation of an active energy ray-curable ink composition for offset printing which contains at least one selected from the group consisting of diallyl phthalate resin, polyfunctional polyester acrylate, and rosin-modified alkyd resin having an sp value of 9.0 to 11.0 (cal/cm.sup.3).sup.½, and contains ethylene oxide (EO)-modified TMPTA monomers having one to nine EO units in the molecule.

The present invention is to provide a monomer mixture that is cured rapidly even in the presence of oxygen and that forms a cured product having high hardness and excellent adhesion to metals and/or glass. The monomer mixture according to an embodiment of the present invention contains two or more types of cationically polymerizable monomers. As the cationically polymerizable monomers, the monomer mixture contains at least 10 wt. %, based on a total amount of the monomer mixture, of a compound having at least one cationically polymerizable group selected from the group consisting of a vinyl ether group, an epoxy group, and an oxetanyl group, and at least one hydroxy group in a molecule, and at least 5 wt. %, based on the total amount of the monomer mixture, of a compound represented by Formula (b). In the formula, R represents an s-valent straight-chain or branched saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group or an s-valent group having two or more straight-chain or branched saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon groups bonded to each other through an ether bond, and s represents an integer of 2 or greater.

The present invention is to provide a monomer mixture that is cured rapidly even in the presence of oxygen and that forms a cured product having high hardness and excellent adhesion to metals and/or glass. The monomer mixture according to an embodiment of the present invention contains two or more types of cationically polymerizable monomers. As the cationically polymerizable monomers, the monomer mixture contains at least 10 wt. %, based on a total amount of the monomer mixture, of a compound having at least one cationically polymerizable group selected from the group consisting of a vinyl ether group, an epoxy group, and an oxetanyl group, and at least one hydroxy group in a molecule, and at least 5 wt. %, based on the total amount of the monomer mixture, of a compound represented by Formula (b). In the formula, R represents an s-valent straight-chain or branched saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group or an s-valent group having two or more straight-chain or branched saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon groups bonded to each other through an ether bond, and s represents an integer of 2 or greater.

The present invention is drawn to low migration energy-curable compositions including epoxy acrylates derived from the reaction of poly(alkylene oxide) containing glycidyl ethers with acrylic acid. The compositions of the invention are particularly useful for the printing or coating of food packaging.

The present invention is drawn to low migration energy-curable compositions including epoxy acrylates derived from the reaction of poly(alkylene oxide) containing glycidyl ethers with acrylic acid. The compositions of the invention are particularly useful for the printing or coating of food packaging.