Mercury in UV Curing Lamps

2023-09-24

Governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) establish and periodically update policies stipulating that the most dangerous and most toxic materials must be substituted with alternatives when identified.

uv curing system led

Mercury is used in UV curing lamps, which are widely used in various industries such as printing, coating, electronics, and medical equipment. These lamps are essential for the implementation of UV curing technology, and mercury is often present in these lamps.

The role of mercury in UV curing technology is to generate ultraviolet radiation. Mercury vapor is activated through electrically overheated filaments or pressure pumps, causing it to evaporate and emit ultraviolet light. This ultraviolet light can initiate a photosensitive reaction and rapidly cure the photosensitive material coated on the surface of an object.

However, mercury also poses some potential issues. During operation, mercury vapor may leak out, posing potential hazards to human health and the environment. Therefore, UV curing lamps that use mercury need to be strictly managed and maintained to minimize the risk of mercury leakage.

To avoid environmental issues caused by mercury leakage, some manufacturers have started to develop and promote mercury-free UV curing lamps. These mercury-free lamps can use other materials, such as cadmium chloride or fluorides, to generate ultraviolet light. Although the stability and performance of mercury-free lamps may currently be inferior to those with mercury, with advancing technology, it is expected that mercury-free lamps will gradually replace traditional mercury-containing lamps.