Heterocyclic-functional resins, such as epoxides, oxetanes, cyclic carbonates, lactides and lactones, are used in radiation-curable formulations along with ethylenically unsaturated materials such as (meth)acrylates to achieve improved mechanical properties and/or lower shrinkage in the cured compositions prepared therefrom as compared to formulations containing the ethylenically unsaturated materials but no heterocyclic-functional resin. Polymerizable, ethylenically unsaturated metal complexes, such as Zn and Ca carboxylates prepared using unsaturated carboxylic acids or anhydrides, may be employed to effect thermal cure of the heterocyclic-functional resin component of such formulations, which are particularly useful in the production of 3D-printed articles and the like.

Heterocyclic-functional resins, such as epoxides, oxetanes, cyclic carbonates, lactides and lactones, are used in radiation-curable formulations along with ethylenically unsaturated materials such as (meth)acrylates to achieve improved mechanical properties and/or lower shrinkage in the cured compositions prepared therefrom as compared to formulations containing the ethylenically unsaturated materials but no heterocyclic-functional resin. Polymerizable, ethylenically unsaturated metal complexes, such as Zn and Ca carboxylates prepared using unsaturated carboxylic acids or anhydrides, may be employed to effect thermal cure of the heterocyclic-functional resin component of such formulations, which are particularly useful in the production of 3D-printed articles and the like.

A coating layer application device (200) for applying a coating layer, which is located on a transfer element, to a substrate, the coating layer (206) being formed from a coating material, in particular a thermosetting coating material, the coating layer (206) being curable and comprising an amorphous material, the coating layer application device comprising: a heating device (214, 220) being configured so as to (i) maintain the temperature of the coating layer (206) within a temperature range before removal of N the transfer element (204) from the coating layer (206), wherein within the temperature range the uncured coating material is in its supercooled liquid state; and/or (ii) partially cure the coating layer (206) during a contact of the coating layer (206) and the substrate (210) and before removal of the transfer element (204) from the coating layer, in particular by increasing the temperature of the coating layer (206) to a temperature at or above a curing temperature of the coating layer (206).

A coating layer application device (200) for applying a coating layer, which is located on a transfer element, to a substrate, the coating layer (206) being formed from a coating material, in particular a thermosetting coating material, the coating layer (206) being curable and comprising an amorphous material, the coating layer application device comprising: a heating device (214, 220) being configured so as to (i) maintain the temperature of the coating layer (206) within a temperature range before removal of N the transfer element (204) from the coating layer (206), wherein within the temperature range the uncured coating material is in its supercooled liquid state; and/or (ii) partially cure the coating layer (206) during a contact of the coating layer (206) and the substrate (210) and before removal of the transfer element (204) from the coating layer, in particular by increasing the temperature of the coating layer (206) to a temperature at or above a curing temperature of the coating layer (206).

Disclosed herein is a silane-functional hardener for carboxyl-functional resins including at least one monomer and/or oligomer and/or polymer having at least one group represented by Formula I-(a) and/or Formula I-(b) and at least one group represented by Formula II-(a) and/or Formula II-(b):

##STR00001##

where, R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 independently represent a C1-C18 alkyl group, C1-C6 alkoxyl group, phenyl group, aryl group, hydrogen atom, chlorine atom or fluorine atom and at least one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is a C1-C6 alkoxyl group, R.sub.4 represents a C1-C18 alkyl group, C1-C6 alkanol group, C1-C6 alkoxyl group, or hydrogen atom, R.sub.5 represents a hydrogen atom, C1-C18 alkyl group, or C1-C6 alkoxyl group, R.sub.6 represents a C2-C6 acyl group, C1-C18 alkylene group or arylene group and R.sub.7 represents a —NR.sub.4— group, C2-C6 acyl group, C1-C18 alkylene group, C1-C18 alkoxy group or arylene group.

Disclosed herein is a silane-functional hardener for carboxyl-functional resins including at least one monomer and/or oligomer and/or polymer having at least one group represented by Formula I-(a) and/or Formula I-(b) and at least one group represented by Formula II-(a) and/or Formula II-(b):

##STR00001##

where, R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 independently represent a C1-C18 alkyl group, C1-C6 alkoxyl group, phenyl group, aryl group, hydrogen atom, chlorine atom or fluorine atom and at least one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is a C1-C6 alkoxyl group, R.sub.4 represents a C1-C18 alkyl group, C1-C6 alkanol group, C1-C6 alkoxyl group, or hydrogen atom, R.sub.5 represents a hydrogen atom, C1-C18 alkyl group, or C1-C6 alkoxyl group, R.sub.6 represents a C2-C6 acyl group, C1-C18 alkylene group or arylene group and R.sub.7 represents a —NR.sub.4— group, C2-C6 acyl group, C1-C18 alkylene group, C1-C18 alkoxy group or arylene group.

A binder composition comprising 50 to 80% by weight of an acrylate ester of an epoxy-novolac resin, 20 to 49% by weight of mono-, di- or trifunctional acrylates, 0.1 to 2% by weight of a starter, 0 to 10% by weight of other auxiliaries,
wherein said binder composition essentially has no components that have a boiling point below 200° C. under normal pressure.

A binder composition comprising 50 to 80% by weight of an acrylate ester of an epoxy-novolac resin, 20 to 49% by weight of mono-, di- or trifunctional acrylates, 0.1 to 2% by weight of a starter, 0 to 10% by weight of other auxiliaries,
wherein said binder composition essentially has no components that have a boiling point below 200° C. under normal pressure.

A substrate having a burnable coating mask includes: a substrate having a first section and a second section; a mask coating layer over the first section of the substrate; and a functional coating layer over at least a portion of the mask coating layer and over the second section of the substrate. A method of segmenting a substrate having a layer thereover, a method of preparing a segmented substrate having a layer thereover, a segmented substrate, and a transparency are also disclosed.

A substrate having a burnable coating mask includes: a substrate having a first section and a second section; a mask coating layer over the first section of the substrate; and a functional coating layer over at least a portion of the mask coating layer and over the second section of the substrate. A method of segmenting a substrate having a layer thereover, a method of preparing a segmented substrate having a layer thereover, a segmented substrate, and a transparency are also disclosed.