UV technology

UV technology has meanwhile found its way into various different areas. Starting with UV curing
from paints, adhesives and printing inks to disinfection or sterilization and the pre-treatment of substrates
to medical applications and applications in medical technology, UV technology can also be found in decorative applications
Applications such as B. the painting of fingernails.

Fluorescent dyes are also used to check the authenticity of banknotes, documents or works of art
UV radiation and show corresponding typical color patterns in black light (UVA).

In all areas of application, the most diverse types of UV lamps are used, which are further described on these pages.

Below you will find a brief description of the individual areas of application; Further information is available on the different pages of this Homepage, the UV encyclopedia and, in the future, the UV seminar.


1. UV curing of paints, adhesives and printing inks.

UV coatings and printing inks are used in the finishing of various substrates such as e.g. B. paper, plastics, plastic films, metal, glass / ceramics and of course wood (furniture, parquet, etc.) are used. High-energy medium-pressure mercury lamps in the form of long-arc lamps are used for UV curing in order to achieve rapid curing. In doing so
For example, when coating or printing paper and films, UV curing at speeds of
> 300 m/min. carried out.

The curing of UV adhesives, on the other hand, takes place at much lower speeds; here it comes down to one
uniform, tension-free curing of the adhesive between the substrates than on a high curing
speed. Spotlights, hand lamps or even LED arrays are often used as radiation sources, but
the long arc radiators can also be found e.g. B. at the curing of PSAs and laminating adhesives.


2. UV disinfection or sterilization of substrates.

Effective sterilization is required, for example, in many areas of the food industry, in medical packaging and in the pharmaceutical sector; Here, the surface of a wide variety of substrates is treated with low-pressure mercury lamps (main emission at 254 nm). The DNA of the germs is irreversibly changed by UV radiation of this wavelength,
the germs are killed and further multiplication prevented. 

But also in the disinfection of air (allergies, asthmatic diseases, laboratories) and water (e.g. drinking water,
but also in aquariums) UV low-pressure lamps are used to kill microorganisms employed.


3. Medical and medical technology applications of UV technology

In the field of medical applications, in particular, the treatment of skin diseases using UVA and
UVB radiation and the hardening of dental masses in dental treatment are known. As a source of radiation are here
mostly used low-pressure lamps, that emit in the UVA and in the visible, blue range.

The hardening of molds for the production of dental prostheses is a medical-technical application at this point
it was already mentioned.


4. Pre-treatment of substrates

To achieve better adhesion, the surface of various substrates, especially plastics, by a
Pretreatment activated. In addition to corona, plasma and flame treatment, UV radiation is also often used
pretreatment used. Uses the high-energy UVC radiation or even VUV radiation (below
inert conditions) to activate the surface.


5. Fingernail painting or decoration

With this "home" application, so-called UV gels are used, which are available both as a clear substance and in a wide variety of colors
are available. These gels can be applied directly to the nail and then hardened, or in
Form of "Tips" (artificial nail extension) are glued on. The gels are hardened with UVA radiation or
visible blue light.