Choosing the Right Oligomer for UV Coatings: TEGDMA vs BDDMA vs TMPTMA vs HDDA

October 23, 2025

Author: Felix Adam

If you’re selecting the best oligomer for UV coatings, the fastest way to a good answer is to match your target film properties—viscosity, cure speed, hardness/chemical resistance, and flexibility/impact—to the right building blocks. Below is a quick decision tree, followed by a side-by-side property matrix comparing TEGDMA, BDDMA, TMPTMA, and HDDA.


Quick answer


  • Need low viscosity and fast UV cure with good adhesion → start with HDDA, optionally blend TEGDMA for flow.
  • Need higher hardness/Tg and chemical resistance → add BDDMA; for maximum hardness/line speed, dose TMPTMA (small %).
  • Want balanced toughness (avoid brittleness) → lean on TEGDMA/HDDA and moderate TMPTMA/BDDMA.
Deep dive on use cases: Coatings & Printing Inks

Decision tree


What’s your main bottleneck on the line?

  • Viscosity or laydown → HDDA or TEGDMA
  • Cure speed/through-cure → HDDA, then add TMPTMA (low dosages)
  • Solvent/abrasion resistance → BDDMA, then TMPTMA (careful with brittleness)

What’s the target feel of the film?

  • Rigid, high-Tg, mar-resistant → BDDMA ± TMPTMA
  • Balanced, durable, not brittle → TEGDMA/HDDA core, trim with BDDMA

Any tricky substrates (PC, ABS, metals)?

  • Start with HDDA for adhesion; fine-tune with TEGDMA for flow or BDDMA/TMPTMA for strength.




Attribute TEGDMA BDDMA TMPTMA HDDA
Functionality Di-methacrylate Di-methacrylate Tri-methacrylate Di-acrylate
Typical role Reactive diluent, flow, through-cure Raise Tg & chemical resistance Max crosslink density, very fast set Very fast cure, adhesion, low viscosity
Viscosity impact Very low (excellent leveling) Low–moderate Moderate (higher than di-s) Very low
UV cure speed Fast (methacrylate) Moderate–fast Very fast (via crosslinking) Fastest (acrylate)
Hardness / solvent resistance Medium to high (in blends) High Very high Medium to high (with TMPTMA/BDDMA)
Flexibility / impact Good Moderate Low (can be brittle if overused) Good
Adhesion to plastics/metals Good Good Fair–good Very good
Yellowing tendency Low Low Low–moderate Low
Shrinkage tendency Moderate Moderate Higher (use modestly) Moderate
Typical use level in UV coatings 5–30% 5–25% 1–10% 5–30%
Best paired with HDDA / BDDMA / TMPTMA TEGDMA / HDDA / TMPTMA HDDA / TEGDMA TEGDMA / BDDMA / TMPTMA


Formulation playbook (UV coatings & OPV)



1) High-speed line, plastic substrates (ink & OPV)


  • Core: HDDA 15–25% for speed + adhesion
  • Flow/leveling: TEGDMA 5–15%
  • Durability bump: BDDMA 5–10%
  • Cure snap: TMPTMA 1–3% (keep modest to avoid brittleness)


Why it works: HDDA delivers fast cure and bite on plastics; TEGDMA keeps viscosity down; small BDDMA/TMPTMA raises durability without tipping the brittleness scale.


2) Industrial topcoat (metal/plastic), high hardness & chemical resistance


  • Core: BDDMA 10–20%
  • Crosslink boost: TMPTMA 2–6%
  • Processability: HDDA 10–20% (balances viscosity and speed)
  • Flow aid: TEGDMA 5–10% (as needed)


Why it works: The BDDMA/TMPTMA duo pushes Tg, mar and solvent resistance; HDDA restores processability and cure rate.


3) Balanced wood clear coat (smooth laydown, durable finish)


  • Core: TEGDMA 10–20% for flow/through-cure
  • Tg/solvent resistance: BDDMA 5–15%
  • Speed & adhesion: HDDA 10–15%
  • Optional snap: TMPTMA 1–3%


Why it works: Excellent leveling and quick cure with a durable, non-brittle film.


Looking for application specifics? See the Coatings & Printing Inks deep dive: chemicalsunited.com/products/oligomers/


Practical tips that save development cycles


  • Start with viscosity: Hit target application rheology first (TEGDMA/HDDA), then tune hardness (BDDMA/TMPTMA).
  • Use TMPTMA like a spice: Small amounts go a long way; overuse can cause brittleness and higher shrinkage.
  • Substrate drive: For PC/ABS/metals, begin with HDDA in the blend—then add BDDMA/TMPTMA to reach durability targets.
  • Photoinitiator synergy: Faster-reacting acrylates (HDDA) often allow lower PI loadings or higher line speeds; confirm via dose-response.
  • QA guardrails: Track viscosity, acid value, color, and gel fraction for lot-to-lot consistency.


When to choose each product?


  • Choose TEGDMA if you need low viscosity, great flow, and reliable through-cure without sacrificing hardness.
  • Choose BDDMA if the spec calls for higher Tg, gloss retention, and chemical/abrasion resistance.
  • Choose TMPTMA if you need maximum hardness and fast line speeds—use modestly and balance with TEGDMA/HDDA.
  • Choose HDDA if you need very fast UV cure, strong adhesion to plastics/metals, low viscosity, and low yellowing.




Safety & compliance


These (meth)acrylate oligomers are skin/respiratory sensitizers. Use gloves, goggles, and ventilation, and follow your SDS/REACH guidance.