Paint & Coatings Industry - January 2009 - (Page 46)

Low-Odor, VOC-Free Renewable Coalescents for Latexes Used in Very Low-VOC Paints as manufacturers seek to meet consumer need for low-odor and non-toxic products. At the same time, coatings producers are looking for reduction in raw material cost and expect additive solutions that offer multiple performance benefits and are suitable for a variety of applications. Key Challenges: Regulatory Compliance and Consumer Preferences One of the most relevant developments in the consumer coatings market relates to the use of VOCs, often referred to as the “Achilles heel” of the coatings industry. VOCs in paint migrate from the film and evaporate into the atmosphere where they react with nitrogen oxide compounds to form pollutants including but not limited to low-level ozone. Pollutants are a major component of smog causing negative health and environmental impacts. Thus their reduction has become a major objective of environmental legislation. The definition of a VOC differs from region to region. For example, in the United States, VOC is measured by EPA Method 24 and is any organic material that volatilizes when subjected to 110 °C for one hour. FIGURE 1 | Coalescing principle of latex paint. Wet Paint or Latex (Solid content: 20-60%) Film forming / drying of a paint film: Phase 1 concentration and ordering water evaporates Phase 2 deformation of particles sintering Phase 3 coalescence rupture of interstitial particle membranes Phase 4 maturation, polymer diffusion mechanically stable film Remark: Process occurs only if T > MFFT wo of the most important contributors to VOCs in low-VOC paints are ethylene or propylene glycol and coalescents. We have found that specific high-purity esters of fatty acids and their blends can be utilized to provide very lowodor, VOC-free, renewable coalescents to enhance the performance of latexes used in low-VOC paints. Consumers today are more aware of health hazards and the environmental impact associated with the solvents used in paints and other household cleaning products. Sustainability has become an increasingly important factor for coatings and inks, which consume about 50% of all organic solvents manufactured for industrial applications globally. As a result, raw material suppliers need ecologically sound solutions that offer greater end user appeal while complying with the ever-more-stringent environmental legislation and consumer demands. Sustainability and wellness are key drivers of innovation, T By Dr. Anbu Natesh, Mr. Vishnu Shah and Dr. Shailesh Shah | Cognis Corporation, Ambler, PA; and Dr. Heinz-Guenther Schulte and Dr. Harald Frommelius | Cognis Corporation, Germany 46 JANUARY 2009 | W W W . P C I M A G . C O M http://WWW.PCIMAG.COM

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Paint & Coatings Industry - January 2009 Contents Viewpoint Industry News Calendar of Events Company News Names in the News Synthesis of an Eco-Friendly, General-Purpose Binder Based on Agro-Waste Materials Supplier Showcases – Green Technology Federal R&D Tax Credit Program Helps Coatings Industry in Tight Economy New Generation of Silica-Encapsulated, Ultramarine Blue High-Performance Pigments Cleaning Up in the Coating Business Low-Odor, VOC-Free Renewable Coalescents for Latexes Used in Very Low-VOC Paints Materials Watch Products Classifieds Advertiser Index

Paint & Coatings Industry - January 2009

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