A simple and efficient method for the synthesis of biodegradable, highly branched polycaprolactone (PCL) is presented. The solvent-free (bulk) reaction was carried out via ring opening polymerization (ROP), catalyzed by tin octanoate Sn(Oct)₂, and it employed hyperbranched polyamide (HPPA) as a macro-initiator. The core–shell structure of the obtained products (PCL-HPPA), with the hyperbranched HPPA core and linear PCL chains as shell, was in the focus of the product characterization. ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) and elemental analysis confirmed the covalent incorporation of the HPPA in the products, as well as a high degree of grafting conversion of its amino functional groups. Confocal Raman Micro spectroscopy, and especially Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, further supported the existence of a core–shell structure in the products. Direct observation of macromolecules by means of cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, as well as gel permeation chromatography (GPC), suggested the existence of a minor ‘aggregated’ product fraction with multiple HPPA cores, which was attributed to transesterification reactions. Differential scanning calorimetry, as well as X-ray diffraction, demonstrated that the PCL-HPPA polymers displayed a similar degree of crystallinity to linear neat PCL, but that the branched products possessed smaller and less regular crystallites.

Polyacrylic resins containing glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), methyl methacrylate (MMA) and n-butyl acrylate (BA) in various molar ratios were obtained. Triaryl sulfonium hexafluorophosphate was used as a photoinitiator and reacted with the epoxy groups of GMA. The relationship between the chemical structure of polyacrylic resins and the parameters of the UV curing reaction and the functional properties of powder coatings was investigated. The appearance and mechanical properties of the coatings were determined based on thickness, gloss, roughness, deformability, scratch resistance, adhesion to steel, hardness, and water contact angle. DMA was used to assess the cross-link density. Powder coatings with good physical and mechanical properties and curing time of 70 s were obtained.