Chemistry of Artificial Nails There are 3 types of nail system in the Nail Industry
* Acrylic This uses a liquid and powder that when mixed together form a solid *UV Gel The gel is "pre-mixed" product that forms a solid when exposed to UV light. * Fibreglass This uses the additional strength of a fibre mesh such as fibreglass, silk or very rarely cotton with a resin that hardens.
Acrylics, polymerisation and monomers An acrylic is a manmade type of plastic, it goes through a chemical process to form a solid, and this is known as polymerisation. Polymerisation This is a process by which single molecules (monomers) are joined together to form a solid Structure called a polymer. * 'Mer' means a unit * 'Mono' means a single * 'Poly' means many ~ Monomers are products that are in a liquid form. ~Oligomers, where a few single units are linked together in chains to form a semi-liquid such as a gel or resin ~ Polymers are solid forms, monomers or oligomers go through a chemical reaction to make them join together to form long chains with bonds cross-linking them together, which forms a solid.
Chemistry of the different systems The Acrylic System The acrylic system uses a liquid monomer and a powder. If the liquid is left exposed to light and at room temperature it will start to set but at a very slow rate resulting in a very soft and jelly-like structure. This process needs to be speeded up and the end result needs to be strong
The initiator and the catalyst The powder (which are tiny polymer beads, which give support and strength to the final structure) usually carries the initiator to start the polymerisation process. A catalyst is used to speed up the polymerisation process. When the liquid and the powder are mixed together, this produces a chemical reaction (this produces a small amount of heat, which makes this an exothermic reaction) that releases energy that 'kicks' the monomers into linking together. The catalyst process Benzoyl peroxide in the powder and an 'amine' in the liquid are used to produce the catalyst to instruct the monomers to link together. This forms a cross-linked structure. Benzoyl peroxide is proving to be problematical as an ingredient for artificial nails and other products are being brought onto the market. Temperature and polymerisation. A high temperature will speed up the process. Fast polymerisation can create a heat sensation on the nail plate and can produce a brittle overlay with weak areas. A low temperature will slow down the polymerisation. If the liquid monomer is cold or the client's hands are cold, crystals or frosting can be seen by the cuticle. To avoid this, keep the liquid at room temperature and warm the client's hands. Unbalanced chemical engineering. Several things can change the structure. UV light can cause discolouration or yellowing, so some systems have 'sun screens'. It is not advisable to mix different brands together, as they may not be compatible. WARNING The chemicals used in this system are methacrylates, the two most common are ethyl methacrylic (EMA) or methyl methacrylic (MMA). However, it was discovered that MMA caused many allergic reactions and was too aggressive for the skin. As a liquid monomer it is now banned in the US. There is now a campaign to ban MMA in the UK. EMA is now the most commonly used for liquid monomers. The UV Gel System The Initiator and the Catalyst This pre-mixed system needs a UV light to make it set or cure. The UV light produces the energy to start the polymerisation process. The lamp emits UVA; the tubes are usually 6 or 9 watts and depending on the design of the lamp can emit a maximum of 45 watts, which is relatively safe. The UV energy turns the semi-liquid (oligomer) into a solid. UV Gel, Oligomers and Polymerisation. The gel is from the acrylic family of chemicals; it has short chains of units (monomers) to form oligomers, which give the gel its thicker consistency. When a UV gel is subjected to the energy of UV light, the polymerisation process starts; this too is an exothermic reaction (gives off heat). The oligomers start too link together to form polymers to make a solid. Sometimes the exothermic reaction can be too great and the client can experience some pain in their fingertips. This is due to the UV Gel being applied too thickly or using the wrong type of UV lamp, always follows the manufacturer's instructions. UV Gel and Oxygen The presence of oxygen slows down or inhibits the polymerisation process which gel can be quite sensitive to. This creates a sticky layer, which needs to be thoroughly removed to avoid any allergic reaction. American and European Gel ~ two distinct types of gel. American UV Gel These are based on epoxy and urethane acryl ate oligomers and tend to be self-levelling. They need to be applied in thin layers to avoid flooding the cuticle and sidewalls and they are very resistant to solvents making them more difficult to remove with solvents. European UV Gels These are usually urethane acrylates plus esters of acrylic. This style of gel often has a component system made up of - a bonder gel to make sure the gel does not lift from the nail plate, a building sculpting gel and a sealer gel. The gel tends to be thicker and stays in place when applied.
The Fibreglass System This can be called a 3-component system, as fabric mesh; resin and resin activators are required for this system The Fabric Mesh This provides a cross linked structure to give the overlay strength. The most common in use are fibreglass and natural silk. Fibreglass is slightly stronger than silk and is therefore more popular. Fibreglass has a high glass content, which makes it more difficult to wet (soak up the resin) and can result in the mesh being visible. Silk, however is easier to wet, so less likely to be visible at the end result. The Resin This belongs to the acrylic family of chemicals; it is a Cyanoacrylate, which is a monomer (liquid form). It is sensitive to air or moisture and will cure (polymerise) when exposed to either. Ethyl Cyanoacrylate is used as an adhesive for nail tips and when made-up in a thicker consistency, can be used as a resin for the Fibreglass Nail System. The Resin Activator Resin takes about 15 minutes to set or cure and can result in a very pliable coating that can peel off easily. An activator is used to speed up this process and produce a strong overlay. The activator is usually an alcohol-base product or an alkaline. There are two types of Resin Activator; a spray on or a brush on. The brush on activators is becoming more popular due to their more environmentally friendly application. Polymerisation When the resin polymerised, it forms long chains but does not have any cross-links, which is why the mesh is required. This polymerisation produces an exothermic reaction (heat), which some clients can experience with this system. This is due to the process being speeded up too quickly and if this happens it can also produce a weak, brittle and cloudy overlay with tiny cracks. Click here to see our range of nail system products
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