The industrial application of UV curable coatings is being widely commercialized at a rapid pace with very diversified product markets. UV curing has existed for many years now, but the new commercial opportunities emerging for sustainable, and climate friendly technologies have driven demand for photo-curable coating systems. It is primarily attributed to its environmentally friendly solvent-free and energy-efficient method. Precedented UV light curable coatings are being commercialized and numerous lamp sources are being extensively studied. In such an era of predominant research evolving the UV curing technology horizon, we attempt to outline the state of the art, opportunities, and challenges. This contribution attempts to highlight, in a comprehensive way, sustainable UV coating on the basis of recent research advancements, existing challenges and prospective scope in this field. With a set of prerequisite foundational knowledge into UV curable coatings and mechanisms, the review has meticulously looked at the recent research advancements. This review contribution attempts to focus on three aspects: the known science behind UV curing coatings, coupled with the recent advancements, and future opportunities.

Sustainability is a buzzword across numerous industries, and the polymer value chain is no exception. Due to the ubiquitous nature of polymer products, the conundrums and misconceptions revolving around them are universal too. In this review, we attempt to meticulously undertake some of the polymer-based sustainability conundrums and challenges, driven by technical knowledge and supported by facts. Four major topics of relevance are selected and reviewed without any bias. A basic understanding of all sustainability-related jargon is examined at the beginning to provide the necessary fundamental awareness. Thereafter, the emergence of biobased polymer products is critically analyzed against its distinct biodegradability conundrums. This is followed by an outlook and comparison of plastic products versus their alternatives. Greenwashing in the fashion industry is also reviewed in depth. Among the challenges, issues related to microplastics are assessed owing to their importance currently. It is critical that readers can understand the actual scenario and call out product propaganda with superficial claims. A meticulous overview of the existing literature and information is conducted to summarize all the conundrums, challenges, and future aspects. This examination of pertinent topics is carried out in the hope of spreading knowledge, enabling a higher critique within the polymer research community and a sustainable environment.