Dr Jun Liu
Head of Competence Center R&M, Rain Carbon Germany GmbH
Dr. Jun Liu studied chemistry at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, where she also earned her PhD, building a strong foundation in polymer chemistry and materials science. She has spent her entire professional career in the German chemical industry, gaining broad experience in application support, technical service, and new product development for rubber, adhesive, and coating applications.
In 2013, Dr. Liu joined the Resin and Modifier business of RAIN Carbon Inc., where she was instrumental in establishing and expanding the technical services team. Through close collaboration with customers and internal R&D, she helped strengthen application expertise and market relevance. In 2019, she was appointed Head of the Competence Center for the business line. In this role, she leads product and application development as well as innovation initiatives, with a focus on high performance and sustainable resin solutions, including emerging technologies such as UV curable systems.
Selective Uses of Aromatic Tackifiers in UV Curing Adhesives
UV curing adhesives are increasingly considered for industrial bonding applications due to their rapid cure speed, low energy demand, solvent free formulations, and precise process control. These advantages enable high productivity and support sustainability goals across multiple manufacturing sectors.
Despite these benefits, the formulation of UV curable adhesives remains challenging, particularly with respect to resin selection. Aromatic resins, commonly used in conventional adhesive systems, are generally less suitable for UV curing applications because their strong UV absorption reduces photoinitiator efficiency and limits cure depth. In contrast, selected hydrocarbon resins with defined structure and appropriate molecular characteristics can be successfully incorporated into UV curable systems. Such resins provide performance benefits including improved tack, viscosity control, and enhanced adhesion, while maintaining sufficient UV transparency for efficient curing.
This presentation discusses the role of hydrocarbon resins in UV curing adhesives and outlines key selection criteria such as optical properties, compatibility with UV reactive components and molecular weight. Practical guidelines are presented to support the effective use of aromatic hydrocarbon resins in UV curable adhesive formulations.
Co-author:
Dr Matthias Steffen
Breakout Session II – Smart Additives for Advanced Adhesive Formulations – 16 September 2026 – 15:30 – 16:00 – Room Whittle – F3