Dr Jun Liu
Head of Competence Center R&M, Rain Carbon Germany GmbH
Dr Jun Liu studied chemistry at Ruhr-University Bochum in Germany, where she also earned her PhD. She has spent her entire career in the German chemical industry, gaining extensive experience in application support and new product development across diverse fields including rubber, adhesives and coatings.
In 2013, she joined the Resin and Modifier business of RAIN Carbon Inc. where she successfully built up the technical services team. By 2019 she advanced to become head of Competence Center for the business line, a role in which she leads product and application development as well as innovation initiatives.
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