Perfluoropolyether structures as surface modifying agents of UV‐curable systems

New functionalised macromers containing perfluoropolyether (PFPE) structures and methacrylic end groups were synthesised and used as modifying additives for acrylic UV-curable systems. Their chemical structure is Rh-Rf-Rh, where Rh= -CH 2 O-CONH-CH 2 CH 2 OCOC(CH 3 )=CH 2 and Rf=-CF 2 O-(CF 2 CF 2 O) p (CF 2 O) q -CF 2 - with p ≃ q. Notwithstanding their very low concentration, below 0.5 wt.-%, the fluorinated macromers cause a dramatic change of the surface properties of the films, without changing their curing conditions and their bulk properties. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements showed that the macromers are able to concentrate selectively at the surfaces of the films, depending on their chemical structure and on the kind of substrate employed.