Rapidly curable vinyl ether release coatings

A solventless, silicone free, UV curable release coating composition consisting essentially of:

• (a) between about 50 and about 95 wt. % of an alkyl vinyl ether having the formula C.sub.n H.sub.2n+1 O--CH.dbd.CH.sub.2 where n has a value of from 12 to 20 and optionally containing up to 50 wt. % of a cationically polymerizable comonomer;
• (b) between about 5 and about 50 wt. % of a poly(vinyl ether) crosslinking agent and
• (c) between about 0.1 and about 10 wt. % of an onium salt initiator having the formula
• [R--A.sup.+ ][X.sup.- ]
• wherein R is an aromatic radical selected from the group of aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl which includes mono-, di- or fused ring structures and is optionally substituted with a linear, branched or cyclic C.sub.8 to C.sub.18 radical of alkyl, alkylene, alkoxy, alkyleneoxy, a nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur heterocyclic radical or a mixture thereof;
• A.sup.+ is selected from the group of iodonium cation monosubstituted with C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 alkyl or aryl optionally substituted with C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 alkyl or alkoxy and sulfonium cation disubstituted with C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 alkyl or aryl optionally substituted with C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 alkyl or alkoxy or a mixture thereof and X.sup.- is a non-basic, non-nucleophilic anion.