Process for producing low gloss coating surface by radiation curing

A method for producing a cured coating with a low gloss surface from an aqueous, radiation curable coating composition, comprising:

• (1) applying an aqueous, radiation curable coating composition on a substrate,
• (2) drying the aqueous, radiation curable coating composition, affording an at least partially dried coating composition,
• (3) irradiating the at least partially dried coating composition from step (2) with UV light having wavelengths essentially in the range from 231 to 280 nm, wherein UV light having wavelengths essentially in the wavelength range from 231 to 280 means that at least 60% of the actinic radiation power of the applied radiation source in step (3) is provided by UV light in the wavelength range of from 231 to 280 nm, affording a coating with a partially cured surface layer with reduced gloss,
• followed by
• (4) finish curing the coating from step (3) with actinic radiation, thereby fixating the partially cured surface layer with reduced gloss and affording the cured coating with the low gloss surface,
• wherein step (3) and step (4) are performed in air;
• and
• wherein the aqueous, radiation curable coating composition comprises at least one polymer, at least one reactive diluent, and water.