Paint & Coatings Industry - April 2008 - (Page 40)

The Future of UV an you think of any organization that has had 35 consecutive years of sales growth? A few come to mind that may fit that category, but you can count them on one hand. Statistics from past RadTech International shows indicate that the UV/EB formulated product growth for the North American market is just over 7% annually. Fueling this growth is not just the push for “green” technology and increased productivity required in manufacturing, but also the availability of new raw materials from suppliers. These new materials allow formulators the ability to produce UV coatings with improved physical properties and better product performance, which opens up new capabilities for users. Two factors are primarily driving the growth of UV-cured coatings. • Environmental – At solids up to 100%, UV-coatings can provide a reduction or elimination of VOCs and HAPs. • World-class manufacturing characterized by shorter cure times, automated processes, reduced lead time, reduced scrap, waste and rework, and just in time inventory. The integration of all these factors is creating C larger opportunities for companies within the industry. Now is the time to look to the future and take advantage of available opportunities. Coating Components Paint is typically defined as a liquid, containing a resin (or polymer), solvent (or water), additives and possibly pigment. For simplification, powder coatings and electrocoat will not be used for comparison. Resin The resin can be thought of as the “film former,” which binds all the ingredients into a continuous system and forms a film when dried. Higher-molecularweight synthetic resins are more generally referred to as polymers. Polymers are usually highly viscous, and solvent (or water) is incorporated to enable the blending of other ingredients and sprayability of the coating. The term ‘binder’ is sometimes used interchangeably with resin, but the binder is, by definition, the nonvolatile portion of the liquid vehicle of a coating. It binds the pigment particles and other additives and the paint film as a whole to the material to which it is applied. The binder provides: • adhesion to the substrate; • encapsulating and holding the pigment particles separate, preventing clustering; • flowing out; forming a smooth, uniform film to optimize film properties, including gloss; and • physical and chemical properties such as hardness, flexibility, durability, recoatability, abrasion and impact resistance, and water, UV, chemical and corrosion resistance. Solvent/Water Being a liquid, the solvent or water lowers the viscosity of the binder to allow application onto a substrate, which then evaporates to form a paint film. Solvents are measured in VOCs and are regulated by the EPA. Some, such as acetone, are considered “exempt” by the EPA and do not count as a VOC in regard to emission permits in most states. By Thomas Slavinsky, Consultant 40 APRIL APR IL 2008 | W W W . P C I M A G . C O M http://www.pcimag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Paint & Coatings Industry - April 2008

Paint & Coatings Industry - April 2008 Contents Viewpoint Industry News Calendar of Events Company News Mergers and Acquisitions Names in the News Snapshots of Success – Automotive Applications Designing UV-Curable Materials for High-Temperature Optical Fiber Applications The Future of UV Coatings is Now! Milling Media Review Part 1 – Bead Density Effect Preparation and Properties of UV-Curable Polyurethane Acrylate Resins for Metal Surfaces Conquering Color Harmony High-Performance PU Crosslinkers for Two-Component Waterborne Applications Decorative Film Laminates How Long Will the Gilding Glitter? Gaining a Competitive Advantage Using Benchmarking Supplier Showcase Materials Watch Products and Literature Classifieds Advertiser Index Automotive Color Trends New England Museum Solves Century-Old Vanderbilt Mansion Mystery

Paint & Coatings Industry - April 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.