Polymers Paint Colour Journal (PPCJ) October 2018 by The Coatings Group

LEADING JOURNAL FOR THE COATINGS INDUSTRY IN EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST VOL 208 – NO 4645 OCTOBER 2018

Inside: Going Green Inside: PUD for HP wood coatings

Industry covered Performance coatings in the power sector

RESINS • GLOSS & COLOUR MEASUREMENT • POWDER COATINGS • THE NORDICS • IRAN PPCJ FC OCT 2.indd 1

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SECTION CONTENTS REPORT

VOL 208 No 4645 October 2018

Resins

Wood Coatings

18 Driving forward

28 Meet the latest self-crosslinking PUD

How enriched modular acrylic resins are helping to drive coating performance standards for metal applications

In part one of a two part article, BASF evaluates a self-crosslinking PUD in high performance wood coatings

20 Why we’re turning to terrazzo

Area/Country Focus

Why terrazzo flooring, which can be more expensive to install than traditional flooring, is making a comeback

32 The Nordics Health and environment take centre stage

Market Report

35 Iran

22 Methyl methacrylate Looming production shutdowns and a second dip in operating rates are challenging the global MMA market

Gloss & Colour Measurement

Greener products and localisation will bring in market consolidation and opportunities for growth

Bead Mills 37 Digitising the wet grinding process

26 Latest news

Bühler reports on how launching digital services over the next few years can be used to optimise the production process

From automatic online gloss control to Axalta’s sale of its 50,000th spectrophotometer

Marine Coatings

Powder Coatings

39 Improving anti-fouling performance

27 Latest developments in the field Powder coating technology developed specifically for use on MDF and other wood products

Regular Features

Evonik reveals how SMS improves anti-fouling performance in cuprous oxide-based coatings

Nano Coatings 42 Increasing break resistance

03 From the Editor

How a hair-thin nanotech coating improves break resistance of tempered and untempered glass

04 News

GOING GREEN

08 Diary

01 Eliminating lead in the Asian coating industry 10 Letter from America 05 The BASF Biomass Balance Approach 12 Business Matters 07 Plant-based binders from DSM Coating Resins 14 Powder Matters 11 Helping Axalta’s customers to become greener 43 Products 12 Synthos’ environmentally friendly dispersions 44 Applications COVER IMAGE CREDIT: www.indestructible.co.uk

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FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Global links for coatings professionals 26 – 28 February 2019 DWTC, Dubai UAE 14 – 15 May 2019 InterContinental Asiana Saigon Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

2019

11 – 12 June 2019 Safari Park Hotel Nairobi, Kenya

Asia Pacific Coatings Sho Show 2019

2019

4 – 6 September 2019 BITEC Bangkok, Thailand

23 – 24 September 2019 Egypt International Exhibition Center New Cairo, Egypt FOR UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON ANY OF THE ABOVE EVENTS, PLEASE CONTACT THE COATINGS GROUP

 +44 (0)1737 855021  coatingsgroup@dmgevents.com  www.coatingsgroup.com  'The CoatingsGroup'  @CoatingsGroup

EDITORIAL SECTION COMMENT REPORT

Futurology and the man from IKEA...

Chris Malthouse Editor, Coatings Group christinemalthouse@dmgevents.com

magine a world without adhesives and sealants… This is what everyone was asked to do at the opening of the FEICA 2018 Conference and Expo, which coincided with the launch of FEICA’s new thought provoking video. “They are the hidden binding force that shapes our world… they allow things to become much more than the sum of their parts. Without adhesives and sealants we could not have all the convenient things that we value in the modern world. They are the great enablers of a sustainable future.” More than 600 participants from 35 countries attended the event, which took place last month in the beautiful city of Riga in Latvia. The main theme of the conference was adhesives and sealants in the digital age and to kick-start the proceedings we were treated to a selection of key note speakers who all definitely got those brain cells working overtime.

nnProfessional Troublemaker When someone describes themselves as a Futurologist, Digital Philosopher and Professional Troublemaker you know you are not going to be bored! And Aric Dromi certainly didn’t disappoint, as he explored a world where ‘technology suppresses natural evolution and machines become a disposable basket for cognitive function’. This was followed by Richard van Hooijdonk, a trend watcher and expert spoke about digitalisation in the supply chain.

nnIKEA uncovered Third on the podium was Johan Bruck, Material & Innovation Leader for Polymer EDITORIAL Editor: CHRISTINE MALTHOUSE Tel: +44 (0)1737 855106 Email: christinemalthouse@dmgevents.com

FAN LANDERS Asia Pacific & India Tel: +44 (0)1737 855078 Email: fanlanders@dmgevents.com

Deputy Editor: SALLY ROBERTS Tel: +44 (0)1737 855161 Email: sallyroberts@dmgevents.com

ADVERTISEMENT PRODUCTION Production Manager: MELANIE CHILES Tel: +44 (0)1737 855044 Email: melaniechiles@dmgevents.com

ADVERTISEMENT SALES RANJEET SANDHU UK, Germany & Switzerland Tel: +44 (0)1737 855105 Email: ranjeetsandhu@dmgevents.com CHRIS REYNOLDS Europe (excluding UK, Germany & Switzerland), Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan & Iran Tel: +44 (0)1737 855109 Email: chrisreynolds@dmgevents.com JESSICA SZUTS-NARANJO Middle East (excluding Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan & Iran), Africa & America Tel: +44 (0)1737 855162 Email: jessicaszutsnaranjo@dmgevents.com or jessicasn@dmgevents.com

MARKETING Marketing Manager: KIERAN PROVERBS Tel: +44 (0)1737 855067 Email: kieranproverbs@dmgevents.com CORPORATE Vice President: IAN FAUX Email: ianfaux@dmgevents.com

Materials for IKEA, who gave us a very honest and interesting insight into what really goes on inside the world’s largest furniture retailer. There always seems something very comforting about the ubiquitousness of IKEA’s most popular ranges and I half expected Johan to ask the audience how many of us had a Billy bookcase or a Poäng armchair! Several of the first and just one of the latter if you are wondering! See the December issue for more on FEICA 2018.

nnTasty technology Montreux in Switzerland was the setting for PPG’s first ever Coatings Innovation Summit last month, which brought together the key people and latest products from a variety of sectors all under one roof. Like a tasting menu in a Michelin starred restaurant with all the top chefs present, there were so many brilliant technologies to look at and discover more about, I really didn’t know which way to turn first. Some we have already covered in PPCJ over the past couple of years, others I had not heard of. See p5 for a quick taste and next month’s issue for more details.

nnSustainability catch-up This issue contains our annual Going Green supplement. From an update on eliminating lead in the Asian coating industry and BASF’s Biomass Balance Approach to DSM Coating Resins’ plant-based binders that can be used as alternatives to standard fossil fuel-based binders in commercial industrial wood coatings; it’s a must read for all in the industry.

An official journal of the European Resin Manufacturers Association PUBLISHED BY: dmg events, Quartz House, 20 Clarendon Road, Redhill, Surrey RH1 1QX, UK Tel: +44 (0)1737 855000 Fax: +44 (0)1737 855034 Website: www.coatingsgroup.com ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: UK £200.00/Outside UK £252.00 Single copies: £28.00 Polymers Paint Colour Journal is published 10 times a year

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Tel: +44 (0)1737 855044 Fax: +44 (0)1737 855034 Email: subscriptions@dmgeventsme.com; Address: Subscriptions, dmg events, Quartz House,20 Clarendon Road, Redhill, Surrey RH1 1QX, UK Printed by: Pensord Press, Tram Road Pontllanfraith, Blackwood Gwent NP12 2YA, Wales ISSN 1357-731X Vol 208; Number 4645; October 2018 Founded 1879 © dmg events 2018

twitter.com/CoatingsGroup facebook.com/TheCoatingsGroup Search ‘The Coatings Group’ in LinkedIn

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SECTION NEWS REPORT

NEWS IN BRIEF Dow to expand global silicone resin capacity As part of its broader investment plan to meet silicones demand growth and drive innovation, The Dow Chemical Company has announced the construction of a new silicone resin plant to expand its global capacity and meet increased demand for high value, speciality silicone products in key industries and emerging markets worldwide. The new facility is expected to come online in 2021 and will be located in Dow’s existing manufacturing hub in Zhangjiagang, eastern China.

Birla Carbon releases sustainability report Birla Carbon has announced the release of its 2018 Sustainability Report, titled, ‘Share the Strength – working together for a sustainable future’. This is the sixth consecutive annually released sustainability report since 2013. The report details Birla Carbon’s progress across key performance indicators, while aligning its sustainability progress to its Purpose – Share the Strength.

Covestro promotes entrepreneurship Start-ups in chemistry stand for innovation and entrepreneurship but deserve more attention. With new awards for young start-up teams and university spinoffs, Covestro is setting an example for the chemical industry: the best ideas will be systematically promoted and linked with the economy. The polymer company has honoured founders with ideas for innovative, sustainable materials both in the context of the University Innovation Challenge in Frankfurt am Main and at the new Chem Start-up Award in Cologne, Germany.

BASF opens ‘Lean Lab’ in Münster BASF’s Coatings division has opened a new laboratory for automotive OEM coatings at its site in Münster, Germany. The modular “Lean Lab” concept aims to ensure optimised, digitalised and transparent processes and efficient use of resources in the laboratory area throughout Europe. Discrete working processes of the lab employees and the use of standardised and automated processes allow BASF to meet future market requirements quickly and flexibly. In line with this, the workforce in Münster is

supported by a lab dosing machine that was specially developed for BASF and is the only one of its kind in the coatings industry. At 12m long and weighing eight tonnes, it can manufacture standard formulas from more than 300 liquid raw materials. Since 2014, BASF has invested €24M to completely overhaul an existing

laboratory building for this purpose, which included adding an extra storey. The building now features four bright and airy laboratory levels with spacious offices and state-of-the-art lab workplaces that are all digitally linked. Discrete work processes are intelligently designed to foster customer-specific product developments, manufacture paint samples and perform application tests. An optimised logistics concept also ensures that all materials for daily work – and for this work only – are available, which positively impacts resource efficiency.

AkzoNobel acquires Spanish decorative paints and wood care producer Xylazel SA Akzo Nobel has acquired Xylazel SA, a 100% subsidiary of Pharma Mar SA. With this acquisition AkzoNobel strengthens its business and becomes a leader in the decorative paints market in Spain. It also means the company is now the leader in the country’s woodcare segment and has strengthened its position in metal care. The

transaction marks the 45-year anniversary of AkzoNobel on the Spanish market. Xylazel has about 100 employees, with one production facility in Porriño. Revenue for 2017 totalled approximately €20M. Thierry Vanlancker, CEO of AkzoNobel, said: “As a part of our transformative strategy, we continue to focus on leading

market positions delivering leading performance. This couples organic growth with strategic bolt-on acquisitions on top of operational excellence and continuous improvement. By acquiring Xylazel, we will be able to further grow our business in the region and strengthen our position as the leading paints and coatings company in Europe.”

Veterans’ Garage collaborates with HMG Paints in 1930s Airport restoration Veterans’ Garage Manchester, based at Airport City, is getting a fresh lick of paint as plans progress to the next stages in renovating the Grade II listed former Airport Terminal. HMG Paints, The UK’s largest independent paint manufacturer, is continuing its support with further donations of paint for the refreshment of the temporary Veterans’ Garage premises. At the same time, planning continues for extensive renovations of the Grade II listed 1930s Airport Terminal. Veterans’ Garage, cofounded in 2015 by the Redshaws, an ex-military family suffering the impacts of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,

have together created a unique approach to providing support for military veterans and emergency service personnel across the North West. The Redshaw family hopes the project, which was named North-West Social Enterprise of the Year 2017, will be a long-standing testament to veterans, giving ex-servicemen, servicewomen and their families a multi-functional hub to build skills and seek support,

but also to socialise and make friends. “We are dedicated to working with local businesses who are active and supportive in the community and felt that HMG Paints very much fit with our ethos. We plan to have a long-term relationship with HMG Paints, not only utilising their decorative paints range, but also their impressive automotive coatings for our restoration garage,” said Dave Redshaw, Veterans’ Garage Co-Founder.

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PPG hosts first Innovation Summit PPG held its inaugural Innovation Summit in Montreux, Switzerland, last month, to provide customers across market segments with an overview of innovative paint and coatings technologies that the company is developing. Recent innovations highlighted during the threeday summit, include: Paint that changes colour in response to heat – known as thermochromic technology – enabling assessment of an overheating object simply by sight; automotive paint

systems that minimise energy consumption, emissions and operating costs, including one system that reduces energy costs to paint a car by 30%; a technology inspired by eggplants that allows solar heat to pass

through topcoat pigments while reflecting heat away from the surface of aircraft, automobiles and buildings; a coatings technology that enables wind turbines to turn more rapidly, generating increased energy; a coating that can repel substances, allowing people to wash their cars by simply leaving them out in the rain and airplanes to minimise the build-up of ice while flying; and a wall paint that absorbs formaldehyde. See next month’s PPCJ for more information.

Nippon paint marine introduces world’s first biocide free SPC antifouling Japan-headquartered Nippon Paint Marine has introduced, what is thought to be, the world’s first biocide-free, low friction self-polishing copolymer (SPC) antifouling technology. Aquaterras, a product name derived from the Japanese word for shining and the Latin for water is an entirely new type of marine coating developed using neither biocide materials nor silicone. Nippon Paint Marine Director John Drew said: “Typically ships’ antifouling paints have contained some form of biocide copper, tributyltin, co-

biocides. But the use of biocides today is strictly controlled by both national and international regulations, such as the BPR in the EU. And while there are no immediate plans to further regulate the use of approved biocides, we cannot rule out the possibility that copper in antifouling will be regulated in the near future.” The technology adopts an advanced antifouling mechanism based around the anti-thrombogenic polymers used in the construction of artificial hearts and blood vessels in the medical sector.

Clariant’s sixth DJSI listing

Siegwerk strengthens Canadian business by buying Ultra Inks Inc

Clariant has, once again, been listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) 2018. This marks the sixth consecutive year that Clariant was recognised as one of the most sustainable chemical companies worldwide and is a testament to the company’s long-standing commitment to sustainability. The analysts at RobecoSAM confirmed Clariant as best in class in the categories of Materiality, Environmental Reporting, Water Related Risks and Human Capital Development and, therefore, across all three dimensions of the assessment. Clariant was ranked among the top companies in the chemical sector in both the DJSI Europe and the DJSI World.

Siegwerk Druckfarben AG & Co KGaA, a leading international suppliers of printing inks for packaging applications and labels, has signed a contract to purchase Ultra Inks Inc. The Canadian expert for flexographic inks is located in Bois-des-Filion, Québec, and focuses primarily on water-based flexo inks for narrow web and paper and board applications. With this acquisition, Siegwerk further expands its product portfolio for packaging and label printers, while concretely strengthening its local footprint in the Canadian market. “Ultra Inks is a well-established expert for packaging and label inks with a very strong local reputation, especially in Québec. The

NEWS IN BRIEF Chemours renews Teflon contract with Yung Chi The Chemours Company, a global chemistry company with leading market positions in titanium technologies, fluoroproducts and chemical solutions, has signed a three-year extension of a trademark license agreement for the Teflon™ brand with Yung Chi Paint & Varnish Manufacturing Company, the largest producer of decorative paints in Taiwan. The collaboration between Chemours and Yung Chi began 30 years ago when the two companies worked together to develop innovative coatings technologies for the Taiwanese market.

Polinox sale complete AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals has completed its acquisition of Brazil’s Polinox, South America’s leading producer of ketone peroxides, an essential ingredient in the manufacture of polymers. The purchase expands the company’s footprint in South America, establishing it as one of the region’s leading producers of curing systems for polyester thermoset resins.

Birla Carbon Spain to increase production

company is known for its highly personalised inks and services and, therefore, is a perfect fit to our Siegwerk family,” explained Dave Hiserodt, Head of CUSA Region at Siegwerk. Going forward, Siegwerk will continue to produce and serve customers from Ultra’s production site in Bois-desFilion. Ultra Inks Inc will become part of Siegwerk Canada.

Birla Carbon Spain, the carbon black manufacturer in the Iberian Peninsula, has announced investment of €5M towards sustainability and energy efficiency projects, to increase its production from 80,000 to 95,000t/yr. This is in line with Birla Carbon’s earlier announcement, to support customers in growing markets. The plant also inaugurated a new administrative office and laboratory complex within its premises.

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LETTER FROM AMERICA

Cynthia Challener discusses the current market for industrial wood coatings

A look at the North American industrial wood coatings market

nnSTRONG GROWTH DUE TO

RECOVERY FROM RECESSION

The volume of the global industrial wood coatings market in 2016 is estimated by consulting firm Kusumgar, Nerlfi & Growney (KNG) to be 5.8bn formulated wet pounds (nearly US$8bn) and growing at 4%/yr. North America accounted for 8% and 11% of the global market in volume and value terms, respectively. Demand for industrial wood coatings is largely driven by the construction sector and, thus, tends to track with housing starts and remodelling. In North America, growth is strong due to the strong recovery from the recession earlier in the decade. Given the wide range of substrates and applications, coatings formulators rely on a variety of resin chemistries, including alkyds, acrylics, nitrocellulose and polyurethanes

Image: www.basf.com

ndustrial wood coatings are coatings applied to wood and wood composite substrates – some materials and some finished products – at the factory. Examples include joinery, kitchen cabinets, furniture, flooring, millwork, speciality wood products (musical instruments, for instance) and exterior building products. Each of these end-use applications, and often different sub-segments within each, have different coating performance requirements. A variety of wood species are used in the different applications as well. Maple, Walnut and different exotic woods are used in highend products, while lower-cost species include African Mahogany, Pine, Oak and Poplar. Composites woods products include medium density fibreboard (MDF), high density fibreboard (HDF), medium density overlays (MDO), softwood plywood (SWPW), and particleboard. The wood-like substrates fibre cement and vinyl are often included in the industrial wood segment by coatings manufacturers, who offer a range of sealers, primer and paints.

(PUs), according to Nick Bartoszek, Global Marketing Director for New Product Development with Sherwin-Williams’ Industrial Wood Division. Others include polyesters, urea, and melamine systems. Coatings can be solventborne, waterborne, powder, and 100% solids, and both oneand two-component systems are common.

nnSHIFT TO WATERBORNE IN THE USA

Water-based coatings accounted for 39% of the wet pounds and 28% of the dollar value of industrial wood coatings sold worldwide in 2016, according to Steven Nerlfi, a Director with KNG. Solvent-based coatings, including traditional and high solids formulations, are largely used for wood furniture and cabinetry. Radiationcured coatings, meanwhile, accounted for 5% of the wet pounds and 16% of the dollar value for industrial wood coatings in 2016. Although solvent-based systems still account for more than half of sales due to the dominance of China in the

industrial wood market, there has been a shift to waterborne coatings in the USA and Europe. The bulk of building products customers have moved to waterborne or radiation cure technologies due to environmental regulations and a desire to be more environmentally friendly, according to Carl Gaynor, Marketing Director with Axalta’s Industrial Wood Coatings business. Waterborne acrylic and polyurethanes coatings are largely used on building products, primarily flatboard, and predominately in primers and sealers. They are, however, experiencing growing use in topcoats as performance is improved, according to James Monroe, Market Segment Manager for Furniture and Flooring at BASF. Regions such as southern California, the Mountain States, Texas, and the North East are increasingly focussed on lowering VOCs. UV-cured coatings (urethane or polyester acrylates) find widespread use for pre-finished flooring and flatstock applications, such as doors, kitchen cabinets and furniture due  13

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NEWS IN BRIEF PPG raises prices on packaging coatings

Bodo Möller Chemie establishes its own Adhesive Competence Center

PPG has announced that it is implementing a global price increase of eight to 10% on all packaging coatings technologies. The change is effective October 1, 2018, or as permissible by contract and applies to all packaging coatings products globally. Continued cost pressures from raw materials, freight, distribution and labour in every region necessitated the price adjustments.

Germany-based Bodo Möller Chemie Group, has established its own Adhesive Competence Center (ACC). The new unit consolidates all services related to the requirements of industrial adhesive bonding. The ACC concentrates all knowledge for adhesive applications in automotive, rail, aerospace and electronics industry. The testing laboratory offers important knowledge for industrial usage of adhesives and polymer resins and implemented more than 15 test methods and standards. The laboratory is certified according to EN6701-2 (Adhesive bonding for railway industries), DIN 2304 (Quality requirements for

DNV-GL certification for Trelleborg’s tiles

BASF has announced that it intends to increase the production capacity of 1,6-Hexanediol (HDO) at its Ludwigshafen Verbund site by more than 50%. After the start-up in 2021, BASF’s global annual nameplate capacity of HDO will be more than 70,000t/ yr at its production facilities in Ludwigshafen, Germany and Freeport, Texas, USA.

Trelleborg’s offshore operation has recently been awarded DNVGL certification for its Vikodeck fireproofing tiles. Manufactured using Trelleborg’s next-generation Firestop material, the newly certified Vikodeck tiles are lighter and thinner than any current passive fire protection materials available to the market and can be tailored to withstand various chemical and mechanical conditions.

adhesive bonding processes) and ISO 9001:2015 (Quality management). The test methods include LSS, peel test, ageing, surface analysing and any other required for special applications. “Our ACC enables the industry to open up an added value chain. We open up our technical knowledge to support the R&D-departments of our industrial clients,” said Frank Haug, CEO of Bodo Möller Chemie. The long-term experience in the market, conformity with the important ISO standards and competence in applications for modern adhesives give clients from different industrial areas valuable assistance.

BASF to increase capacity for Hexanediol “By increasing our HDO production capacity, we will continue to support the fastgrowing customer demand for high-quality HDO formulations globally. The expansion is in line with the general trend for high performance and environmentally friendly technologies in the automotive, furniture and packaging industry,” said Dr Andrea

Evonik expands its hydrophobic fumed silica capacities

Brenntag buys Desbro Group

supporting the growth of existing application areas in highly specialised fields and at opening up new, innovative uses,” said Johannes Ohmer, member of the Board of Management of Evonik Resource Efficiency GmbH. Hydrophobic fumed silica, which Evonik markets under the brand name Aerosil®, is used for rheology control and as an anti-settling agent in coating systems, adhesive and sealant materials and as a thickener and anti-caking agent, eg in silicone rubber, toners and cosmetics.

Brenntag, a global market leader in chemical distribution, has entered into an agreement to acquire the Desbro Group in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and the UAE. The company, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, is one of the largest and long-standing distributors in East Africa. The Group offers a broad portfolio of commodities and speciality chemicals to diverse strategic customer industries in East Africa and the Middle East, such as plastics, coatings and construction, textile, water treatment and increasingly, life sciences. The acquired business generated sales of €70M in the financial year 2017. Closing of the transaction is subject to certain contractual closing conditions and regulatory approvals and is expected to occur in Q1, 2019.

Tests prove suitability of Heraeus infrared curing A series of comprehensive tests carried out at the Heraeus Noblelight Applications Centre in Neston, Wirral, UK, in conjunction with Whitford Ltd, have demonstrated that Whitford’s Xylan coatings are capable of being cured more quickly with infrared than by using conventional, large footprint, hot air convection ovens. Specifically, infrared offers the benefits of reduced process times and energy costs. Investigations are currently ongoing for using infrared heating in the coating repair market in the offshore and chemical processing sectors.

Frenzel, President, BASF Intermediates Division. Michael Britt, SVP, BASF Intermediates Europe, added: “With the investment we provide our customers more flexibility and reliability of supply than we did before. The volumes from the additional capacity in Ludwigshafen will mainly serve the strong European customer base, as well as the fast growing Asian market.”

Evonik Industries is expanding its capacities for refinement fumed silica in Rheinfelden (Germany). The Group will invest an amount in the low double-digit million euro range to expand its Rheinfelden facility, which further processes hydrophilic silica to a hydrophobic variety. The expansion, scheduled to become operational in late 2020, is associated with Evonik’s effort to consistently expand its silica business for speciality applications. “Our expansion in Rheinfelden is aimed at

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Black Bear raises €11M to solve the global waste tyre problem and slash CO2 Every year, 1.5bn tyres reach the end of their life. The vast majority get dumped or incinerated, releasing massive amounts of CO2 and destroying highly valuable resources. To solve this waste tyre problem, Black Bear has developed a unique carbonisation process to transform used tyres into recovered Carbon Black (rCB). The company has now successfully closed a growth funding round of €11M to refine the environmentally-friendly process and to start the worldwide roll-out of the technology. Four new partners have become stakeholders: the largest Dutch banking corporation ING Group, two Netherlands-based investment firms 5square and Social Impact Ventures, as well as the conglomerate SCG from Thailand. “This new consortium means much more than just fresh capital,” says CEO Martijn Lopes Cardozo, “they are strategic partners, who will play a key role in the development of our technology and who will speed up our international roll-out.” Existing investors, including the original funders Chemelot Ventures and DOEN Participaties (Ventures), have also contributed to the round.

Black Bear’s industrial-scale prototype plant is located in Nederweert, The Netherlands. It is capable of processing more than one million waste tyres annually, producing 5000t of Carbon Black, 5000t of bio-fuel, 3000t of steel and one MW hour of green electricity. The plant is operated in partnership with Kargro, one of Europe’s foremost recyclers of tyres. Black Bear now offers the first Cradle-toCradle Certified recovered Carbon Black to customers worldwide. One of more than 30 clients is AkzoNobel: The coatings company is one of the plant’s earliest customers and uses the raw material to make powder coatings.

PPG announces Hodij Coatings acquisition PPG has announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire Hodij Coatings, a leading Performance Coatings distributor in The Netherlands. PPG will close the transaction October 1, 2018. Financial terms were not disclosed. Hodij Coatings, established in 1979, distributes a portfolio of well-known professional paint brands in the automotive aftersales, protective and industrial coatings segments. It

has its head office in Hoogeveen, in the north of The Netherlands with a branch in Eersel in the south. The company employs 37, predominantly customer facing, staff across its operations. Reported sales in 2017 were US$17.8M. “Hodij Coatings is a wellmanaged business, providing excellent customer service to a diverse portfolio of customers in the north and south of The Netherlands,”

said Jérôme Zamblera, Vice President Automotive Refinish PPG Europe, Middle East and Africa. “This acquisition will provide our business with even greater opportunities to approach our customer base with an integrated approach; bringing the expertise and technology of our combined businesses to the customer through a single point and strengthen our presence in this important region.”

Indestructible gets NTPC seal of approval in India The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), which oversees the power generation industry across India, has turned to Birmingham, UKbased Indestructible Paint Ltd for a key element of its ongoing maintenance programme. The performance coating manufacturer has achieved approved supplier status for two products as part of NTPC’s industrial gas turbine overhaul programme. “We are now supplying our Ipcote Sacrificial Aluminium

Basecoat, which has been extensively proven in the highly demanding aero engine and industrial gas turbine sectors, and which is designed to resist abrasion, corrosion and the action of operating fluids and chemicals,” said

John Bourke, Global Sales Manager at Indestructible Paint. “Additionally, the coating system will also include the associated Ipseal inorganic sealcoat, which provides a non-conductive barrier coating.” This important recognition and achievement by Indestructible Paint not only reflects on the quality and performance capabilities of its products but also pays testimony to the hard work and commitment of the company’s distributor in the region, Matcon Hicoats PVT Ltd.

NEWS IN BRIEF Bodo Möller to distribute DowSil in MEA Bodo Möller Chemie Group has been appointed exclusive distributor for Dow Silicone Elastomers of Dow Consumer Solutions for industrial markets in the Middle East and Africa, except Israel and Saudi Arabia. Dowsil is a world leading brand in silicone adhesives, sealants and silicon-based technology for different applications in automotive and aerospace industry, rail, household appliances, electrical and electronic, as well as mould making.

DuPont increases prices of Zytel globally Effective October 1, or as soon as contracts allow, DuPont Transportation & Advanced Polymers has increased prices for DuPont Zytel® products by the equivalent of USS$550/t. This increase will be applied globally and higher increases may be required for some grades.

Brenntag completes CCC acquisition Brenntag has completed the acquisition of the chemicals distribution business of Canada Colors and Chemicals Ltd. The acquisition agreement was signed in July, 2018. CCC offers a full-line portfolio with operations in the main industrial areas across all of Canada and serves a highly diversified customer base in industries, such as life sciences, water treatment, coatings, construction, energy and mining.

Checkmate moves Checkmate Fire Solutions, the UK’s biggest passive fire protection specialist, is relocating its south east office to larger premises in Harlow as a result of ongoing growth.

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SECTION DIARY | NEWS REPORT

DIARY October 23-24, 2018 PRA’s 11th International Woodcoatings Congress Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.european-coatings.com October 24-25, 2018 North African Coatings Congress 2018 Hyatt Hotel, Casablanca, Morocco www.coatingsgroup.com October 25-27, 2018 Adhesive & Sealant Eurasia Istanbul Expo Center, Turkey www.aseurasia.com November 13-15, 2018 Advances in Coatings Technology ACT‘18 Conference Expo Silesia, Sosnowiec, Poland www.impib.pl December 4-6, 2018 ChinaCoat 2018 Guangzhou, China www.chinacoat.net December 5-7, 2018 Coating Japan Makuhari Messe, Tokyo, Japan www.coating-japan.jp/en January 30-February 1, 2019 The Coatings Summit The Westin Vendome, Paris, France www.coatings-summit.com February 26-28, 2019 Middle East Coatings Show DWTC, Dubai, UAE www.coatingsgroup.com March 19-21, 2019 European Coatings Show Exhibition Centre, 90471 Nürnberg, Germany www.european-coatings-show.com May 14-15, 2019 Asia Coatings Congress 2019 InterContinental Asiana Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam www.coatingsgroup.com June 11-12, 2019 East African Coatings Congress 2019 Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya www.coatingsgroup.com

Major EU study warns nanopigments may pose more dangers than has been assumed A major study commissioned by the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials has raised major concerns over health risks that could be caused by nano-sized pigments. It concluded that existing assessment techniques may not be able to properly identify the damage cause by these paints, inks and coatings. Its conclusion raises special concerns about inhaling nanoparticles and their ability to enter the body and damage cells. Industrial and professional workers handling “dry and free nanopigments, which may become airborne present the highest concern,” it said, citing animal studies indicating potential health problems. The observatory warned that nanopigments cannot adequately be assessed because of missing information on exposure, a dearth of reliable nano-specific toxicological data and a general lack of public-domain data. As a result, controls on nano-based products need to be tightened, said the report: “There should be an increased emphasis on exposure assessment and control.” See https://euon.echa.europa. eu/documents/23168237/24095696/070918_ euon_nanopigments_literature_study_report_ en.pdf/58977ab1-1059-4b41-f003-18ae9d7a157cl • Meanwhile, EU paint exporters could benefit from shortlisted duties that the Chinese government is planning to impose on American exports, should the US Trade Representative (USTR) push ahead with plans to increase 10%

duties on Chinese tech exports to 25%. Beijing has shortlisted pigments and products based on bismuth vanadate; pigments for ceramics, enamels and glass; polyester and ethylene paints and varnishes dispersed or dissolved in non-aqueous media; and other polymer paints and varnishes in aqueous medium based on fluororesin, as likely to attract 25% duties, if the USA goes ahead with its protection plans. • The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has recommended that the European Commission add printing ink 4,4’-bis(dimethylamino)-4’’(methylamino)trityl alcohol with ≥0.1% of Michler’s ketone (EC No. 202-027-5), also called Michler’s base, to a REACH list of chemicals requiring special authorisation for EU usage. The EU agency considers this chemical a carcinogen. ECHA has also recommended that artists’ paint ingredient trilead bis(carbonate) dihydroxide be added to the EU’s authorisation list because it damages reproduction. See https://echa.europa. eu/documents/10162/23821863/news_annex_ ninth_authorisation_list_recommendation_pc_ en/8d8a6ad4-86b2-2840-321e-8a963eb0e685 • The EU has revamped its ‘poison centres’ website – https://poisoncentres.echa.europa. eu/about-us – to offer support to importers and traders selling hazardous chemicals, including certain coatings, on complying with European rules on submitting information. This includes data on chemical composition, toxicological information and product category.

People Hahn joins Axalta

Terrence Hahn has officially joined Axalta as Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Charles Shaver, who will continue at Axalta as NonExecutive Chairman. Hahn will also serve on Axalta’s Board of Directors, expanding the Board’s size from eight to nine Directors. Axalta previously announced this transition on July 25, 2018. “My career experiences – at Honeywell and Air Products and living in Asia, Europe and the Americas – have built my passion for delivering

value to stakeholders every day,” said Hahn. “Innovative offerings, exceptional customer service, and efficient operations from an extraordinarily talented team will continue to be hallmarks of Axalta as we drive both organic and inorganic growth. I am excited about the bright and bold future ahead of us.” Shaver’s new role

As part of the strategy to separate Specialty Chemicals from its Paints and Coatings business, AkzoNobel announced in March 2018 that it had agreed to sell 100% of its Specialty Chemicals business to The Carlyle Group and GIC. Upon completion

of the transaction, expected before the end of 2018, Charles W Shaver will join the new company as CEO. Prior to joining Axalta, he was CEO and President of the TPC Group and previously he held a number of roles with General Chemical and Arch Chemicals, having started his career with the Dow Chemical Company.

8 PPCJ • October 2018 www.coatingsgroup.com

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BYK Additives Everything runs as it should

Several million bicycles are manufactured annually throughout the world. In production circles, bikes and BYK are virtually mentioned in the same breath. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s because, during production, not only great attention is paid to trouble-free technology, but also to perfect coating of the frame and fork. With its additives for powder coatings, BYK has the unique know-how to guarantee an optimum coating surface and to improve, for example, the scratch resistance of the applied coating. No wonder, then, that BYK is very much in demand when it comes to powder coatings. www.byk.com

PPCJ_BYK-AZ_PowerCoating_Bike_ET121018_210x297_EN.indd 1

08.09.18 08:38

LETTER FROM AMERICA

Cynthia Challener discusses the current market for industrial wood coatings

A look at the North American industrial wood coatings market

nnSTRONG GROWTH DUE TO

RECOVERY FROM RECESSION

Image: www.basf.com

nnSHIFT TO WATERBORNE IN THE USA

10 PPCJ • October 2018 www.coatingsgroup.com

Cynthia OCT 18.indd 1

26/09/2018 12:36

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BUSINESS SECTION MATTERS REPORT

In his column this month, Terry Knowles looks at the latest reports on pigments

A trio of pigment reports

n my previous column I covered the materials kaolin and calcium carbonate and as a matter of serendipity I can continue the same theme, this month with news of a report on the titanium dioxide sector, which then bridges to two other recent studies covering the pigments sector.

Ceresana has just published a new study serving this segment of industry, which is of course a bedrock of so much of the coatings sector. There’s not a lot of meat on the bones of the press release (as is often the case with market research study releases these days) but the main figures of interest are that the Asia Pacific industry occupied almost 46% of global demand in 2017, with North America and Western Europe following with almost 17% respectively. A breakdown of the applications reveals that TiO2 pigments find their greatest level of consumption in the paint and coatings sector at 56%, followed by plastics, paper and other pigment uses, such as sun-tan formulations and foods. Although the TiO2 sector as we know it is highly concentrated, it would be an omission if I didn’t highlight that the report contains profiles of a total of 73 firms in the titanium chain, including manufacturers of TiO2 pigments, as well as of the producers of ilmenite, natural and synthetic rutile, and titanium slag. These profiles include all the major companies, such as Chemours, Iluka, Group DF, Kenmare, Kronos, RioTinto, Tronox, TiZir and Venator.

nnORGANIC PIGMENTS Meanwhile, organic pigments have recently gone under the microscope at marketsandmarkets.com. The organic pigment market has been evaluated at

Image: www.basf.com

nnTITANIUM DIOXIDE

US$3.69bn in 2018 and is projected to reach US$4.67bn by 2023, based on a CAGR of 4.8% between 2018 and 2023. The high demand for organic pigments arising from applications, such as printing inks, paints, coatings and plastics is expected to drive the market, according to the findings presented in Organic Pigments Market by Type..., Application..., and Region... – Global Forecast to 2023. Some of the highlights from the report are outlined below: • Based on type, the organic pigments market has been segmented into azo pigments, phthalocyanine pigments, HPPs and others. The azo pigments segment is expected to be the largest type due to the large-scale usage in printing inks applications, which are used in food and beverage and consumer goods packaging. The availability of a broad range of red,

orange and yellow azos at low price underpins their strong demand, particularly in packaging printing. • The use of organic pigments is being driven by stringent regulations, which are steering pigment consumption in the realms of printing inks etc away from the use of metallics. • Price is the main restraining factor as far as the organic pigments sector is concerned; the cost of organic pigments is seen as about 50% higher than their inorganic counterparts. This means that they remain less attractive in markets that are not shaped by regulation. Major companies active in the organic pigments sector include BASF, Clariant, DIC Corporation, Heubach, Sudarshan Chemical Industries, Ferro, Trust Chem, Dainichiseika Color & Chemicals, Dominion Colour and Toyocolor.

12 PPCJ • October 2018 www.coatingsgroup.com

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BUSINESS SECTION MATTERS REPORT nnHIGH-PERFORMANCE PIGMENTS Finally, completing a trio of reports across the pigments sector, Smithers Rapra has recently published a new study on highperformance pigments, entitled The Future of High-Performance Pigments to 2023, which claims that this specialist area of the market will grow to a volume not far off 226,000t, with an associated value of US$5.99bn by that year. These are based on volume growth of 3.3% and value growth of 3.4% across the forecast period, which runs from 2018 to 2023. Taking 2018 as the base year, the current market for high-performance pigments has been evaluated at US$5.09bn. Two of the main sets of drivers in the sector are as follows: • There will be marked shifts in the demands placed on pigments and their selection, with, for example, complex inorganic coloured pigments (CICPs) gaining market share across the

forecast period. This report offers for the first time a detailed examination of the supply and demand for CICPS. • New technical developments – including nano-pigments, cool pigments, and superior dispersion technology – look likely to open up new business opportunities across the forecast period. In what appears to be quite a distinctive approach, this report covers a total of 22 different high-performance pigment classes with information drawn from patent applications, conferences and the usual types of secondary information (supported by first-hand sources, of course!) The 22 different classes are telescoped under the headings of organic HPPs, inorganic HPPs, metallics, pearlescents and speciality pigments, these covering thermochromics, holographics, luminescent and fluorescent types, as well as vacuum-metallised pigments. PPCJ

Report details 1. Titanium Dioxide (3rd Edition was published by Ceresana in September 2018. A single-user licence for a soft copy costs €3300. For more information on this title, email info@ceresana.com 2. Organic Pigments Market by Type (Azo Pigments, Phthalocyanine Pigments, HPPs), Application (Printing Inks, Paints & Coatings, Plastics), and Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America) - Global Forecast to 2023 was published by marketsandmarkets. com in July 2018. A single-user licence is priced at US$5650; more details on this report can be requested by emailing sales@ marketsandmarkets.com 3. The Future of High-Performance Pigments to 2023 was published by Smithers Rapra in April 2018 and costs £4500 for a single copy. For more information on this report, enquire via the website form at smithersrapra.com or call +44 (0) 1939 250383.

Author: Terry Knowles, Freelance Writer paintwriter@gmail.com

Image: www.axaltacs.com

Teknos to acquire parquet products from Kiilto

 10 to their low VOCs, rapid cure and high durability, according to Shane Carter, Technical Director with Axalta’s Industrial Wood Coatings business. Regulations and increasing consumer demand for more sustainable products are the key drivers of new industrial wood coating technologies in North America. California Proposition 65 is of particular note. Other new and more rigorous standards for air and water quality are also emerging around the US that requires the use of raw materials that do not contain chemicals on the Proposition 65 list, such as benzophenone, toluene and n-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), according to Bernie Ackerman, PPG Building Product Segment Manager. Companies are consequently exploring effective and affordable alternative materials that provide the same benefits these listed substances do. Going forward, it is expected that regulation and policy changes will continue

to impact what and how coatings are used, according to Monroe. He expects the greatest advances to occur in UV coating technology and the equipment used to apply UV coatings. Newer chemistries that provide greater cure speeds and faster property development at lower temperatures are anticipated by Bartoszek. PPCJ

Author: Cynthia A Challener, PhD, Principal Consultant, C & M Consulting 1325 Center Road, Montpelier VT 05602, USA Tel: +1 802 613 3139 Email: challener@vtlink.net

Teknos has announced that is to acquire parquet product business from Kiilto. The product assortment consists of primer lacquers, 1-component and 2-component lacquers and parquet fillers. Through the acquisition, Teknos gets ownership of the recipes, trade names, customer contacts and know-how. The transfer of sales and logistics will take place on November 1, 2018 and the transfer of production is planned to take place early 2019. Kiilto parquet business covers markets in Finland, Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Russia, Belarus and Ukraine with an extensive network of customers. The customers are primarily parquet professionals. The products are available through distribution network or direct sales. Teknos has a firm position in all the countries through its own sales offices. “Kiilto lacquers and fillers are complementing Teknos’ product assortment for flooring industry. We have a firm position in the markets, so we can smoothly continue to serve new customers through our local sales offices and to provide them even wider assortment of other products,” said Arto Mannonen, MD, Teknos Oy. Founded in 1919, Kiilto Oy is a Finnish, family-owned producer of chemical industry products for construction and industry. The business involves the development, manufacturing and marketing of adhesives and closely related products.

13 PPCJ • October 2018 www.coatingsgroup.com

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POWDER MATTERS

PPCJ’s columnist, Joe Powder, provides answers to readers’ questions on aspects of the powder coating process

Ask Joe Powder

i Joe – I came across your blog whilst looking for solutions to an ongoing problem I’ve had. I design and manufacture designer gates cut from 3mm mild steel. When I get the raw steel back from laser cutting it is still covered with mill scale. I install all of my gates in a coastal region and because my gates are bespoke boutique pieces I’d like them to last as long as possible while exposed to the elements. I’ve been zinc plating and powder coating them with various service providers but this is hit and miss. It’s incredibly frustrating to hear the powder coater call and say the powder has come out of the oven full of pinholes and usually they say they have no idea what happened. Worse still, the zinc plater will also claim ignorance. I’ve had good results but it’s touch and go and when things go wrong it’s very expensive to fix and I’m usually left carrying the cost. I’ve tried everything from baking before coating to cleaning the gates before with degreaser and etching solutions, leaving them for a few days to off gas. I also have some channels in the gate and where the radius is tight the zinc doesn’t deposit too well and often I prime it, which is time consuming and I’m never sure whether this is good to powder coat over. I would love to be able to do the coating etc in-house with the most affordable but lasting option. I’d like to lose the zinc plating all together because this is, in my opinion the root of all my evils. If I were to just powder coat, what in your opinion would be the best cost to quality option? I’ve been looking up thermoplastic coating with great interest. Please advise on surface preparation too. I’d like to cut out as many service providers as possible and have greater control and certainty regarding the accuracy of the coating process. Perhaps your solution may be

worth spending on a small home setup if it’s affordable. I make standard size door gates, which are installed both indoors and outdoors. From indoor up to 100km from the coast to outdoor 100m from the sea. Kind regards Barry Lottering, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

A. Hi Barry – Thanks for the question. I took a look at your website and, wow, you do amazing work. You turn simple gates and railings into exquisite artistry. I think you probably already know the source of the inconsistency in your coatings, it’s the zinc plating. Undoubtedly, it is wise to use a two-coat process to ensure a good combination of corrosion resistance and outdoor durability. This is definitely a must for hardware that has to endure a coastal environment. But zinc plating can be inconsistent. Here is what I recommend. Take the finishing process in-house. This will involve not only the coating process but also the metal preparation as well. Since you are laser cutting some of the ware and the parts have residual mill scale, you should blast them with a decent media to lose the mill scale and clean the laser cut edges. I suggest aluminium oxide. Next step is a three stage phosphate pretreatment. Google “metal pretreatment companies” in South Africa and ask them for recommendations. After pretreatment, thoroughly dry the parts with a convection type oven. The air movement will help to completely dry the metal surface. The next step is to completely cover the metal with an epoxy powder coating primer. If you have tight areas inside of channels, you should pre-heat the metal and spray those areas, whilst it is still hot. After the parts are completely coated, bake the primer for about 5-10min (see the supplier’s technical data sheet for the correct temperature). Make sure the coating

has flowed out adequately to form a smooth surface. The 5-10min should represent a deliberate underbake. This provides optimum adhesion of the next coat. After the part has cooled, lightly sand the primer with a 220 grit sandpaper. Reheat the part to about 110-125°C and then apply a polyester powder topcoat. I recommend a ‘superdurable’ grade for good UV durability. Place the coated part in the oven for a full cure cycle. This process and these materials will ensure an excellent coating that should provide 10 years durability with only moderate fade and chalking. And as long as the part is completely coated and has not been breached it will resist corrosion as well. Furthermore, by taking the finishing process in-house, you will have complete control of the final quality. I hope this helps and I sure would love to visit Port Elizabeth someday. South Africa is on my bucket list and I need a good excuse/reason to visit. Best regards, Joe Powder Dear Joe, A question…. Is it possible to create that liquid look with a metallic pigment in a powder coating? I’ve heard a lot of grumbling among powder coat companies that it’s just not possible. What research has your lab completed on the topic, if any, and do you have any positive results you can share with your beloved fans? If not, do you think it will take new technology on the resin/pigment suppliers part to achieve the liquid look in powder, or a new type of gun, or maybe both? …or are we all just a little to “pie in the sky” to think it’s possible. Thanks, Tenacious K. Somewhere in Massachusetts

A. Hey Karen – Yep, this is a problem and has to do with rheology, viscosity and open

14 PPCJ • October 2018 www.coatingsgroup.com

Kevin Biller OCT 18.indd 1

02/10/2018 09:15

In Focus: Your first choice yellow HEUCODUR® complex inorganic pigments show an outstanding performance in terms of chemical, temperature and weathering resistance and are the first choice to formulate durable colors in all kind of technical applications. HEUCODUR® Yellow Pigments (PBr 24 and PY 53), combine these well known properties with excellent hiding power and low dispersant demand. Smart combinations of HEUCODUR® Yellow with organic pigments enables formulators to achieve brilliant shades with extraordinary hiding power for e.g. lead pigment replacement while keeping the organic pigment concentration on a low level for higher cost effectiveness.

www.heubach co l o r. co m

10_18 PPCJ.indd 1

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POWDER SECTIONMATTERS REPORT time of a curing binder system. Metallics tend to orient themselves randomly in a viscous powder binder. The metal flakes are distributed onto particles via bonding or worse, just mixed into the bulk powder. Electrostatic application doesn’t help either. The charging characteristics of a metal flake are vastly different than a nodular organic particle. Consequently the “lay-down” of the flakes is indeed random. Then the only time the flakes can “lay down” to establish any degree of regular orientation is in the oven after the powder melts, coalesces and is fluid. The vast majority of powders are thermosetting so soon after the powder melts it starts to build molecular weight and, therefore, increased viscosity. Low viscosity binders (some epoxies and polyurethanes) are somewhat better but never approach the low viscosity of a solventborne paint. Hence, a powder technologist’s tale of woe regarding metallic flake orientation and matching a liquid metallic coating’s appearance. Peace, Joe Powder Hi Joe Powder, I am one step closer to spraying powder everywhere... If all goes well and an ebay seller in Germany carries through with his part after I sent him the funds, I should have a decent small compressor next week. 400lit/min (~14cfm), 65lit (~17gallon). It’s a quiet one (65dB) which I needed since I’m in an apartment, an Implotex that I got for more than 60% off, which is about the best deal I can get hereabouts. And it’s the largest size I could fit in the space I have.

I’m visiting Oregon and Washington State next month and might pick up some stuff, like a couple pounds of powder. Do you maybe have any quick tips on powders to start with or maybe, more important, which kinds to avoid as an absolute beginner? I googled around but didn’t find a lot, this guide but it’s mostly a description of powders without much guidance. I think I’d like to try the textured and candy colours but I will start with some basic polyester powder and see how that goes. Best regards, Randy, Basel, Switzerland

A. Hi Randy – Great progress. That compressor is a beaut. I like the dBs – quiet is always better. As for choosing powder coatings, it really depends on what you plan to coat. That website provides a decent explanation of the conventional powders available. Getting started, I would stick with polyester chemistry. It’s the most versatile for someone getting started. It is very important to note that polyesters in the USA are rather different than polyesters in the EU. It’s all about the curing agent used. In the EU, TGIC is considered a genetically harmful chemical and requires special labelling that includes a skull and crossbones. In the USA we understand that it is an industrial chemical and handle it accordingly – N95 dust mask and good exhaust and hygiene. I wouldn’t buy powder in the States to use in Europe. Carrying it through an airport might cause an unwanted adventure. Powder coatings are very safe but not all airport security personnel would know that.

They might even think of your samples as drugs or explosives. Hence I recommend buying all your powder coatings locally. As for type of powder, a few notes: • Don’t buy any acrylics. They are great coatings for aesthetics and durability but cause contamination of other more conventional powders (polyesters, epoxies, urethanes, etc). • The website doesn’t mention hybrids (aka epoxy-polyester) powders. These are really good for indoor applications but will chalk and fade outdoors. • Forget fluoropolymers. They are uber expensive but have amazing performance for architectural applications (20-30 years Florida durability). I doubt if they are even available in Europe. • Polyesters in Europe are crosslinked with HAA instead of TGIC. HAA (aka “Primid”) is a more benign chemical. Performance is similar to the TGIC powders we use in the USA. • As for suppliers of powders in Switzerland, I am almost certain that Tiger Drylac sells small quantities there. There may also be a lot of Italian and German powder suppliers around. I would search on the net for suppliers. Good luck with everything and safe travels to the Pacific Northwest. Best regards, Joe Powder PPCJ Please send your questions and comments to: askjoepowder@yahoo.com Letters to and responses from Joe Powder have been edited for space and style – Ed

AkzoNobel helps save Edmund Hillary’s historic hut in Antarctica

xplorer Sir Edmund Hillary’s historic Antarctic hut has been saved and restored thanks to a successful fundraising campaign and the application of coatings donated by AkzoNobel. A specialist team from the Antarctic Heritage Trust spent three months toiling in temperatures as low as minus 40°C to renovate the famous landmark, which was built in 1957 and contains hundreds of precious artefacts. Exterior work included building a new aluminium roof over the existing leaky one. The metal is coated with a special topcoat batch of the company’s Polydure® coil coatings. “As a company with more than 200 years of experience in developing paints and coatings, we understand the importance of preserving history and heritage,” said Greg Foster, AkzoNobel’s Sales Manager for Coil Coatings in South

Asia. “So we were delighted to support such a significant restoration project and help safeguard such an important building.” The hut was originally constructed for the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition. It houses more than 500 artefacts, which have now been painstakingly conserved by Antarctic Heritage Trust experts. The aluminium for the new roof was painted by AkzoNobel customer Pacific Coil Coaters in New Zealand and installed by specialist standing seam roofer, Mike Burgess.

“We built the new roof on top of the existing roof so that in 50 or 100 years, if future conservators want to restore the building to what it was, all of the original building will still be present,” explained Chris Ansin from the Antarctic Heritage Trust. “To preserve these huts is preserving their legacies.” Money for the million-dollar project was raised in Hillary’s native New Zealand and included a government contribution of $180,000. The explorer is perhaps best known for being the first person to reach the summit of Mount Everest. His hut forms part of Scott Base, New Zealand’s only Antarctic research station. It joins several other buildings on the frozen continent to have been coated by AkzoNobel, including the British Antarctic Survey’s Halley VI research station and explorer Robert Swan’s e-Base at Bellingshausen.

16 PPCJ • October 2018 www.coatingsgroup.com

Kevin Biller OCT 18.indd 2

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ABB paint & coatings manufacturing units: dedicated process solutions for quality at a glance. Cellier Activity of ABB France engineers and supplies automated paint and coatings manufacturing units combining process solutions such as powder/liquid dosing systems, batch/in-line dispersing units, pigged lines, CIP equipment, with a dedicated MES/Scada control system. This results in production units meeting your needs in operational performance: higher productivity, reduced raw materials consumption, time and manpower savings, increased energy efficiency, safe operation as well as compliance with quality and environmental standards. For more information, visit www.abb.com/chemical ABB France - Industrial Automation Division - Cellier Activity 700 bd. Jean-Jules Herbert, F-73100 Aix-Les-Bains Phone: +33 479 35 05 65 - Fax: +33 479 88 37 71 E-mail: info.cellier@fr.abb.com

17 PPCJ - October 2018 www.coatingsgroup.com

RESINS

Ap Heijenk, Industry Manager Industrial Metal & Plastic, outlines how DSM’s Hybrane™, an innovative family of enriched modular acrylic resins, is helping to drive coating performance standards for metal applications by enabling higher operational throughputs and lower carbon footprints

Driving forward with modular Hybrane™ technology

ustomers could, Henry Ford once said, have a car in any colour they wanted as long as that colour was black. Over time, though, consumers got the better of him; cars now come in a wide range of colours and with a wide range of different coating finishes. To meet these extensive and changing end-user demands, for more than 60 years, DSM has been active in the paints and coatings industry, developing and processing a broad variety of coating resins for metal applications in the automotive and general industry. In particular, Hybrane™, one of DSM’s innovative technology platforms, is driving new standards in the car refinish and general metal coating industries by enabling enhanced coatings performance, increased processing productivity and reduced energy consumption.

nnDEMAND FOR BETTER HIGH SOLID ACRYLIC RESINS

In 2007, in line with the increasing regulatory stringency for the paint and coatings industry across the world, the European Commission issued a directive to establish new regulations for the VOC content of vehicle refinish products. Specifically, 2K solid colour coatings and 2K clearcoat systems could only contain 420g/lit in VOCs, in their readyto-use state. At the time, many of the coating systems in use across different markets did not comply with this new regulation. As such, coating manufacturers needed to find new, more sustainable solutions that delivered

excellent performance and complied with all relevant regulations. In particular, coating manufacturers turned to new types of high solid acrylic resins with low molecular weight, with several coating solutions becoming quickly developed and commercialised. Nevertheless, the actual performance of these coating solutions left considerable room for improvement. In particular, unlike their medium and low solids predecessors, high solids grades required forced drying conditions – typically 30min at 60°C – before the objects could be handled and if necessary polished. This meant that the new solutions were often expensive, inefficient and energy consuming. A superior alternative was required.

nnLEVERAGING A SPECIAL RESIN In view of the changing regulatory landscape and the growing need for higher-performance acrylic resins, DSM investigated whether its innovative Hybrane technology platform could be leveraged to

address these demands. For a long time, the hyperbranched polyesteramides of this technology platform had been offered special consideration by researchers across DSM’s different R&D facilities. Their high functionality, combined with their low viscosity due to the absence of entanglements, has allowed for a wide range of different applications, from oil field chemicals to paper coatings and the breaking of Azeotropes. In fact, the unique, modular nature of this chemical structure, whereby different parts of the molecule can be adjusted in accordance to different end-user requirements, enables a virtually endless list of applications. As the Hybrane molecules are built step by step, the unique molecular architecture can be developed in one direction or another – whether that is to deliver high solubility or low viscosity, for example – making it possible to produce tailor-made performance additives for an ever-expanding multitude of industrial applications.

nnDEVELOPMENT AND

COMMERCIALISATION

In early 2008, DSM’s R&D team began the journey of developing a Hybrane product for car refinish clearcoats. To do this, they worked closely with partners across the value chain, listening carefully to end-users’ unmet needs and particular manufacturing requirements. In fact, as they came closer to developing a high-performance product,

18 PPCJ • October 2018 www.coatingsgroup.com

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RESINS several of their key customers undertook field tests with the resins, which drove further iterations and product optimisations. In 2010, DSM launched Hybrane CY245 for the high-end coatings market, with a 4% OH. Importantly, the new Hybrane product delivered key benefits in processability and significantly lowered the curing temperature compared to other commercially available products. What’s more, the high functionality of Hybrane delivers both good chemical and physical drying. In 2017, following on from the success of Hybrane CY245, which had been used in a wide range of markets, DSM’s R&D team began developing a spin-off Hybrane product, Hybrane CY235, for a wider range of product applications. Specifically, the new Hybrane CY235 was designed to deliver the same benefits as Hybrane CY245 but also for car refinish primers and general industrial topcoats by lowering the percentage of OH. After many months of careful experimentation and testing, involving a cross-functional and cross-site collaboration, DSM’s Hybrane CY235 was launched in mid-2018.

nnA MULTI-PURPOSE RESIN FAMILY One of the main qualities of this exciting Hybrane family is how versatile these products are. Their unique chemical structure enables a wide variety of coating applications, across different substrates and in different conditions, for clearcoats, primers and topcoats. Hybrane CY235, for example, can be used in coatings for agricultural, construction and earth removing equipment, as well as for automotive applications, with excellent overall adhesion on metal substrates. What’s more, by lowering the required coating curing temperature, Hybrane enables a wider range of processing environments. By not having to heat the coatings for as long and at such high temperatures, Hybrane can be applied by operators without so much equipment, and

even just at room temperature, in some locations. In this way, Hybrane is making high-performance coatings available in a wider range of markets, including in less developed economies.

nnAN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY CHOICE

Crucially, Hybrane helps to deliver significant environmental advantages compared to other commercially available products that are used in the same way. Thanks to a high solid content of more than 75%, Hybrane contains significantly lower levels of VOCs, which pose shortand long-term threats to the health of manufacturing operators, as well as being highly damaging to different environments, when they are emitted as gases. Equally, it enables lower energy consumption, as the curing temperature of 40°C is significantly lower and drying can take place more quickly. Specifically, DSM’s research shows that Hybrane CY235 can deliver energy savings of up to 48%, leading to lower energy costs and lower carbon footprints. This is particularly important for manufacturers of agricultural and construction equipment, who typically consume large amounts of energy in heating up heavy metal elements.

nnENSURING QUALITY OF PROCESS What’s more, manufacturers can also enjoy extensive operational and process benefits, thanks to the unique properties of Hybrane technology. Because of the

faster drying possibilities, the application of coatings can take place up to 20% quicker. Under typical workshop conditions, for example, car refinishers can paint one extra car every day, driving throughput and ultimately revenues. Nevertheless, these operational benefits in no way compromise on the performance of Hybrane products. Compared to standard alternatives, Hybrane delivers excellent hardness, a high-quality appearance with distinctiveness of image, and high reactivity without compromising on pot life. As such, both DSM’s Hybrane products not only deliver excellent coatings that end-users can appreciate but also improve the coating application process and enable higher margins for application operators.

nnMORE HYBRANE PRODUCTS ON THE WAY

All in all, the DSM Coating Resins team is very proud of its Hybrane technology platform, and the two currently available Hybrane products, CY245 and CY235. These two products enable higher coating performance and offer a more sustainable choice for the car refinishing and general industry. Nevertheless, together with customers, DSM will continue to develop the Hybrane proposition in line with consumer demands, and for an even wider range of substrates, including plastic and wood. Specifically, in 2019, DSM aims to launch two more high-performance Hybrane products. More widely, the unique Hybrane technology will open up new coating horizons for a wide range of industries. By reducing the carbon footprint of manufacturers and of different coatings, the range of potential applications for coatings made with Hybrane will only become broader in the years to come. In particular, DSM will continue to channel their development efforts with the aim of delivering Hybrane solutions that meet the changing demands of consumers and manufacturers around the world. One can only wonder what Henry Ford would have made of this all. PPCJ

Author: Ap Heijenk Industry Manager Industrial Metal & Plastic DSM Coating Resins Ceintuurbaan 5 PO Box 615 8000 AP Zwolle The Netherlands Tel: +31 (0)38 750 25 30 Email: coating.resins@dsm.com Website: www.dsm.com

19 PPCJ • October 2018 www.coatingsgroup.com

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GOING GREEN

Special publication from PPCJ & APCJ October 2018

ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATION, REGULATIONS & REGIONAL UPDATES FOR THE GLOBAL PAINTS & COATINGS INDUSTRY

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GOING GREEN

Johnson Ongking, Pacific Paint (Boysen), details why the Asian coating industry needs to eliminate lead paint before it can truly be considered green

We can’t be green until lead is out of the scene

hile the paint industry in Asia Pacific continues to make advances in sustainability with greener products, one thing threatens to overshadow all these eco-friendly paint innovations – the continued sales of lead paint. Although the hazards of lead paint are well known and their use has been restricted in most of the developed world for 40 years, they remain a hidden danger for Asian children and workers. Paint studies conducted by the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) show that lead paint is prevalent in many Asian countries (Table 1) and this poses a toxic threat to the future of the region’s children, economies and the paint industry itself. “Many people were shocked when they discovered that this obsolete, hazardous technology was still widely used in Asia,” said Dr Sara Brosché, IPEN’s Global Lead Paint Elimination Campaign Manager. “I think the root cause in many countries has simply been lack of awareness. Because of this unawareness, consumers have not known to demand paint without lead, manufacturers that started their production when lead was the standard technology have continued with business as usual and policy makers have not known to adopt bans on lead paint.” “The problem remains largely hidden from view,” said Perry Gottesfeld, Executive Director of USA-based Occupational Knowledge International (OKI). “Few paints that contain lead are labelled accordingly and few of the people affected have noticeable symptoms. As a result, most of the millions of exposed children and adults are never identified as having lead poisoning.” Unfortunately, when it comes to lead paint, what you don’t know can hurt you – especially for children.

nnLEAD PAINT – LOWERING

IQS, LOWERING INCOMES

The hazards of lead paint have been known for a long time. Benjamin Franklin warned about the hazards of lead exposure in a letter back in 17861. An Australian study in 1904 found lead paint as a cause of childhood lead poisoning and some

European countries banned white lead paint in 1909, with the International Labour Organization instituting a similar ban in 1921. The USA restricted the use of lead in residential paint in 1977 by instituting a 600 parts per million (ppm) limit, which it lowered to 90ppm in 20092. But the damage from lead paint continues long after its ban. “Lead in paint is a major source of childhood lead exposure, particularly in the home,” said Joanna Tempowski, Scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO). “As lead paint ages it creates flakes and dust that settle on surfaces in home. Young children consume this lead-contaminated dust when they put their hands and other objects in their mouths and some children actively pick off and eat lead paint flakes from painted surfaces. Studies in France and the USA have shown that children living in old housing with lead paint have higher blood lead levels than other children.” A study in 2002 found that a quarter of the country’s housing units

have significant lead-paint hazards. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about half a million children under the age of five have elevated blood lead levels. Scientists say lead paint is the primary cause 3. “Exposure to lead from paint matters because there is no known safe exposure level for lead” said Tempowski. “Even low levels of exposure in young children can interfere with intellectual and behavioural development, potentially resulting in lower intelligence quotient (IQ) scores, attentiondeficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), poor school performance and increased risk of criminal behaviour in adulthood. Children are especially vulnerable because they absorb four to five times more lead than adults, but adults can also be harmed by lead exposure. Lead exposure contributes to the development of heart disease and stroke later in life. Pregnant women are another vulnerable group, as their lead exposure is transferred to the developing foetus.”

Table 1. Lead paint data from IPEN paint studies in Asia Pacific. Source: IPEN, Lead in Solvent-

Based Paints for Home Use Global Report, October 2017

Country

Results from most recent paint study Year

No of paints/ brands analysed

% of paints > 90ppm lead

% of paints > 10,000ppm lead

Bangladesh

2015

56 / 24

77%

34%

China

2016

141 / 47

50%

34%

India

2015

101 / 64

95%

46%

Indonesia

2015

121 / 63

63%

41%

Jordan

2012

17 / 16

18%

Lebanon

2015

15 / 6

80%

53%

Malaysia

2016

39 / 18

41%

31%

Mongolia

2017

56 / 25

70%

20%

Nepal

2015

87 / 35

89%

44%

Pakistan

2017

58 / 21

60%

24%

Philippines

2017

104 / 54

23%

12%

Singapore

2009

41 / 7

44%

Sri Lanka

2015

56 / 37

46%

21%

Taiwan

2016

47 / 8

66%

47%

Thailand

2015

100 / 56

62%

40%

Vietnam

2016

26 / 11

54%

19%

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GOING GREEN “Eliminating lead paint is an urgent issue,” said Walker Smith, Director of Global Affairs and Policy at the USA’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). “It is a major source of lead exposure for children globally, causing permanently lower IQs and behavioural problems. Childhood lead exposure has staggering economic costs.” In fact, a study done by the New York University (NYU) School of Medicine estimates that the economic cost of childhood lead exposure from all sources in low- and middleincome countries due to lower IQ is estimated at US$977bn/yr4. Asia, the largest coatings market in the world today, bears more than 70% of that total – US$699.9bn, equivalent to almost 2% of regional GDP. “If a child comes back with one IQ point loss, the parent doesn’t notice,” said Leonardo Trasande, a renowned leader in children’s environmental health and lead author of the NYU study. “But if 100,000 kids come back with one less IQ point, the economy notices.” Trasande estimates that every IQ point lost costs a child 2% of their lifetime earning potential. These cost estimates do not even include the many people who die from lead poisoning. “The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) estimated that in 2016 lead exposure accounted for 544,000 deaths due to long-term effects on health, with the highest burden in low and middleincome countries,” noted Desiree MontecilloNarvaez, Focal Point on “Lead” Programme Officer at the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment). So ironically, while some paint companies claim they can’t afford to move away from lead paint because it would make their products more expensive, from a societal point of view, low- and middle-income countries can’t afford NOT to eliminate lead paint if they hope to fully achieve their economic growth potential.

nnA LAW TO CORRECT A MARKET FLAW

Despite the proven damage and significant costs for abatement of lead paint in the USA, most of Asia seems to have no urgency to stop the continued use of lead paint. And the longer lead paint continues to be a presence in Asia, the greater the damage lurking for the region’s future. “With the rapidly growing paint market in Asia and many other regions it is vital to act early in order to prevent widespread lead paint exposure and its costly consequences and expensive remediation,” said IPEN’s Brosché. “With a few exceptions, local manufacturers and national paint associations have been very supportive of this effort once they understand the harm

The four paint brands manufactured by Pacific Paint (Boysen) Philippines, Inc were among the first in the world to achieve Lead Safe® Paint Certification

lead paint exposure does to children. They see that it is the future of the children in their own communities that is at stake.” Manufacturers who become aware of the dangers of lead paint would almost certainly not want to apply it in their own homes, nor that of their customers. But even when manufacturers see the need to stop making lead paint, many hesitate to stop for fear that converting to lead-free alternatives would make their formulations more expensive and, thus, lose sales relative to competitors that don’t make the switch. While substituting lead driers with zirconium or strontium driers is straightforward and has a negligible cost impact, maintaining similar costs while converting from lead chromate to organic pigments is more challenging, especially in some markets like Indonesia where enamel paints are sold at the same price regardless of colour. In such situations, companies face the following choices: accept a lower margin while maintaining the selling price; increase their sales price; or maintain the status quo. While some manufacturers are able to see the bigger picture, in that having a completely lead-free product line can enhance consumer trust in their brand and ultimately result in a healthier business through a halo effect, most companies are likely to choose the status quo. Left on its own without regulation, market incentives favour the continued sales of lead paint despite its huge costs to society. In countries where national paint

associations are strong, it is possible to have member companies jointly agree to eliminate lead paint together – this recently happened when 17 members of the Malaysian Paint Manufacturers’ Association (MPMA) pledged to eliminate lead in decorative paint by 2018 and in all paints by 2020. However, to ensure such agreements are permanently binding, having enforceable lead paint regulations is still necessary to ensure that all manufacturers abide by the same rules. “Lead paint laws are the only effective way to eliminate lead paint,” said Smith of the EPA, which chairs the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint (also known as the Lead Paint Alliance), a voluntary partnership formed in 2009 when a UN conference with over 120 countries participating unanimously voted to eliminate all lead paint. The alliance, which is jointly led by the WHO and the UN Environment, has adopted the goal of banning lead paint in all countries by 2020. One of the countries that has successfully implemented a legal limit of 90ppm for lead in paint for both architectural and industrial paints is the Philippines, which has seen a dramatic decrease of lead containing paints based on studies conducted by IPEN together with partner EcoWaste Coalition5. “The effort in the Philippines to ban lead paint has become a model showcased around the world since it so successfully resulted in one of the strongest regulations in the world, with a 90ppm lead limit for all types of paint,” said IPEN’s Brosché. “The key to the success was the willingness of policy makers, industry and civil society to collaborate towards the joint goal of eliminating lead paint to protect future generations.” “What’s unique is that the Philippine Association of Paint Manufacturers (PAPM) not only agreed to a lead paint regulation, they were actively promoting it. They have been leading by example ever since, showing that not only is it possible for manufacturers in all countries to replace lead in all paint, it is the right thing to do to ensure a brighter future for generations to come.” Aside from the Philippines, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand have adopted regulatory controls to ban the use of lead in paint since IPEN started its lead paint elimination project in Asia in 2008 – joining Australia, China and New Zealand (Table 2). However, that still means 80% of countries in Asia Pacific currently do not have any kind of legal restrictions on lead paint, although Cambodia and Laos are in the process of drafting regulations against lead paint. The need to eliminate lead in all paint and not just decorative paint is important, as all types of paints have been linked to lead poisoning sometimes when workers take lead dust home from construction jobs 6. “Even so-

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GOING GREEN called ‘industrial’ paints can be applied on products sold to consumers or on structures in residential communities,” said OKI’s Gottesfeld. “Toys and furniture from Asia have been recalled in the USA and other countries due to the presence of lead paint. Many outdoor structures with lead paint including bridges, utility poles and water tanks have caused lead poisoning among painters and other construction workers and have resulted in soil contamination in residential communities. Most government regulations in Asia fail to include these applications although they have serious public health implications.”

nnLEAD PAINT DOESN’T MAKE

Table 2. Countries in Asia and the Pacific region with lead paint regulation (as of August 2018). Source: UN Environment, Update on the Global Status of Legal Limits on Lead in Paint, September 2017

Australia

1000ppm lead limit for the sale, manufacture, export and import of all paints.

China

90ppm soluble lead concentration limit for decorative, household and automotive paint. 1000ppm soluble lead limit, depending on the use of the paint.

India

90ppm lead limit for manufacture, trade, import and export of household and decorative paints.

Nepal

90ppm lead limit for any paint imported, produced, sold or used.

New Zealand

1000ppm lead limit for the sale, manufacture, export and import of all paints.

Philippines

90ppm lead limit for architectural, decorative, household and industrial paint.

Sri Lanka

90ppm lead limit for interior and exterior emulsion paint or 600ppm lead limit for ﬂoor and enamel paint. Paints used in the building industry that contain lead must be labelled as such, including the lead content.

Thailand

100ppm lead limit for all paint.

SENSE – OR CENTS

Lead paint is not just costly for society, it is potentially very costly to the paint industry in several ways. While people that work in the industry know that lead is only used in certain colours and products in solventbased paints, most consumers are unaware of this. As a result, if they were to hear of a paint brand using lead in their product, they would likely associate the use of lead with the entire paint brand. Moreover, in this age of social media, the association of a paint brand with lead poisoning of children could cause quick and severe damage to a company’s most important asset – its brand equity. This would create a loss of trust in a paint brand that would be difficult to quickly recover from and could potentially affect sales for many years. Considering that lead containing solvent-based paints are usually a relatively small proportion of a decorative paint company’s total paint sales, the possibility that they can damage a brand’s reputation and affect sales of all its product lines presents a disproportionally high risk to companies. On the other hand, companies that can credibly show the public that they do not produce any lead paint may gain a halo effect that increases consumer trust and generates long term sales that more than offset any lost revenue from discontinued lead paint. For this purpose, IPEN teamed up with USA-based SCS Global Services to provide a Lead Safe Paint® certification, the first global third party certification programme that ensures consumers that the lead content of their products does not exceed the regulatory limit of 90ppm, for their paint brands. The four paint brands manufactured by our company (Boysen, Virtuoso, Titan and Nation), as well as Davies (Philippines), Multilac (Sri Lanka) and Elite (Bangladesh), are the first paint brands to secure Lead Safe Paint® certification. “Their early support of the Lead Safe Paint certification showed that removing lead

Table 3. Countries with limits on total lead paint concentration (as of September 2017) *Limit applies to soluble lead content only. Note: 36 countries regulate lead paint through chemical-specific regulatory limits, such as members of the European Union

Source: UN Environment, Update on the Global Status of Legal Limits on Lead in Paint, September 2017

90ppm

100ppm

600ppm

1000ppm or higher

Canada China* India Kenya Nepal Philippines USA

Switzerland Thailand United Republic of Tanzania

Argentina Brazil Chile Costa Rica Dominica Guyana Jordan Mexico Oman Panama South Africa Sri Lanka Trinidad & Tobago Uruguay

Algeria Armenia Australia Belarus Cuba New Zealand Russia

from their paint was not only the right thing to do but also a smart business decision,” said IPEN’s Brosché. “Their certified paints now empower consumers to buy cans where an independent third party has verified that they contain no added lead, where most other such claims are self-made and not always trustworthy. We have seen paint with unverified claims of ‘lead-free’ containing more than 10% lead.” Unlike most paints, where ageing and peeling provides an opportunity for a new sale, the application of lead paint requires costly lead abatement programmes to permanently eliminate its public health hazards. Estimated costs for remediating homes with lead-based paints range from US$194-US$499M in France to US$1US$11bn in the USA7. Many lawsuits relating to lead paints have been filed in the USA and a paint manufacturer in California recently agreed to pay US$60M for lead remediation efforts to settle a litigation case.

Given the potential damage of lead paint to the industry’s reputation, we should pro-actively initiate efforts to eliminate lead paint as quickly as possible. We should let our fellow manufacturers know how harmful lead paint is for our children, take steps as an industry to jointly eliminate lead paint and actively work with civil society and government to jointly design comprehensive regulations to phase out lead paint, rather than passively waiting for regulation to be imposed. Paint companies and national paint associations can signify their commitment to eliminating lead paint by becoming a member of the Lead Paint Alliance 8. “This is an issue that can actually be solved fairly easily,” said IPEN’s Brosché. “Policy makers are typically very supportive once they have evidence of the actual country’s situation and information about what it costs the country.” Globally, there have been two general approaches to regulating lead paint – either establishing a single regulatory limit on the total concentration of lead in paint from all sources (although these limits vary across nations – Table 3) or establishing a set of chemical-specific regulatory limits (currently used in the European Union REACH regulation). While both approaches are effective, a single regulatory limit on total lead content is much simpler for governments to implement and enforce. However, enacting lead paint regulation has not proven to be easy in many cases. “The lack of capacity in developing countries to introduce and then enforce lead limits is both a specific root cause and barrier to phasing out lead paint at the national level,” said UN Environment’s Narvaez. “Support is needed to overcome

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GOING GREEN this lack of capacity, to ensure effective regulation can be drafted and enacted.” “To help countries [develop regulations], the Alliance developed a Model Law and Guidance for Regulating Lead Paint,” said the EPA’s Walker. She added that the Model Law, which sets a limit of 90ppm for lead in paint and provides methods to ensure compliance and enforcement, as well as consequences for non-compliance, “provides a best available and practical approach to regulating lead paint that is adaptable to each country’s regulatory framework and is increasingly being used to inform the development of lead paint laws.” But capacity building is needed not just for regulators but for paint formulators as well. “Even in countries with regulations on lead paint there is evidence that small paint manufacturers struggle to comply as they have limited technical capacity or resources to formulate lead-free paint,” said UN Environment’s Narvaez. “Support is needed for SMEs to learn how to reformulate paints using lead-free additives and access to vendors of such.” To address this, PAPM organised a series of technical workshops to enable paint formulators of all its 23 members to be equally informed of safe and cost-effective alternatives to lead-based raw materials. This enabled all of its manufacturing members to have the same level of information regarding alternatives to lead-based raw materials, putting them on an equal footing in terms of their options for reformulation.

nnTHE PAINT INDUSTRY – HERO OR VILLAIN?

As the 2020 deadline to phase out lead paint draws nearer, the topic will surely attract more attention to our industry’s progress. This past April, the Goldman Environmental Prize, the world’s most prestigious award for grassroots environmental activism, awarded Manny Calonzo of the Ecowaste Coalition for his efforts to eliminate lead paint in the Philippines. A story on the Mother Jones website ran this headline for his story: “You’ll probably never save as many lives as this guy who got the Philippines to stop using lead paint (actually, you definitely won’t)”9. For the Asian paint industry, the recognition of Calonzo as an environmental hero presents us with a clear choice. Lead paint is the villain, and the people stopping it are the heroes. For Asian paint companies operating in countries that currently don’t have lead paint regulation, the question to ask is – “Do we want to be known as a responsible industry that stopped making a product once we learned it was harmful? Or do we want to be remembered as an industry that kept making lead paint even after we knew how damaging it is to our children? In other words, do we want to be the good guys or the bad guys? I think we can all agree, it is an easy choice. n

References 1. Gottesfeld, P The West’s toxic hypocrisy over lead paint, New Scientist 218 (2919), 26-27. 2. Kessler R Lead-based decorative paints: where are they still sold – and why? Environmental Health Perspectives 2014 Apr; 122(4):A92–A103. Available from: http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/122-a96/. 3. Kessler, R Long Outlawed in the West, Lead Paint Sold in Poor Nations, Yale 360 (March 2013). Available from: https://e360.yale.edu/features/long_outlawed_in_the_ west_lead_paint_sold_in_poor_nations. 4. Attina TM, Trasande L, Economic costs of childhood lead exposure in low- and middle-income countries, Environmental Health Perspectives 2013 Sep; 121 (9):1097-102. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/pubmed/23797342. 5. https://ipen.org/documents/philippines-lead-paint. 6. Occupational Knowledge International, Lead Paint Contamination, http://www.okinternational.org/leadpaint/Contamination. 7. WHO 2018 Questions and Answers: International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of action 21-27 October 2017, question 9. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018. 8. https://www.unenvironment.org/explore-topics/ chemicals-waste/what-we-do/emerging-issues/globalalliance-eliminate-lead-paint-2. 9. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/04/youllprobably-never-save-as-many-lives-as-this-guy-whogot-the-philippines-to-stop-using-lead-paint/.

Author: Johnson Ongking, Vice President of Pacific Paint (Boysen) Philippines, Inc and represents the company in the Advisory Board of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint. In order to raise awareness about the hazards of lead paint and the need to stop its production and sale, the Lead Paint Alliance organises an annual International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, which will be from 21-27 October 2018.

Website: www.who.int/ipcs/lead_campaign/en/.

A coating made from waste plant material is being trialled on some avocados sold in USA supermarkets

Apeel-ing edible coatings

vocados that stay ripe for twice as long as usual thanks to an edible barrier made from plant materials, are now being sold in Costco and Harp Foods supermarkets across the USA for the first time. Created by California-based Apeel Sciences, the Apeel coating is made from non-toxic organic compounds known as lipids and glycerolipids, derived from the unwanted peels, seeds and pulp of various types of vegetables and fruit. Every plant has a peel or skin that protects it. From apples to raspberries, the materials found in the skins and peels of plants are ubiquitous and consumed in the human diet in high quantities every day. Made from these same materials, Apeel adds a little extra ‘peel’ to the surface of fresh produce that naturally reinforces the plant’s own peel and slows the rate of water

loss and oxidation — the primary causes of spoilage. According to the company, the coating is colourless, odourless and tasteless, and is typically applied to produce in a dipping process. It then forms a barrier that helps keep moisture from dissipating out of the fruit/vegetable, while minimising the amount of oxygen that can get in. This is said to allow produce to stay fresh two to three times longer than would otherwise be possible. Apeel hopes its technology can reduce the amount of fruit and vegetables that are thrown out by retailers and consumers because of spoilage. Studies show that Americans throw away on average 400lb of food per person, costing a household of four about US$1800/yr. Although Apeel is starting with avocados, the coating’s formulation can be modified to create optimal conditions

for other items including strawberries, mangoes, apples, bananas and asparagus. Avocados were a priority because of their notoriously fleeting window of perfect ripeness and relatively high price. Not only should the coating reduce the amount of fruit and vegetables lost to spoilage, but it should also allow growers to pick and ship produce when it’s actually ripe, as opposed to picking under-ripe produce that is then relied upon to ripen in shops or consumers’ homes. The coating can also extend the life of produce in developing countries where refrigeration is not widely available across the supply chain. Because of this, the company launched in 2012 with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The company has carried out pilots in Nigeria and Kenya, treating cassava root and mangoes.

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GOING GREEN

Dr Nikolaus Raupp, BASF, discusses how the company is pushing sustainability to a new level by using more sustainable renewables as raw materials in the coatings industry

The BASF Biomass Balance Approach

he need for increasingly sustainable development is getting more and more obvious. Everyone can feel the severe impact of increasing environmental pollution as a negative side effect of higher industrial outputs and economic growth. The coatings industry has always been driven by the need for a more sustainable development. All huge breakthroughs in the past have been driven by either the request for a better performance or a more environmentally friendly and healthier solution. A better performance of a coating can directly be linked to a higher durability or some advantages in production or application. Higher durability, as well as all kinds of efficiency gains along the value chain have one common benefit: the reduction of the overall material consumption. If a coating will last for 10 years instead of five, you can easily calculate how many materials (as well as time and money) can be saved. The benefits of improvements with regards to environmental or health and safety issues are more complicated to calculate but actually they

are of highest interest to consumers nowadays: who would like to go back to the past and use a high VOC, solvent-based paint product for their children’s rooms? For decorative paints, performance as well as product safety standards (eg VOC levels) have now reached a very high standard. So how to differentiate a product further? With further economic development, modern consumers also start to become more and more interested in the ‘intangible’ sustainability aspects of a product, such as: how was it produced; what are the conditions in the factories; what are the main raw materials used to make this product; and where is the material coming from? In the paint and coatings industry, labour, health and safety standards are already relatively high, and production is largely automated to ensure high efficiency in this competitive business. The biggest opportunity for differentiation can be seen in the choice of the raw materials. This reasoning can be supported by, for example, the calculation of carbon footprint of a product, where usually more than

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GOING GREEN 60% of the impact is related to the raw materials and not to the paint production itself or the logistics to the end-consumers.

nnHOW TO IMPROVE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF RAW MATERIALS?

There are many limitations and challenges: 1. Most importantly: the price. If the raw material costs are too high, then the final products will not be competitive in the markets; 2. Supply reliability; 3. The quality of the raw materials must meet the technical requirements. Here are the additional requirements for a new, more sustainable raw material: • There should be some sustainability benefits in direct comparison with the current material; • There should not be any negative side effects of an increasing demand of this new material; • The performance of the new product should be maintained. Most consumers care about sustainability but do not accept any limitations in the performance or functionalities they are already used to. This behaviour is actually quite important from a holistic point of view: if performance is lower, overall material efficiency might decrease and lead to a situation where the sustainability benefits of a new raw material are usually overcompensated by the higher material consumption. Overall, the environmental impact could be worse. Considering all the aspects and to ensure that the replacement of a certain component in a paint is of significant relevance, you might come to the conclusion that starting with the organic content, usually the binder, could provide the best benefits. Generally speaking, all organic or fossil raw materials have some limitations with regards to their sustainability: fossil resources (like oil and natural gas) are limited and the consumption leads to higher greenhouse gas emissions and can contribute to climate change. For years, scientists around the world have been working on solutions to replace fossil raw materials with renewable ones. Renewable raw materials are by definition “unlimited”, or at least could, if produced and consumed in a sustainable manner, be regenerated in a reasonable amount of time. This aspect of not compromising future needs has already been recognised in past centuries. The most important benefit of renewable raw materials for today’s society might be

lower carbon footprint. As plants capture CO2, the use of renewable biomass has a much lower impact than the use of fossil raw materials, which only release CO2 that has been captured there for thousands of years.

nnHOW TO USE RENEWABLE

BIOMASS TO REPLACE FOSSIL RAW MATERIALS IN THE PRODUCTION OF THE BINDER?

Unfortunately, many ideas to develop new bio-based monomers that show a high performance in polymer-binders for architectural coatings have not been successful in the past years. The replacement of already existing monomers with a bio-based version has not been realised as the economics do not work. The costs of a bio-based monomer (eg acrylic acid) from a new bio-based process will easily be a multiple of the classic fossil version, simply due to the high investment costs for a new plant. So how do we find a solution that uses raw materials that are derived from sustainable biomass, that does not compromise the expected performance and is cost-competitive when producing a coating binder? Since 2016, BASF has offered a new approach to overcome these challenges. By using the so-called Biomass Balance Approach, fossil raw materials are replaced with sustainable biomass directly at the beginning of the integrated production process in two of BASF’s largest sites. BASF uses bionaphtha and biogas coming from certified sustainable sources, such as Crude Tall Oil (a wood based residue from the paper industry), other sustainably grown plant sources or kitchen and agricultural waste. All raw materials used for the Biomass Balance Concept must fulfil several strict requirements, to ensure a sustainable improvement. Well-respected international certification systems like REDCert or ISCC Plus help ensure that negative impacts, such as deforestation, child labour or competition with the food value chain, can be prevented. The replacement of natural gas and fossil naphtha with biogas and bionaphtha helps save limited fossil resources and guarantees a minimum reduction of greenhouse gas emissions above 50%. This minimum reduction of 50% is based on the requirement of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) of the European Union, which was chosen as a regulatory basis for Biomass Balance Approach concept. As fossil and renewable raw materials are mixed in the production process and

cannot be separated after the first steps, the allocation of the sustainable biomass to a certain coating raw material will be based on an individual product specific calculation. This calculation as well as the whole setup is regularly checked and certified by an independent third party. Coating producers are able to extend this certification also to their own production facilities to include their products in the scope of the certification. This will enable them to use the independent third party certification, for example by the well-known German TÜV SÜD, for the labelling of its paint product(s). In this regard, they will always receive a product (eg binder for a paint) that is a 100% drop in solution and gives no compromise on performance. The guaranteed saving of fossil resources and significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions can be used to position the product as a more sustainable alternative in the market. The paint producer can differentiate as a sustainability leader and address the need of a sustainable future. End-users can now opt for a more sustainable choice without compromising on the performance of the product. In many markets and different product segments, Biomass Balance products are now available by leading coating companies. The German market leader DAW was the first to launch a biomass balance interior product in the German market in 2016 for its famous Caparol brand. This launch created a lot of attention in Europe. Since March 2018, Italy’s Colorificio San Marco offers Biomass Balance products for its Novacolor effect colours around the globe and in China, Nippon Paint launched Infinite Air in China in May this year as the first product in this category in Asia Pacific. Of course, the biomass balance concept is not just limited to the coatings industry. There are many other examples of successful implementation in the packaging, construction or consumer goods industries. n

Author: Dr Nikolaus Raupp, Senior Manager Regional Marketing, Polymer Dispersion for Architectural Coatings, Dispersion & Resins Asia Pacific, BASF Website: www.basf.com/biomassbalance

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GOING GREEN

Tijs Nabuurs and Maud Kastelijn, DSM Coating Resins, discuss plant-based binders as alternatives to standard fossil fuel-based binders in commercial industrial wood coatings

(Meth)acrylic copolymer emulsions for use in coatings containing plant-based monomers SUMMARY: Several plant-based alternatives to fossil fuel-based (meth)acrylate monomers are available. Most promising types include the diesters of itaconic acid and esters of (meth)acrylate monomers prepared with plant-based alcohols. Other plantbased monomers show issues with either too slow, or too high reactivity, or with lacking commercial availability. Applying the preferred and commercial available monomers in emulsion polymerisation can yield water-based and partially plant-based binders showing film properties in industrial coatings that are similar to those found for paints based on commercially available fossil-fuel based binders. At this point in time, polymeric binders with plant-based contents of around 40% can be achieved (calculated on total carbon content). New developments with even higher plant-based contents are, however, foreseen to be available within five years from now.

olymeric binders containing (meth) acrylic copolymers have long been used in the coatings market. With increasing awareness of the earth’s depleting natural resources and climate changes, there is growing pressure on industry to find plant-based alternatives for its raw materials. The use of plant-based raw materials in coatings is, of course, far from new. At any time before the 20th century, all coatings and coating components were from bio-origin. This varied from natural oils as crosslinking binder to pigments obtained from nature. However, with the current requirements put on coatings regarding property profiles, it is challenging to replace fossil fuel-based monomers with plant-based ones and maintain coating performance. Since the turn of the century, a lot of research resources have been spent to develop renewable alternatives of the current polymers, as used in paints and coatings. Most of this research was aimed at using vegetable oils or sugars, and modifying wood structures to obtain lignin structures1.

Although polymers obtained like this have their merits, they do not provide alternatives for modern coatings used in, for instance, the interior furniture or exterior industrial wood markets. Renewable monomers that do provide a means of producing (partially) plant-based polymer binders for use in paints and coatings have been suggested using various approaches2 but, so far, no commercial plant-based binders based on these monomers have been reported. In this study, it will be shown that it is currently feasible to produce partially plant-based polymer binders via emulsion polymerisation for use in paints or coatings applied in industrial wood. The report will begin with an overview of the various plantbased monomers that are available. For each structure, the technical pro’s and the con’s will be described. In the next section, a comparative overview will be presented of the coating properties of paints prepared from partially plant-based polymer compositions and their fossil fuel alternatives. At the end of this report, an outlook is presented regarding the development of plant-based coatings, focusing on the development of the plantbased content in the coming years. For the sake of this study, polymer synthesis was restricted to emulsion polymerisation. For a detailed overview on this technology the reader is directed to one of the many reviews that have been published on this over the years 3.

nnTECHNICAL To replace polymer binders that can be used in coatings with plant-based types, commercial availability of plantbased monomers is a prerequisite. At this moment, the common acrylate and methacrylate monomers like these are available based on fossil fuel sources but plant-based types are not yet commercially available. Producing plant-based styrene is only theoretically possible, starting from ethene. However, commercialising this is far from reality. In case of replacing (meth) acrylic copolymers, the easiest way to

replace fossil fuel-based monomers with renewable monomers would be to have the currently used building blocks available. In the past decade, routes were developed to produce acrylic and methacrylic acid from plant-based sources. Acrylic acid, for instance, can be derived from 3-hydroxy propionic acid4, or alternatively from glycerol5. Methacrylic acid, on the other hand, can be prepared, for instance, from syngas 6. This syngas is currently obtained from fossil fuel based sources but can, obviously, also be gained from renewable resources. At this point in time, however, neither plant-based acrylic acid or methacrylic acid are commercially available. Hence, other building blocks are required. Not all double bonds are reactive in radical polymerisation. Monomers that can be practically used in emulsion polymerisation need to match the general structure as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

In the case of acrylate and methacrylate monomers, for instance, X and Y are oxygen, and R1 is hydrogen or a methyl group. In practice, five different plant-based structures can be envisaged that are both reactive in radical polymerisation and (potentially) commercially available. The first practical alternative that will be discussed is based on using plantbased alcohols (R2 in Figure 1) in (meth) acrylate monomers, which would result in partially plant-based building blocks. From a polymerisation reactivity perspective, this is a very practical approach, since the monomers can be perfect drop-ins for the current monomers. A second advantage of this approach is that the contributions of the monomers on polymer properties are well understood. Unfortunately, not all alcohols that are currently used in (meth) acrylic monomers are actually available from renewable resources. Those alcohols that

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GOING GREEN Renewable content Renewable content Methanol

25%

MMA

20%

Ethanol

40%

EMA

33%

Renewable content Methanol

DMI

71%

Ethanol

DEI

56% 39% 24%

Butanol

57%

BMA

50%

Butanol

DBI

Octanol

2-EHA

73%

2-EHMA

67%

Octanol

D2-EHI

Table 1. Plant-based contents of standard (meth)acrylic monomers when alcohols from renewable resources are used

are available, are often more expensive than their fossil fuel-based alternatives, making their commercial use more challenging. A final consideration of this approach is that depending on the number of carbon atoms in the alcohol the contribution to the renewability content can be limited. Plantbased contents of standard monomers when only the alcohol is used from plant-based resources are summarised in Table 1. If one wishes to prepare a coating containing a reasonable concentration of renewable carbon especially the longer alcohols provide significant opportunities. Commercially, not all of the monomers presented in Table 1 are available. Valid and existing options are acrylic monomers containing ethyl or n-butyl alcohols. In literature, other options have also been described, such as 2-octyl acrylate7 and isobornyl (meth)acrylates 8. Especially 2-octyl acrylate seems an interesting monomer, since it has a high renewable content and appears an easy replacement for the commonly used 2-ethylhexyl acrylate. A second plant-based alternative is based on dialkyl esters of itaconic acid (DRI, see Figure 2).

Figure 2

Compared to the methacrylic ester structure from Figure 1, here shown in blue, dialkyl esters of itaconic acid are very similar, except for the R1-group. Itaconic acid has been produced via fermentation ever since the 1960s9 and at this moment fermentation of sugars is even the preferred production route of itaconic acid10. As mentioned in the previous section, plant-based versions of the most common alcohol residues are not generally available at cost effective prices. Using fossil fuel-based alcohols, however, obviously would go at the expense of the plant-based content of DRI-monomers. The influence of the choice of fossil fuel-based alcohol on the biocontent of the itaconic diester monomer is reported in Table 2.

Table 2. Plant-based contents of itaconic ester monomers when alcohols from fossil fuel resources are used

Tg (°C)

Tg (°C)*

Methanol

MMA

105

DMI

Ethanol

EMA

DEI

Butanol

BMA

DBI

Octanol

2-EHMA

D2-EHI

-16

*Data from Cowie

Figure 3

Although the structure of crotonates closely resembles those of methacrylate esters, they do not copolymerise effectively enough to yield copolymers and can, henceforth, be discarded. A fourth class of plant-based monomers are diesters of methylene malonate (Figure 4).

Table 3. Comparison of glass transition contributions of dialkyl itaconates and methacrylic acid esters

DRI-monomers containing plant-based alcohols, however, would obviously result in 100% bio-renewable compositions. Commercial sources of some of those 100% plant-based itaconate monomers are commercially available, especially dimethyl itaconate (DMI) and di-n-butyl itaconate (DBI). The advantage of itaconic esters for use in binders is that their property contribution in co-polymeric binders compares favourably with methacrylic esters containing the same alcohols. As an example, in Table 3 glass transition contributions of the monomers presented in Table 2 are compared to esters of methacrylic acid. When similar alcohols are used, Tg contributions of DRI-monomers compare quite favourably with those of methacrylic esters. Similarly, water solubility of DRImonomers is comparable to those of methacrylic esters containing the same alcohols, too. The use of itaconic esters in emulsion polymerisation does, however, also provide challenges. Due to the presence of the very bulky R1-group, reactivity of itaconate esters is low. Typically, the propagation rate constant of dialkyl itaconates is in the 5-10l/ mole.s range12. As a result, it is challenging to produce dialkyl itaconate functional copolymers containing a significant DRImonomers concentration with high monomer conversion and high molecular weights. By controlling polymerisation conditions and optimising the polymerisation procedure, however, these effects can be mitigated13. A third plant-based option for biobased monomers are esters of crotonic acid (Figure 3). Crotonic acid can be obtained from plant based raw materials, for instance, via pyrolysis of 3-hydroxy butyrate14.

Figure 4

Malonic acid can be obtained from renewable resources, such as 3-hydroxy propionic acid15. Synthesis of methylene malonate esters has already been described in 1940 by Bachman et al16. Looking at the structure of diesters of methylene malonate, it is apparent that the double bond is actually double activated. Consequently, monomers like these are very reactive, especially in anionic polymerisation. In fact, their reactivity in anionic polymerisation is so high, that stability of methylene malonates is limiting their application. In order to prevent premature polymerisation methylene malonate monomers should be stored under strong acidic conditions. When brought into contact with water, these monomers will spontaneously polymerise, unless, again, the aqueous environment is very acidic. Hence, although dialkyl esters of methylene malonic acid can provide an interesting class of plant-based monomers, it is not yet practical to use them in an emulsion copolymerisation set-up. Finally, the fifth class of potentially plant-based monomers is based on the α-methylene butyrolactone structure as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5

The monomer shown in Figure 5, which is also called tulipalin A, can be obtained from tulips. The first description of the monomer originates already from 194717. Radical polymerisation was described in

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GOING GREEN 197918. In the same year copolymerisation of α-methylene butyrolactone with methyl methacrylate, styrene, acrylamide and acrylonitrile was described19. Looking at the structure of α-methylene butyrolactone, the close resemblance with methyl methacrylate is striking. In fact, α-methylene butyrolactone is the cyclic analogue of methyl methacrylate. Polymerisation of α-methylene butyrolactone proceeds very well, with kp/ kt1/2 reported to be almost twice as high as for methyl methacrylate 20. From a property perspective, this monomer is also very interesting with a Tg contribution, for instance, of 195°C19. Unfortunately, although it (co)polymerises well and can yield interesting (co)polymer properties, α-methylene butyrolactone is not yet commercially available. In conclusion, looking at copolymerisation properties, polymer properties, and commercial availability, the itaconate esters and (meth)acrylates esters yield the most promising routes for partially plantbased copolymers. Diesters of itaconic acid yield properties very similar to those of methacrylate copolymers. By adjusting the polymerisation process, especially in the post-reaction stage, itaconate diesters provide a feasible and commercially available route to prepare (partially) plant-based copolymers for use in coatings.

nnEXPERIMENTAL Applying the monomers described in the section above in emulsion polymerisation, polymer emulsions were prepared yielding partially plant-based compositions. In the next sections, the film properties of these partially plant-based polymer binders will be compared to similar polymer compositions based on fossil fuel-based compositions. It should be emphasised that the comparison is with comparable and not identical polymer binders, since, for instance, in the case of itaconic esters no direct monomer replacements are available. Comparisons were made for two different types of coatings; the first being a 1C selfcrosslinking coating for use in exterior and as second coating a 2C NCO curing coating for interior furniture coating applications. Exterior 1C self-crosslinking coating – Self-crosslinking coatings, containing ketone functional binders which upon film formation react with polyhydrazides, have for long been the standard in the market for exterior wood coatings. For the purpose of this comparison an established binder was selected, whose properties were compared to those of a biobased version. The monomers used in the reference binder are typically a combination of methacrylate and acrylate monomers. As discussed above, these monomers, and

especially the methacrylate esters, can readily be replaced with both partially plant-based acrylate or methacrylate monomers and with itaconate monomers containing similar alcohol residues as those in the monomers that are to be replaced. In this comparison, fossil fuel-based monomers were replaced with plant-based ones so that the total plantbased content of the binder added up to 40%, based on carbon content in the solid polymer composition. For comparison of the coating properties, clear and pigmented formulations were made according to the recipes shown in Table 4. The results of the coating properties are shown in Table 5. In the comparison reported in Table 5, the most important observation is that there are very little differences in performance between the coatings based on the established fossil fuel-based binder and the new plant-based binder. Between the two types of binders only marginal differences can be observed Clear formulation

Pigmented formulation

Binder*

70.6

55.6

Water

18.6

5.3**

Butyldiglycol

2.2

2.5

Thixol 53L (1:10 in water)

7.2

5.0

Dapro® DF7580

0.6

0.4

Borchigel® L75 (1:1 in water)

0.8

0.6

Disperbyk® 2015

1.5 **

Tego Foamex 810

0.3**

Kronos® 2190

24**

Ammonia (25%)

***

* Used at a solids content of 44% ** Part of the pigment paste premix *** Enough to raise the pH to 8.9

Table 4. Clear and pigmented formulations for exterior coatings based on selfcrosslinking binders

but these are considered to fall within experimental error. This was observed in clear formulations with marginal differences in elongation at break, toughness, and impact resistance, while in the comparison of the pigmented paints practically no differences were observed. Hence, using the biobased monomers as discussed in the sections above, it proves to be very feasible to formulate coatings based on partially plant-based binder compositions for exterior wood applications with an acceptable property set which is comparable to that of coatings based on standard fossil fuel-based binders. Interior furniture coating – As typical interior furniture coating one was selected based on a water-based 2C NCO crosslinking binder with a low hydroxyl number. The binder which was selected to be replaced with a partially plant-based version was a styrene-acrylate binder with a hydroxyl number of 50mg KOH/g of solid resin. The Tg of the binder is 40°C, yielding an MFT in the absence of polyisocyanate crosslinker of 45°C. Obviously, replacing all monomers with plant-based ones at this point in time is not possible, since we do not possess a plantbased alternative for styrene yet. Hence, in this case only the (meth)acrylate monomers were replaced. This was again made possible through the use of partially plant-based (meth) acrylate or itaconate diester monomers. Comparison of the fossil fuel-based binder and the plant-based binder was done in a clear, high gloss paint, which was cured with Bayhydur 2655, at an NCO:OH ratio of 1.6. Preferably the coating tests would have been done with the partially plant-based polyisocyanate crosslinker Bayhydur ECO 7190 but this was not available at the time of these tests. The coating formulation that was used for the comparison is shown in Table 6. After mixing in the crosslinker, formulations were left to stand for one hour, after which films were cast on a Wodego W700 panel.

Table 5. Comparison of properties of exterior wood coatings containing binders made from only fossil fuel-based monomers or partially from plant-based monomers

Clear formulation

Pigmented formulation

Fossil fuel-based

Plant-based

Fossil fuel-based Plant-based

Biocontent of binder (on carbon)

40%

Early water resistance (4hr)*

2/5

3/5

Early blocking resistance (500μm)*

Elongation at break (110μm)

117

122

Toughness (MPa)

7.5

Impact (N) – RT/7°C

8/6

7/6

8/7

9/7

Outdoor exposure (24 months)

Good

QUV EN 927-6 (2016 hours)

Good

Gardner wheel (357 cycles)

Good

* 0 is poor, 5 is excellent

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GOING GREEN

Clear formulation Binder*

100.0

Water

4.4

Butyldiglycol

8.0

Radiasolve 7529

2.0

Tego Airex 902W

0.6

Coatex BR100P (1:1 in water) 1.0 ®

Bayhydur® 2655 (70% in MPA)

18.1

Water

10.0

* Used at a solids content of 40%

Table 6. Clear formulation for interior 2C NCO curing coatings

Fossil fuel-based

Plantbased

Bio content of binder (on carbon)

40%

Gloss (20°/60°)

58/80

64/89

Chemical resistances* Ethanol

1hr

Red wine

6hr

4-5

Coffee

16hr

Water

16hr

Mustard

6hr

Onion juice

6hr

3-4

* 0 is poor, 5 is excellent

Table 7. Comparison of film properties of 2C isocyanate crosslinking interior furniture coatings containing binders made from only fossil fuel-based monomers or partially plantbased monomers

After a flash off, of two hours at room temperature, films were aged at 50°C for 16hr. Next, gloss and chemical resistances were determined. The results are presented in Table 7. Just as in the case of the exterior coating properties, the plant-based interior coating seems to perform very comparable to the fossil fuel-based reference. Gloss levels were a little better for the plant-based type but all chemical resistances were very similar. Considering the low hydroxyl value of the binder and, hence, the relatively low crosslink density, both coatings yielded excellent resistance towards ethanol, red wine, and coffee, and somewhat poorer resistances towards mustard and onion juice. Hence, just as in the case of the exterior wood coating, 2C isocyanate crosslinking interior furniture coatings based on plantbased polymer emulsions can be very useful alternatives for the fossil fuel-based types.

nnDISCUSSION As the study in this report shows, using the currently available plant-based monomers, it is very well possible to prepare binders

with plant-based contents between of around 40%. At these plant-based levels, performances of the partially renewable binders are very similar to those of the commercially available reference binders based on monomers obtained from fossil fuel resources. The limitation with respect to reaching higher bio-based levels comes from the fact that a partially plant-based acrylate monomer, such as butyl acrylate, for instance, possesses only 57% of renewable carbon atoms. Alternatively, diesters of itaconic acid can be obtained fully plant-based. However, due to their slow polymerisation rate and high chain transfer to monomer constant, these can only be used to a limited concentration before either monomer conversion drops or the molecular weight of the resulting polymer composition becomes too low. What we would need to increase the biocontents of polymer binders are either fully biobased alternatives to the current (meth)acrylate monomers or, for instance, commercially available butyrolactones (Figure 5). It is expected that within two to five years from now, such monomers will become available, in addition to the current plantbased monomers. The combination of all these monomers will make it possible, within the same period, to produce (meth) acrylate copolymers with a plant-based content as high as between 50 and 70% on carbon. At this moment, such binders have been prepared on lab scale, again reaching similar performance as the fossil fuel-based binders or in some cases even superior properties. However, especially in optimising polymerisation process conditions and formulation requirements, these developments do need some optimisation before they may become available to the market. Eventually, it will prove possible to produce plant-based binders with concentrations of renewable carbons of between 70 and 100%, although it is envisaged that for this to be realistic even more extensions of the monomer toolbox are required. Useful extension would, for instance, be plant-based styrene, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or even entirely new monomers that can be derived from plant-based resources.

nnCONCLUSIONS Partially plant-based industrial wood coatings can be prepared with biocontents in the binder of around 40%, reaching coating properties comparable to those of fossil fuelbased types. Applying partially plant-based copolymer binders, competitive coating properties can be achieved. Currently this is made feasible using two approaches. Firstly, one can use (meth)acrylate monomers where

the alcohol residue is replaced with a plantbased alternative. In this way, only partially plant-based monomers will be available. Secondly, diesters of itaconic acid can be used. These monomers tend to copolymerise a little bit slower than (meth)acrylate monomers but they have the advantage that they can be obtained as 100-% plant based, as calculated on carbon content. This study shows that when using a combination of such approaches plantbased alternatives to standard commercial industrial wood coatings can be produced with a performance similar to the fossil fuel-based reference binders. At this point in time, partially plant-based binders can be produced with renewable contents of up to 40%. A similar property comparison, at comparable biocontents, is also achievable for coatings applied in DIY and wall paints. This comparison will be reported separately21. In the near future, the plant-based content of copolymeric binders can likely be extended to 50% or higher. To achieve plantbased contents of 70% or higher requires the extension of the current plant-based monomer toolbox. n References 1. See for instance: ‘Monomers, Polymers and Composites from Renewable Resources’; M Belgacem and A Gandini Eds, Elsevier (2005), and ‘Bio-Based Polymers and Composites’; R’ Wool and X’ Sun, Elsevier (2008), and A’ Gandini et al; Prog. Polym. Sci., 48, 1 (2015). 2. J Mosnacek et al; Macromolecules, 41(15), 5509 (2008); K Yao et al; Macromolecules, 46(5), 1689 (2013); A Holmberg et al; ACS Macro. Lett., 5(5), 574 (2016). 3. See for instance: ‘Emulsion Polymerization, a mechanistic approach’, R Gilbert, Academic Press (1995), and ‘Chemistry and Technology of Emulsion Polymerization’, A van Herk (Edt), Blackwell Publishing (2008). 4. WO2002042418 (assigned to Cargill). 5. WO2006092272 (assigned to Stockhausen). 6. WO2014096850 (assigned to Lucite), WO2010079293 (assigned to Arkema). 7. WO2014207389 (assigned to Arkema). 8. US8642696 (assigned to BASF). 9. M Steiger et al; Front. Microbiol., 4, 23 (2013). 10. T Willke et al; Appl. Microiol. Biotechn., 56(34), 289 (2001). 11. J Cowie et al; Polymer, 18, 612 (1977). 12. B Tate et al; Adv. Polymer Sci., 5, 214 (1967). 13. WO2011073417 (assigned to DSM). 14. M Mamat et al; J. Cleaner Prodn, 83, 463 (2014). 15. T Carole et al; Opportunities in the industrial biobased products industry, from ‘Applied biochemistry and biotechnology’, Volumes 113116, Spring 2004. 16. US2313501 (assigned to Eastman Kodak). 17. US2624723 (assigned to Allied Chem. & Dye Corp). 18. M Akkapeddi; Macromolecules, 12, 546 (1979). 19. M Akkapeddi; Polymer, 20, 1215 (1979). 20. M Ueda et al; J. Pol. Sci., Pol. Chem. Ed., 20, 2819 (1982). 21. In progress.

Author: Tijs Nabuurs, Maud Kastelijn DSM Coating Resins, Sluisweg 12, 5145PE, Waalwijk, The Netherlands Email: Tijs.Nabuurs@DSM.com

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GOING GREEN

Barry Snyder, Axalta, details how the company is working with its automotive customers to help them achieve their sustainability goals

The drive to reduce energy consumption and increase productivity

xalta is taking a deliberate approach to sustainable business practices. As a result, Axalta’s energy use, waste generation and emissions from operations have remained constant or in some cases, decreased. Yet, Axalta isn’t only looking inwardly to address sustainability; its innovations reap sustainability goals for its customers. Axalta has been developing innovative products, such as coatings for lighter weight cars that consume less fuel and emit less carbon dioxide, car paint colours that can positively impact exhaust emissions and products that support the enhanced performance of electric vehicles, all to help contribute to its customers’ sustainability. In 2017, Axalta spent US$180M – about 4% of sales – on research and development to create innovative new products, as well as to enhance existing products. With more than 1300 research fellows, scientists and engineers at technology centres and laboratories around the world, Axalta continues to develop, to manufacture and to sell high-performance coatings in a responsible manner. And technological innovation is key. Barry Snyder, Axalta’s Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, said: “We plan to allocate more than 65% of research spending through 2022 to developing products that are designed to result in sustainability benefits for our customers, such as lower VOC emissions, reduced waste and energy savings.”

nnADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES OF OEM LIGHTWEIGHT CAR BODY DESIGN

Axalta is creating new levels of technological innovation by providing sustainable manufacturing processes for light vehicle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Driven by pressure from regulatory bodies and a desire to move towards sustainability, OEMs are shifting to more sustainable materials and

processes. Use of lightweight materials like aluminium and magnesium, and polymeric substrates in automotive body designs reduce the overall weight of the car, which helps to cut down CO2 emissions. Despite these lightweight substrates creating challenges for coating technologies, Axalta has leveraged its extensive expertise to develop ultra-lowcure temperature coating methods that allow them to be used. These coatings cure faster and at lower oven temperatures than traditional systems – between 120°C and 140°C – and enable OEMs to reduce energy consumption. Many OEMs are also looking at High Throw Power in their e-coats, which reduces consumption while maintaining interior film build. AquaEC from Axalta is one such advanced e-coat that makes it possible to coat hard-to-reach areas and crevices and to treat prime pieces with complex geometries. Increased paint efficiency is also achieved, compared to conventional e-coats, resulting in energy savings of up to 20%. Savings are also possible in wastewater treatment as the proportion of anolyte to be disposed of can also be reduced by between 10-20%. “The systems that are in use at many of the major OEMs have sustainability and productivity at their core. Our waterborne 3-Wet system, 2-Wet Monocoat and Eco-Concept Harmonized Coating Technologies™ are a few examples of innovations our customers are currently using,” Snyder said.

nnCOLOUR EQUATES TO SUSTAINABILITY

Consumers with strong environmental awareness will take not only the design of a new vehicle into account when making a purchasing decision but also energy consumption, emissions, materials, coatings and even how these elements meet environmental standards. Axalta’s 2018 Automotive Color of the Year, StarLite, is a white reflective hue developed specifically for automotive OEMs. StarLite is formulated with synthetic pearl flakes to create an eye-catching pearlescent effect. “There’s more to StarLite than meets the eye. It may even help reduce the environmental impact of vehicles,” said Snyder. While it is readily accepted that lighter car colours like white and silver reflect sunlight better than darker car colours, it is thought that a car’s colour can affect its fuel economy and emissions1. Lighter car colours can contribute to decreased air temperature inside a car that has been parked in the sun. This means the air conditioning capacity – rate of heat removal – required to cool the air inside a lighter coloured car is 13%2 less than that required in a darker car that isn’t as solar reflective. Ultimately, this could improve the vehicle’s fuel economy; OEMs can install a smaller air conditioner that draws less power from the engine in lighter coloured cars. Smaller air conditioners can translate into a 2% increase in fuel efficiency, a 1.9% reduction in CO2 emissions and a reduction of about

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GOING GREEN 1% in other auto emissions 3. Snyder said, “This puts choosing a car colour in a totally new light for vehicle owners and also helps OEMs address sustainability issues of their own.”

nnVEHICLES OF THE FUTURE, TODAY Hybrid and all-electric passenger cars hold many advantages for environmentallyconscious car buyers. Axalta plays its part with these vehicles too, supplying leading OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers. Its electrical insulating materials are used in the advanced electric motors of electric and hybrid vehicles, meeting not only the growing demand for high-volume production but also the required improved performance levels of the motors. Michael Glomp, Global Vice President for Axalta’s

Energy Solutions business, said: “Axalta’s Voltron wire enamels are extensively used in high-performance motors used in electric sports cars. They also enable the use of more powerful or smaller and more lightweight electric motors needed for smaller passenger cars.” Voltatex bondable electrical steel coatings enable engineers to create revolutionary designs in motor geometry and build the most efficient motors – building smaller motors with the same torque as larger ones – and increase the driving range. While Voltatex impregnating agents, which are designed to operate at 220°C, provide excellent thermal and mechanical stability, allowing motors to run hotter, more efficiently and reliably. Snyder concluded: “Axalta has been in the business of sustainability for more than

150 years. We are committed to providing our customers with quality, innovation and exceptional products, every day. But above all, we share with them the passion to minimise the impact on the environment, and thanks to our innovations, we can achieve that together.” n

References 1. Berkeley Lab, Energy Technologies Area (ETA), University of California. 2. Berkeley Lab, Energy Technologies Area (ETA), University of California. 3. Berkeley Lab, Energy Technologies Area (ETA), University of California.

Author: Barry Snyder, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Axalta Website: www.axaltacs.com

Damian Nowak, Synthos, discusses how the company achieves environmentally friendly dispersions for premium paints

Synthos dispersions for PSA tapes, architectural and wood coatings

ynthos is one of the largest manufacturers of raw chemical materials in Poland and Europe’s largest producer of synthetic rubber and expandable polystyrene (EPS). Rapid expansion in recent years has turned Synthos into an enterprise that is competitive, safe, environmentally-friendly and which supplies the market with highquality state-of-the-art products. The Synexil® and Osakryl® brands cover a wide range of dispersions based on vinyl acetate, acrylics, styrene-acrylics and vinyl acrylics copolymers. These dispersions meet the market needs for the formulation of products in the constructionchemical industry, such as interior and

exterior paints, primers, plasters, decorative and professional (furniture, joinery) wood coatings and putties, as well as dispersion adhesives – PSA, paper and wood. Synthos pays close attention to the environmental aspects of its products. No dispersions contain APEO emulsifiers (alkylphenol ethoxylates), solvents, hazardous plasticisers or any other substances harmful to human health and the environment. Dispersions are compliant with the recommendations for low-VOC and formaldehyde content.

nnKEY FOCUS The Dispersion Business Unit owns an R&D laboratory that develops new products in line with current market requirements. In the field of wood-coatings, it is constantly working on new products in order to achieve high-application parameters. One product well worth mentioning is Synexil® AF 33, an acrylic, self-cross-linking agent dedicated to transparent and pigmented furniture varnishes. It is characterised by very-high chemical resistance (compliant with the requirements of IKEA ISOMAT-0066-8), very-good anti-blocking and high scratch resistance. Formulations based on Synexil® AF 33 facilitate a wide range of varnish-gloss adjustment. Another key focus area is PSA adhesives, designed for packaging tapes and labels.

The company’s internal research and application equipment ensures PSA adhesives meet customers’ requirements. Thanks to the work of its R&D, Synthos recently developed new Synexil® PSA products that are in line with food-contact standards. Due to further research, new advanced PSA dispersions will be launched in the future. Synthos pays close attention to the ecological aspects of its products and constantly improves them to reduce their negative impact on the natural environment. That is why the company is focused on developing acrylic and styrene-acrylic dispersions for premium paints compliant with very-strict Ecolabel standards. Paints based on this kind of binder are characterised by first class wet scrubbing and stain resistance without adding any coalescents or plasticisers. Synthos provides customers with a full technological service. The team of technical advisers working in close cooperation with the R&D laboratory, affords technical consultation and support for customers. Their know-how, combined with experience, allows Synthos to adjust its dispersions to clients’ expectations. n

Author: Damian Nowak, Product Manager Website: www.synthosspecialties.com

12 PPCJ & APCJ • October 2018 www.coatingsgroup.com

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RESINS

As awareness of sustainability and green issues continues to affect specification choices the world over, more developments are turning to terrazzo flooring as the solution. Martin Wroe of Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings, looks at what makes this product – which can be more expensive to install than traditional flooring – such an appealing solution

Terrazzo flooring – an historic solution to modern flooring issues

errazzo flooring is a composite – a mix of resin with aggregates that give the product such variety in its design. Intended to be a durable, hard-wearing and highly decorative flooring solution, the resin is mixed with coloured marble, granite chips or other approved aggregates, such as glass. During production, the mix is ground and polished to reveal the pattern of the aggregates which contrasts with the coloured epoxy. Terrazzo can be laid in a number of thicknesses depending on requirements, typically 8-12mm The advantages of such a product are well-known; terrazzo can be traced back to ancient Egypt with the more modern form we know now dating back hundreds of years to Italy. As well as being aesthetically pleasing, terrazzo flooring is durable, wear-resistant, stain resistant and designed to be easily cleaned – the flooring offers a seamless finish, easy to clean and with limited numbers of joints. Such a system is ideal for use in areas and facilities with high foot traffic, such as airports, stadiums, schools and hospitals. Due to the unique aesthetic finish of these

systems, terrazzo is often used in high profile developments. Sherwin-Williams, for instance, supplied more than 1000m2 of epoxy terrazzo to the Greenwich Visitor Centre at the Old Royal Naval College. The project required a fresh and modern floor covering that would be durable enough to withstand the daily footfall it would receive. The solution was RS Terrazzo, a fourpart component, heavy duty epoxy system containing decorative aggregates and stones marble. In a method common to this system, the terrazzo was laid at 10mm thick, ground and polished down to 8mm and finished with a clear surface seal. Terrazzo generally has excellent slip resistance underfoot in dry conditions, antimicrobial and antistatic properties suitable for use in industries, such as pharmaceutical, electronic, food and healthcare sectors. Once installed, the product was a seamless floor covering free from joints (apart from any movement joints) and with its bespoke Stirling Grey base, with black, grey and white glossy marble detail it met the requirements of the £6M development in Greenwich.

The Central Library, Manchester

This project highlights the key benefits of a terrazzo flooring system, benefits that are well understood but perhaps not specified as often as they should be. In the USA, terrazzo flooring systems are commonly utilised, and the large, high specification developments of the Middle East can commonly be found featuring bespoke terrazzo systems. Many parts of Europe, though, have been slow to specify this system.

nnTHE BENEFITS It can be the higher initial cost of installing a terrazzo flooring system that may cause a less expensive system to be preferred. However, this can be a false economy. Data from the US body the National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association (NTMA), demonstrate these savings in a stark light. For instance, the average installed cost per metre for vinyl sheets was found to be £29 approx (US$2.98/ft2), while the cost per metre for epoxy terrazzo was £140 (US$14/ft2), almost five times more. However, vinyl floor sheets would need to be replaced every 18 years but epoxy terrazzo every 40 years. The cost of

Greenwich Visitor Centre at the Old Royal Naval College

20 PPCJ • October 2018 www.coatingsgroup.com

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RESINS

The Central Library, Manchester

Salford Royal NHS Trust above and right

maintenance for epoxy terrazzo was found to be £5.00/m2 (US$0.50/ft2), compared to £13.90/m2 (US$1.39/ft2) for vinyl. Overall, the annual cost/m2 for the two flooring types was £16.60 (US$1.66/ft2) for vinyl and £8.50/m2 (US$0.85/ft2) for epoxy terrazzo, almost half the cost. For large projects, this is a significant difference. When Sherwin-Williams worked with the Salford Royal NHS Trust, it supplied more than 2000m2 of RS Terrazzo, with a bespoke aggregate blend introducing white, grey and black marble and granite to give the end product a bespoke finish. Over its lifespan the cost difference for a project like this will be significant. There are stark differences in the life expectancy of terrazzo flooring versus other systems – 20 to 25 years is common, with simple re-polishing or re-sealing – using water-based products – perhaps after 10 years. It is not just cost savings that mean specifiers are turning to terrazzo flooring solutions. Its green credentials are also impressive.

reducing the carbon footprint of a build, whereas other traditional flooring systems may use imported stone or other materials. The installation process itself also means there is very little waste – the terrazzo prepared for installation can be measured accurately and as much or as little as is required can then be prepared. Once in place, the nature of the product means it commonly lasts the lifetime of a building, removing the need for costly replacement and further waste. If repairs are required, these can be done relatively efficiently. Terrazzo floors are crucial when considering green credentials, such as the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). LEED considers issues during construction including use of recycled content, local materials, waste management, reduction of odour-emitting materials and innovative design – terrazzo floors fit the bill here perfectly. Specifiers and architects like terrazzo floors as it gives a coatings company the opportunity to sit down with them and ask, ‘what do you want?’ The solution may be entirely bespoke and a design that may never be repeated thanks to the range of customisation options from the aggregate to the epoxy resin matrix, which can also be coloured via pigments. Truly bespoke options can be created with endless design options in terms of both colour and aggregate matrices, such as glass, marble, granite and mother of pearl. Take the Central Library in Manchester. As part of a three-year overhaul, the Grade II listed building underwent a multi-millionpound improvement, using material from a local supplier and to a special colour pallet to mirror the neo-classical design features.

nnGREEN CREDENTIALS Thin set epoxy conforms to the EU’s solvents Emissions Directive which will add to the green credentials of the systems. As the finished flooring is non-porous, it means moisture and radon gas cannot penetrate, promoting healthy indoor air quality. It is produced from processed resin binders, pigments and fillers and more than 50% from recycled materials, such as glass or leftover granite or marble chips from stone processing plants. The aggregate itself often comes from local sources,

The seamless nature of the floor, supplied by Sherwin-Williams, ensured a flat, continuous surface was achieved and the project received praise from the city council for its attention to detail. As architects and specifiers demand longer-lasting products with ever-greater green credentials, terrazzo is clearly an ideal solution. Terrazzo has its roots in technology hundreds of years old, yet for those looking to specify correctly from the outset, with longevity in mind, as well as return on investment and aesthetics, it remains a thoroughly modern choice. PPCJ Author: Martin Wroe, Market Manager – Flooring – for Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings. Website: http://protectiveemea.sherwinwilliams.com

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MMA MARKET REPORT Methyl methacrylate, a key chemical for the production of plastics, paints, coatings and adhesives for automotive, medical, optical and dental applications continues to be in short supply as demand grows, according to a report by IHS Markit

Looming production shutdowns and second dip in operating rates challenge global MMA market

he global market for methyl methacrylate (MMA) – a chemical critical to the production of plastics, paints, coatings and adhesives for a host of consumer markets – is increasing significantly, while supply continues to be constrained due to production shutdowns and operational issues at ageing production facilities. This is according to new chemical research from IHS Markit, a world leader in critical information, analytics and solutions. MMA is essential for the production of a diverse range of consumer products, including automotive plastics, TV and electronics screens, optical devices, dental and orthodontic products, signage, lighting, windows, and household acrylic paints, coatings and adhesives. The primary application for MMA, which represents approximately 50% of global demand, is as a feedstock for production of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). PMMA is a key plastic used in a host of applications, including acrylic glass or ‘safety glass’, often known by trademark names, such as Plexiglas® or Lucite®. The second largest application is for production of paints and coatings, which consume about 40% of global MMA demand, IHS Markit said. Currently, according to the IHS Markit Global Acrylates and Super Absorbent Polymers (SAP) Market Advisory Service, global demand for MMA through 2018 is expected to reach 3.7Mt and by 2023, demand for MMA will exceed 4.3Mt. Much

of this increased demand is due to growing demand for coatings and adhesives in China and elsewhere. Global demand growth will average slightly more than three percent during the next five years, with more mature, primarily western, markets growing at up to two percent during that time period. China, which is a developing economy, is growing at 4.5%/yr, IHS Markit said. “MMA has been tight globally for more than 18 months but the situation became exceptionally difficult this spring,” said Denis Poussin, Director, Global Acrylates Research at IHS Markit, and lead author of the IHS Markit analysis. “A series of planned and unplanned production outages in Asia during 2016 crashed operating rates around the globe. Similar production challenges impacted US production in 2017 and the market responded with sharp price increases for MMA, particularly in China and the USA.” MMA prices in China have been steadily increasing during the last 18 months, reaching just under US$2900/t, according to the IHS Markit report. In Western Europe and the USA, producers also benefited from higher prices during the same period. European prices have increased nearly 60% since January 2017, to US$3058/t (delivered). Prices increased nearly 20% in the USA during the same period. Poussin expects a cluster of further planned shutdowns in September and October, both in Asia and in the USA, will result in

a second dip this year in operating rates and constricted supply. Available MMA capacity in the USA will drop to 65%, while Northeast Asia capacity will fall 80% during the period, according to IHS Markit. This tightness will lead to price hikes as companies seek to add volume through internal transfers, swaps or the merchant market. Newly built capacity will not be sufficient to cover the supply gap caused by maintenance shut-downs late this year, the IHS Markit report said. “Our discussions with buyers have revealed that few are aware of this rapidly approaching period of renewed market tightness, especially European buyers,” Poussin said. “Typically, European buyers expect a quiet fourth quarter of the year, due, in part, to the drop in demand in the region for household paint and home improvement products but we believe that seasonal demand decline is likely to be less this year and other demand sectors continue to be strong.” One of the reasons the market continues to be so tight is that between 2012 and 2016, the MMA market was oversupplied, so prices declined and manufacturers, who were barely breaking even, quit investing in new MMA production facilities, particularly in the USA and Western Europe, Poussin said. “In recent years, market demand has caught up with supply, and we’ve seen continuous growth in demand but the ageing facilities and underinvestment in

22 PPCJ • October 2018 www.coatingsgroup.com

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MMA MARKET REPORT new facilities has constrained supply,” Poussin said. “The older facilities that exist have been plagued with a number of planned and unplanned shut-downs, which caused costs to rise and supply to tighten during the past 18 months. That, in turn, makes it harder for buyers to manage supply chain costs and risks.”

nnNEW FACILITIES HAD MINIMAL IMPACT

Poussin said two new facilities have been commissioned this year in the Middle East but their added production has had a minimal impact on the market and will not be sufficient to cover 2018 production losses due to maintenance shut-downs. One of those plants, the Saudi Methacrylates Company, is a joint venture between Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation and Saudi Basic Industries Corporation known as SAMAC, and began operation earlier this year in Jubail Industrial City in Saudi Arabia. The Jubail SAMAC facility has a capacity of 250,000t/ yr. Its accompanying intermediates plant is currently producing 40,000t/yr of PMMA, IHS Markit said. The second MMA plant built in the region is PetroRabigh’s 90,000t/yr unit, located in Rabigh, Saudi Arabia. Petro-Rabigh also has an accompanying 50,000t/yr PMMA plant in Rabigh, which opened this spring. MMA is a key driver for the consumption of other chemicals. Roughly one-fourth of global acetone production is used to produce MMA, so MMA is a significant contributor to downstream chemical consumption, the report said. Acetone, however, has been relatively expensive in western markets due to pricing it against what most in the industry think of as its feedstock. A longer-term issue for MMA production is that MMA demand derived from the traditional acetone cyanohydrin route is static due to the fact that it requires

hydrogen cyanide (HCN) as feedstock and there are scale limitations, Poussin said. “However, the big issue for MMA producers and buyers is the lack of reliability of ageing assets and ageing technology that relies upon cyanide as a feedstock for the traditional acetone route,” said Marc Alvarado, Associate Director of syngas chemicals at IHS Markit. “Cyanide is an extremely poisonous chemical that producers would like to limit, given that commercially viable, alternative paths to MMA production exist.” Newer technologies, such as the Alpha C2 process from Lucite International, the world’s largest producer of MMA, offer an ethylene route to MMA production, avoiding the need for cyanide. Additionally, it offers a tremendous feedstock cost advantage to USA producers who have access to the country’s large volumes of inexpensive ethylene production. Not only does the ethylene process offer cheaper raw materials for production of MMA but also economies of scale, particularly for producers in the USA and the Middle East, IHS Markit said. Evonik Industries, the second-largest MMA producer behind Lucite International, has developed a technology that uses ethylene to produce MMA but the company has not yet ‘proven’ it with a new unit. The company announced earlier this year it was evaluating all options for future development of its MMA business and a possible sale of its assets could encourage a new investor or shareholder to invest in a new MMA unit, IHS Markit said. “Many of the world’s MMA plants are a few decades old, so the industry is overdue for new capacity investments and with increasing environmental and sustainability regulations facing the industry, more producers are interested in newer technologies that avoid the cyanide route,” Alvarado said. “These newer methods not only offer health and safety benefits of avoiding an extremely hazardous chemical,

but also capture the feedstock cost benefits of plentiful ethylene supplies that exist in the USA,” Alvarado said. According to IHS Markit Process Economics Program (PEP) MMA reports, the two newer ethylene-based processes take different reaction routes to produce MMA. In the Lucite process, ethylene reacts with carbon monoxide and methanol to produce methyl propionate, which then reacts with formaldehyde to form MMA by removing water. In Evonik’s new LiMA process, ethylene reacts with hydrogen and carbon monoxide to produce propionaldehyde, which in turn reacts with formaldehyde to form methacrolein (MA) by removing water. MA further reacts with air and methanol to produce MMA. Other than the acetone (C3) and ethylene (C2)-based processes mentioned above, MMA can also be produced by isobutylene or tertiary butanol (C4)-based processes. “These options make MMA production very interesting from a process technology viewpoint,” said RJ Chang, Director of Chemical Process Technology Research at IHS Markit and an author of the IHS Markit Process Economics Programs on MMA technologies. “The competitive production economics is highly dependent on the relative price of C2, C3, and C4 feedstocks in each region. To make sound investment decisions, a company needs to take into account feedstock availability in each region and price fluctuations during the investment period,” Chang said. PPCJ

Contact author: Melissa Manning at melissa.manning@ihsmarkit.com. For more information on the IHS Markit Global Acrylates and Super Absorbent Polymers (SAP) Market Advisory Service or the IHS Markit Process Economics Program Reports, contact Jennifer.eyring@ihsmarkit.com.

24 PPCJ • October 2018 www.coatingsgroup.com

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GLOSS & COLOUR MEASUREMENT

Automatic online gloss control

YK-Gardner, a global leader in the field of measuring colour and appearance and testing physical properties of plastic, coatings and cosmetics is introducing a new member of the well proven micro-gloss family. The new micro-gloss 60° robotic enables automatic measurement of surface gloss. Matte, satin-finished or glossy – uniform appearance stands for high quality. A stable running process is the key for uniform and consistent quality. Therefore, gloss needs to be measured on a routine basis in the production process and the measurement results need to be documented for clear communication. The new micro-gloss robotic allows automated gloss control to increase the sampling rate. With its robust mounting fixture, the meter can be integrated into a measuring cell, on a xy-table or similar set-ups. Thus, readings are always taken on the same sample area, which ensures repeatable positioning and reliable results.

The lightweight unit and the fast data collection allow for the measuring of a high number of parts. This provides complete and representative data for statistical process control enabling proactive reaction to process changes. The long-term stable LED light source of the micro-gloss provides not only highly repeatable results for many readings and years but also will never burn out. A 10 year warranty on the lamp life is guaranteed. Due to advanced temperature control, the micro-gloss assures highest stability of the gloss values. A high-tech, automated calibration procedure on a complete

range of gloss tiles as the final step in the meter’s production process guarantees outstanding technical performance including repeatability, inter-instrument agreement and temperature stability. The reference tile for calibration is supplied in a special mounting track for fast calibration on a regular basis. The intelligent auto-diagnosis of the microgloss notifies when the standard is dirty or damaged, which ensures reliable measurement at any time. Power supply occurs via the USB interface, as well as control of all measurement functions. The smart data communication allows direct and fast data transfer to the smartchart software. More information is available from BYK-Gardner GmbH, P.O. Box 970, 82534 Geretsried, Germany: By fax: +49-8171-3493-140, the free service no. 0-800-gardner (0-800-4273637) or on the Internet at www.byk.com/instruments PPCJ

Axalta sells 50,000th spectrophotometer

xalta, a leader in full digital colour management for refinishers, has sold its 50,000th spectrophotometer globally since the launch of the first generation of handheld devices for the refinish industry in 2005. Spectrophotometers are a better way to match colours and faster, right-first-time colour matches mean optimised work flow processes, helping bodyshops to save time. To commemorate this accomplishment, BYK-Gardner proudly created a limitededition spectrophotometer, painted in StarLite, Axalta’s 2018 Automotive Color of the Year. Starlite is a modern, light and reflective hue for vehicles that uses Axalta’s tri-coat process to create an eye catching pearlescent effect. The first commemorative device was presented to Joe McDougall, Axalta’s President of Global Refinish and EMEA, by BYK-Gardner President Frank Wagner during the 2018 IBIS Global Summit, in Munich, Germany. “Marking the 50,000th global spectrophotometer sale highlights the importance refinishers attach to accurate and fast colour matching,” commented McDougall. “This small yet technology-packed device demonstrates our commitment to providing innovative colour-matching technology to customers.

Joe McDougall (L), Axalta’s President of Global Refinish and EMEA, is presented with the limited edition commemorative spectrophotometer, by BYK-Gardner President Frank Wagner (R)

These devices and their patented technology are designed to achieve the perfect colour match accurately, efficiently and reliably, every day in the bodyshop. When used in conjunction with our colour management software, they truly support our commitment to customers to transition from traditional colour retrieval to a fully digital colour management process.” Wagner said: “The importance of digital colour retrieval is underscored by the fact so many bodyshops realise the benefits of these devices. They appreciate tools that help them get the job done. We are proud to offer this solution to the refinish market

with a partner like Axalta, and we look forward to its continued growth.” Beginning in 1994, Axalta was one of the first coatings companies to offer a digital colour measuring device and accompanying software for refinish customers. In 2005, Axalta partnered with BYK-Gardner to develop and manufacture a new generation of spectrophotometers – with the first portable three-angle device to use light emitting diodes. By 2011, Axalta was the first to offer the device to bodyshops to measure both colour and flake appearance. Today, the devices are smaller and smarter, and offer additional functionalities such as WIFI, a touch screen, and a smart cradle. In EMEA, the spectrophotometers are available from each of Axalta’s three premium global refinish brands. The devices are branded ChromaVision Pro Mini from Cromax®, Color Dialog Phoenix from Spies Hecker, and Genius iQ from Standox. The brands’ colour management software – ChromaWeb, Phoenix and Standowin iQ – offers thousands of formulas from global automotive manufacturers. The cuttingedge spectrophotometers are also available from Cromax, Spies Hecker and Standox in North America and Asia Pacific under the name Acquire™ Quantum EFX. www.axalta.co.uk PPCJ

26 PPCJ • October 2018 www.coatingsgroup.com

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POWDER COATINGS NEWS

DSM launches collaboration with Vepa to drive powder coating application technology

oyal DSM has launched a collaboration with Vepa, a leader in project furniture design. The aim of this collaboration is to further demonstrate the value of powder coating technology as an operationally convenient and sustainable alternative to solvent-based liquid coating technology for heat-sensitive substrates. Initially, Vepa has produced one furniture product line with DSM’s proprietary powder coating technology, which has been commercially available since August 2018. A second product line will be launched by the end of 2018. Like many other furniture manufacturers and designers across the world, Vepa is looking to leverage powder coating technology to gain a competitive advantage, since this technology has been shown to improve the operational efficiency of coating application, the total environmental impact of the manufacturing process and the aesthetic qualities of the final product. In this way, Vepa will lower operational costs, increase end-product value and have a mechanism for meaningful differentiation. At a more immediate level, Vepa’s decision to apply powder coating technology was driven by the successful experience of Kempa, a Belgian manufacturing company that supplies powder coated furniture panels.

DSM’s Uralac Ultra powder coating technology, developed specifically for use on MDF and other wood products

Gertjan de Kam, Design & Development Manager, Vepa said: “Powder coating technology offers several important advantages to furniture manufacturers. Above all, powder coating enables greater design freedom, since it can be applied even on unusual shapes, edges, hollows and contours, allowing imaginative new substrate designs and semi-assemblies that could not easily be finished with liquid coatings. At Vepa, we’re excited to be moving forward hand in hand with DSM – powder coating technology opens up new horizons for us!” Developed specifically for use on MDF and other wood products, DSM’s Uralac® Ultra powder coating technology provides the basis for IGP, a leader in powder coating applications, to develop a final

product solution that matches Vepa’s product demands. Once the furniture panels have been successfully coated with IGP’s final product solution, they are assembled and distributed by Vepa. Peter Christl, Communications Manager, IGP said: “Thanks to its unique chemistry, our powder coating formulations really drive the sustainable value of final products. Not only are the furniture panels curable at very low temperatures and for a short time, which significantly reduces the throughput time and lowers the carbon footprint of the entire manufacturing process but the powder coatings themselves are also much less toxic to application operators and endcustomers alike, when compared to liquid paints. Because of this, we believe that the market demand for powder coatings on wooden substrates will grow exponentially over the coming years.” Ruben Pleijzier, New Business Development Manager, DSM: “We initiated this collaboration to connect the dots along the complete customer journey. Together with our industry partners, we’ve bridged the technology gap and delivered a reliable, high-performance proposition for heat-sensitive substrates that offers clear environmental, aesthetic and operational advantages. This is an example of how our brightscience is helping to deliver brighter living.” PPCJ

Sustainability of AkzoNobel’s powder coatings confirmed by renewed EPD

kzoNobel has received a renewed Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for its Interpon D series of powder coatings, underlining the company’s ongoing commitment to providing sustainable products for its customers. Having become the first global powder coatings supplier to obtain an EPD in 2015, the renewed declaration (for Interpon D1000, D2000 and D3000) now lasts until 2023. The results show an improvement on the previous score and highlight various factors that are contributing to lower environmental impact, including a reduction in both waste and energy use. The international EPD system reveals the environmental performance of a product throughout its lifecycle. Independently verified and transparently

made, the declaration is backed up by quantified data and recognised ISO standards. It enables customers to better understand a product’s sustainable qualities and ultimately make more informed product selections.

“I am very proud to have received this renewed EPD for our Interpon D series,” said Daniela Vlad, Managing Director of AkzoNobel’s Powder Coatings business. “It underlines our commitment to creating sustainable coatings solutions and will help customers, such as architects, developers and owners to gain LEED certification for their buildings.” AkzoNobel supplies powder coatings to more than 30,000 customers globally, covering several market segments. The company’s products are used on buildings and landmarks around the world, including La Sagrada Família (Barcelona, Spain); the Shard (London, UK); and the Water Cube (Beijing, China). For more information, visit www.interpon.com PPCJ

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WOOD COATINGS In part one of a two part article, Aditi Chavannavar, Jacob P Brutman, Don M Barber, and Evan P Kangas, BASF, evaluate a self-crosslinking PUD in high performance wood coatings

Versatile self-crosslinking polyurethane dispersion for low VOC coatings across multiple markets Abstract: Herein, we report the development of a low minimum film formation temperature (MFFT), self-crosslinking aliphatic polyurethane dispersion (PUD). It is capable of being incorporated into low volatile organic compound (VOC) formulations and combines good appearance, film formation and toughness with excellent hardness and abrasion resistance. In this study, we have evaluated the selfcrosslinking PUD in various applications; from high performance wood coatings to protective coatings for rigid plastics and as a top coat for metal. In this paper, we demonstrate the application properties of this resin, such as its hardness development, resistance to chemicals, adhesion, weathering etc. We also validate the versatility of this resin in several applications and assess the film formation and mechanical properties of the PUD. Lastly, we discuss how these influence the performance of the coatings.

ince the discovery of polyurethanes by Otto Von Bayer in the early 20th Century, polyurethanes have become ubiquitous in the commercial world, being utilised as cushions, insulation, shoe soles, coatings etc1. In particular, polyurethanes are an excellent choice for protective coatings due to the wide range of accessible glass transition temperatures and facile tunability of their mechanical properties. Polyurethane dispersions consist of polyurethane polymers dispersed in water with the aid of an organic solvent or with a dispersing agent. PUDs have excellent film formation properties and enable coatings to achieve outstanding appearance, toughness and abrasion resistance 2. They are typically free of isocyanate residues and therefore, are safer to handle compared to their solventbased counterparts. However, the high cost of PUDs has been a constraining factor and has resulted in restricted usage in several applications. To circumvent this issue, most formulators use PUDs blended with a less-expensive acrylic emulsion. This is a physical blend that combines the advantages of a PUD and an acrylic to provide superior properties at a lower cost. Another method involves chemically grafting the acrylic

portion onto the PUD resulting in a PUDacrylic hybrid3. There are three major types of polyurethanes in the market today: non-crosslinking, two component (2K) crosslinking and one component (1K) selfcrosslinking. Each of these exhibit properties that are best for their application, however, crosslinked polyurethanes are generally more desirable due to their increased toughness and resistance to chemicals. The main crosslinkers used in 2K systems are isocyanates, which generally present health and safety issues. Even in non-crosslinking PUD-acrylic blends and hybrids, some amount of an external crosslinker, such as an isocyanate or an aziridine, is required to achieve acceptable chemical resistance4. While the addition of crosslinkers helps build crosslink density and thereby, improves resistance properties, coating formulators are moving towards decreasing crosslinker usage due to their toxicity, ability to sensitise operators and limitations in pot life 5. Selfcrosslinking 1K PUDs are being offered as an alternative for such 2K systems. The application properties of self-crosslinking PUDs are comparable to 2K systems, while most of them utilise crosslinking methodologies that do not involve the addition of external toxic crosslinkers. Selfcrosslinking resins also have a much longer pot life than 2K systems – months compared to hours – making them facile for transport, storage and application6. Another factor that determines the utility of PUDs in coatings is the VOC requirement. In recent years, legislations across the world have called for the reduction of VOCs from commercial products, including coatings7. Therefore, the industrial adoption of waterbased dispersions for coating applications has increased significantly. PUDs have much lower VOC levels when compared to solvent-based equivalents, although, many of the current commercially available PUDs still require significant amounts of solvents to properly coalesce at room temperature. Solvents are required for film formation but evaporate into the atmosphere and create health and environmental concerns. Some

commercial PUDs are manufactured through a secondary dispersion-like process, which utilises solvents to solubilise the PUD prepolymer, such as, N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) 8 – a potent reproductive toxin9. The NMP cannot be completely removed and is present in the final PUD in varying amounts making PUDs with no NMP highly desirable. BASF has developed a new selfcrosslinking PUD, termed PUD prototype, that is NMP free and can be formulated at low VOC levels. PUD prototype is remarkably versatile and can be used in multiple markets. In this paper, we have tested PUD prototype as a high-performance coating for wood, metal and plastic. This showcases the versatility of PUD prototype in furniture, industrial and automotive interior markets.

nnA) FURNITURE AND FLOORING MARKET (WOOD COATINGS)

Wood coatings can be used in various applications, such as flooring, furniture, kitchen cabinets, doors and exterior wood-like decking. To be relevant in this field, coatings need to achieve certain key performance properties, some of which can be specific for the given application. In general, properties like good hardness, scratch and abrasion resistance are required. For applications like kitchen cabinets and furniture, stain resistance is essential while exterior durability is vital for decking applications10. For contractor applied or DIY coatings, low-VOC levels, safety and ease of application are important. Since PUD prototype is self-crosslinking, NMP-free and can be formulated at 50g/lit VOC, it is safe and easy to use. We have benchmarked PUD prototype vs commercially available PUDs and a 2K system to evaluate its properties relative to current products in the market. The properties of the resins are summarised in Table 1. Formulations and application All of the resins were formulated as matte clears for application as wood coatings. Tables 2a-2g depict the formulations

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WOOD COATINGS Property

PUD prototype

PUD A

PUD B

Acrylic

2K PU

Materials

Amount (g)

Chemistry

BASF Selfcrosslinking PUD

Self-crosslinking PUD/ acrylic hybrid

Selfcrosslinking PUD

Selfcrosslinking all acrylic

Water-based 2K polyol + water dispersed isocyanate

Water-based polyol

633.0

Defoaming agent

19.0

% Solids

37%

36%

35%

45%

44%

Premix, then add under agitation:

Viscosity

<200cps

<500cps

Rheology modifier

0.6

8.5

DI water

1.7

43°C

Premix, then add under agitation:

pH MFFT

8.0 12°C

8.0

<20°C

8.6

N/A

45°C

Table 1. Properties of resins tested as wood coatings

Wetting agent

9.3

DI Water

130.1

Materials

Amount (g)

Materials

Amount (g)

Then add:

PUD prototype

936.0

PUD B

700.0

Wetting agent

Premix

4.1

DI water

30.0

DI Water

160.0

Premix, then add under agitation. Mix for 5min @1000rpm

Dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether

10.0

Propylene glycol n-butyl ether

60.0

Isocyanate crosslinker

121.4

60.0

EB acetate

80.9

Then add sequentially:

Total

1000.1

Dipropylene glycol methyl ether

8.0

Then add sequentially:

Dipropylene glycol methyl ether

Fumed Silica

10.0

Defoaming agent

3.0

Formulation attributes

Wetting agent

5.0

Matting agent

10.0

Solids 41.2%

NCO/OH ratio 1.5

Defoaming agent

1.0

Wetting agent

7.0

Total

1000.0

Total

1000.0

Formulation attributes Solids 35%

Formulation attributes VOC Calculated 50.7g/lit

Table 2a. Clear formulation for PUD prototype

Solids 27%

VOC (calculated) 312g/lit

Table 2c. Clear formulation for PUD B

VOC (calculated) 202g/lit

Table 2e. Clear formulation for 2K PU Materials

Amount (g)

PUD prototype

275.0

Acrylic resin

558.0

Materials

Amount (g)

Materials

Amount (g)

Premix:

PUD A

918.0

Acrylic resin

773.0

Di water

65.0

Premix

Dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether

55.0 33.0

Premix Propylene glycol n-butyl ether

30.0

DI Water

82.0

Dipropylene glycol methyl ether

30.0

Dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether

67.0

Then add sequentially:

Dipropylene glycol methyl ether

34.0

Fumed silica

10.0

Wetting agent

3.0

10.0

Defoaming agent

1.0 1000.0

Then add sequentially: Matting agent

10.0

Then add sequentially:

Rheology modifier

2.0

Fumed silica

Wetting agent

7.0

Rheology modifer

2.0

Total

Defoaming agent

3.0

Wetting agent

5.0

Formulation attributes

Total

1000.0

Wax

24.0

Solids 33%

defoaming agent

3.0

Total

1000.0

Formulation attributes Solids 5%

VOC (calculated) 153g/lit

Table 2b. Clear formulation for PUD A

made. In addition to the resins above, PUD prototype was also blended with the acrylic in 1:2 and 2:1 ratios. Each of the clear, matte formulations were drawn down on maple wood for chemical and stain resistance, Hoffman scratch, adhesion and black heel mark resistance. MEK double rubs and gloss were evaluated on Leneta 2A cards. Konig hardness, flexibility and impact resistance were determined on aluminium, while Taber abrasion was evaluated on glass. Dry film thickness (DFT) for a single coat was approximately 1.2-1.5mils for all samples. Two coats were applied on maple wood, therefore the total DFT on wood was about 2.5-3.0mils. All samples were cured at

VOC (calculated) 230g/lit

Table 2f. Clear formulation for PUD prototype/ acrylic 1:2 blend

Formulation attributes

Materials

Amount (g)

Solids 36%

PUD prototype

580.0

Table 2d. Clear formulation for acrylic resin

Acrylic resin

286.0

ambient temperature and humidity for one to seven days before testing.

Premix:

VOC (calculated) 221g/lit

APPLICATION TESTING ON WOOD Gloss As shown in Figure 1, the gloss of each of the formulations is quite low (<10 for 20° gloss and <40 for 60° gloss). This is in-line with recent market trends for wood coatings, which indicate that end users prefer a more matte appearance. While PUD prototype has a slightly higher gloss compared to the other 1K self-crosslinking resins, the solids content of PUD prototype in the formulation is significantly higher than the others, particularly PUD B. The

Di water

47.0

Dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether

42.0

Dipropylene glycol methyl ether

31.0

Then add sequentially: Fumed silica

10.0

Wetting agent

3.0

Defoaming agent

1.0

Total

1000.0

Formulation attributes Solids 35%

VOC (calculated) 177g/lit

Table 2g. Clear formulation for PUD prototype/acrylic 2:1 blend

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WOOD COATINGS

Figure 1. Gloss of matte clear formulations on Leneta 2A cards

formulation for PUD prototype could therefore, be further optimised to achieve even lower gloss levels. The material with the most matte finish is the 2K PU, which does not contain an intrinsic matting agent like the other formulations but rather relies on incompatibilities within the coating matrix to achieve a dull sheen. Addition of PUD prototype to the acrylic in a 2:1 blended system helps reduce the gloss of the acrylic resin. Hardness Hardness was tested on aluminium panels using a Konig Pendulum Hardness tester. The results are shown in Figure 2. PUD prototype has excellent early hardness; reaching 52 swings on Day 1, comparable to the commercially available PUDs. On Day 7, PUD prototype has final hardness similar to the self-crosslinking PUD B and the 2K PU. The PUD-acrylic hybrid, PUD A, has the highest hardness at Day 7, which could be because of a hard-acrylic component grafted onto the polyurethane. In the blends Figure 2. Konig pendulum swing hardness test of matte clear formulations on aluminium

System

Direct (lbs/in2)

Reverse (lbs/in2)

PUD prototype

>160

120

PUD A

PUD B

155

>160

2K PU

>160

120

Acrylic

>160

PUD prototype /Acrylic 1:2

>160

PUD prototype /Acrylic 2:1

>160

Table 5. Impact resistance of coatings

of the PUD prototype with the acrylic resin, there is a significant increase in hardness when more PUD prototype is added.

System

Flexibility

PUD prototype

Pass

PUD A

Fail

PUD B

Pass

2K PU

Pass

Acrylic

Pass

PUD prototype /Acrylic 1:2

Pass

PUD prototype /Acrylic 2:1

Pass

Chemical and stain resistance Chemical and stain resistance were evaluated for each of the coatings on maple wood following ASTM D1308-0211. This involved a spot test where the coating was exposed to the chemical or stain agents for a certain amount of time (1hr if not specified). The chemical was then removed and its effect on the coating was examined. The coatings were rated on a scale of zero to five where zero indicated complete failure and five designated no effect on the coating. The results are seen in Table 3 and Table 4. All of the materials have good chemical resistance, with the exception of exposure to alcohol, and they also recovered after 3hr. The coatings also exhibited strong stain resistance, with the PUD prototype demonstrating remarkably high resistance to ink.

Flexibility is important in wood coatings since wood is hydroscopic and tends to expand in summer and contract in winter. The coating needs to be flexible to allow the movement of the wood. The flexibility of the coatings was studied using a ¼” conical mandrel bend tester following ASTM D52212. The results are shown in Table 6. PUD prototype has excellent flexibility along with PUD B and the 2K PU. PUD A cracks when the panel is bent indicating it has poor flexibility.

Flexibility and impact resistance Impact resistance of the coatings was tested on aluminium panels. Both direct and reverse impact was measured on the panels. The results are shown in Table 5. Impact resistance of PUD prototype is good, comparable to the 2K PU and PUD B. PUD A seems to be very brittle and has poor impact resistance for both direct and reverse impacts. The acrylic has acceptable direct impact resistance but fails on the reverse impact. This was not improved in the blends with the PUD prototype.

Adhesion Adhesion to maple wood was tested after allowing the coatings to cure for seven days at ambient conditions. Adhesion was performed following ASTM D335913 using both the X-scribe and the cross-hatch method. Both wet and dry adhesion were tested. Adhesion was rated on a scale of zero to five where zero is delamination and five indicates perfect adhesion (Table 7). PUD prototype has excellent wet and dry adhesion on wood. PUD B, which is a commercially available self-crosslinking PUD, has poor wet adhesion. This is

Table 3. Chemical resistance of matte clear formulations on maple wood

Table 6. Impact resistance of coatings

Table 4. Stain resistance of formulations on maple wood

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WOOD COATINGS

System

Spot

Wet X

Dry X

Wet cross-hatch

Dry cross-hatch

PUD prototype

PUD A

PUD B

Acrylic

PUD prototype /Acrylic 1:2

PUD prototype /Acrylic 2:1

Table 7. Adhesion of coatings on wood Property

PUD prototype

PUD A

PUD B

Acrylic

2K PU

Chemistry

BASF Selfcrosslinking PUD

Self-crosslinking PUD/ acrylic hybrid

Selfcrosslinking PUD

Selfcrosslinking all acrylic

Water-based 2K polyol + water dispersed isocyanate

VOC

50g/lit

153g/lit

312g/lit

221g/lit

202g/lit

chemical resistance and offers a balance of flexibility and hardness. Additionally, PUD prototype has superior abrasion resistance and can be used in exterior applications. It offers all the benefits of the commercially available resins and a 2K system but can be formulated at a much lower VOC level. Table 8 highlights the differences in VOC levels between our formulations. Part two of this article, covering industrial coatings and plastic applications, will be published in the November 2018 issue. PPCJ

Table 8. VOC levels of formulations tested

indicated in the rating for both the X-scribe and cross-hatch methods. The acrylic also has poor wet adhesion in the cross-hatch method and is improved when it is blended with the PUD.

abrasion resistance is critical like gym floors and high traffic areas. The 2K PU and the acrylic have poor abrasion resistance though blending with the PUD makes it better.

Taber Abrasion Taber abrasion for the coatings was measured on glass panels using a Taber abrader with CS-10 stones and 1000 cycles following ASTM D4060 – 1414. The results are shown in Figure 3.

Durability The durability of the coatings was tested on aluminium panels following SAE J252715. The change in colour, or ΔE, is presented in Figure 4. We have currently weathered the panels for 750hr and plan to continue the testing up to 2000hr. The results so far, show that all the systems have a low change in colour after being weathered for 750hr. This indicates that all the resins, including PUD prototype, have good durability and could be used in exterior applications.

Figure 3. Taber abrasion of coatings

PUD prototype has the best abrasion resistance compared to all the other systems tested. This indicates that PUD prototype could be used in coatings where

Conclusion for wood coating applications PUD prototype has been evaluated as a high-performance wood coating when compared to a commercially available selfcrosslinking PUD, a PUD-acrylic hybrid, water-based 2K polyurethane and a selfcrosslinking acrylic resin. PUD prototype has excellent adhesion to wood, good

Figure 4. Weathering the coatings

References 1. http://polyurethanes.org/en/what-is-it/history 2. Kim, B K Colloid Polym. Sci. 1996, 274, 599. 3. Petschke, G; Yang, S “Urethane-acrylic hybrid polymer dispersion” US6635706 B1. 4. Coogan, R G; Progress in Organic Coatings. 1997, 32, 51. 5. https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/isocyanates/index. html 6. Pajerski, A D “Aqueous dispersions of polyurethane compositions” EP1851259 A1. 7. https://www.eurofins.com/consumer-producttesting/information/compliance-with-law/ 8. Duan, Y; Stammler, S “Reduced solvent process for preparation of aqueous polyurethane dispersions with improved heatand water-resistance” US5637639 A. 9. https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managingchemicals-under-tsca 10. https://www.pcimag.com/articles/95867selecting-resins-for-wood-coating-applicationsa-guide-for-formulators 11. ASTM D1308-02, Standard Test Method for Effect of Household Chemicals on Clear and Pigmented Organic Finishes, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2002, DOI: 10.1520/D1308-02, www.astm.org 12. ASTM D522 / D522M-17, Standard Test Methods for Mandrel Bend Test of Attached Organic Coatings, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2017, DOI: 10.1520/ D0522_D0522M-17, www.astm.org 13. ASTM D3359-17, Standard Test Methods for Rating Adhesion by Tape Test, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2017, DOI: 10.1520/D3359-17, www.astm.org 14. ASTM D4060-14, Standard Test Method for Abrasion Resistance of Organic Coatings by the Taber Abraser, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2014, DOI: 10.1520/D406014, www.astm.org 15. J2527_201709, Performance Based Standard for Accelerated Exposure of Automotive Exterior Materials Using a Controlled Irradiance Xenon-Arc Apparatus, Revised 2017-09-19.

This article is taken from a paper given at the 2018 ACC, which took place in Indianapolis, USA

Contact Author: Aditi Chavannavar BASF Corporation, 24600 W Eleven Mile Rd, Southfield, MI 48034, USA Tel: +1 (313) 410 7488 Email: Aditi.chavannavar@basf.com

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SECTION AREA FOCUS REPORT THE NORDICS

Health and environment take centre stage in the Nordics Violetta Teetor and John Pagni, in Helsinki, Poorna Rodrigo and Sarah Gibbons report on the state of the paint and coatings market in the Nordic countries

onsumers in Nordic countries commonly prefer quality environmentally-friendly products and the paint and coatings sector is no exception.

nnADVANCED WATER-BASED

TECHNOLOGY FROM HEMPEL

Denmark is a case in point, being home to major Hempel A/S, which launched its advanced water-based technology range of decorative paints under the Crown Trades brand in January 2017, Group President and CEO Henrik Andersen told PPCJ. “It applies and looks like a solvent-based product but with all the benefits of waterbased, which is more environmentally friendly,” he said. This kind of innovation followed Hempel acquiring leading UK decorative brands Crown Paints in 2011 and since then, “we initiated our growth within this market,” Mr Andersen said. In May 2018, Hempel acquired 65% of German decorative paint manufacturer JW Ostendorf. As a result, “we see many synergies between decorative coatings and the other markets we operate in (marine, protective), and so it makes sense

to continue growing in this business,” Mr Andersen said.

nnFLÜGGER’S FUNGICIDE TECHNOLOGY

Denmark-based Flügger is another company that focuses on environmentallyfriendly paint products. “Flügger has, among other things, worked with a new fungicide technology in the Wood Tex series that minimises its environmental impact, while providing a better and longerlasting effect against mould and algae growth on the surface of the treatment,” Lene Heitmann, Group Product Manager at Flügger said in a note in June 2018. “The fungicide is encapsulated and only released when it is moist, which is when it’s necessary to protect the surface against mould and algae growth. When it’s dry, this protection is not required and the fungicide stays encapsulated in the paint film. This way, we achieve more efficient and longerlasting protection against mould and algae growth, which benefits both the woodwork and the environment,” the company added. Similar pressures are evident in the Swedish market. The Swedish Association

A Massey Ferguson tractor coated in Beckqua® Beckqua®Flex AGCO

of Paints Producers (SVFF - Sveriges Färg och Lim Företagare) has taken an active role in ensuring that all Swedish coatings manufacturers comply with the European Union’s (EU) chemical control system REACH, which completed its chemical registration process in May (2018).

nnBECKERS PLANS GREEN

COATINGS FOR THE ACE SECTOR

One such company is the Beckers Group, a worldwide supplier of industrial coatings and the global market leader in coil coatings, based in Märsta, north of Stockholm. Beckers is a privatelyowned company with net sales in 2017 of €600M, producing 160,000t of paint and of which 58% was sold in Europe. Global Sustainability Director Nicklas Augustsson is optimistic in spite of sky-rocketing raw materials cost over the last few years: “We have set ourselves targets for reducing VOC emissions and are reporting annually on the progress in our sustainability report: http://beckers.link/SR17. “Beckqua®Color, for example, our waterborne basecoat for automotive plastic parts caters to the needs of key automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers for more sustainable coating solutions,” said Augustsson. “The plan is to launch green coatings for the agriculture, construction and earth moving (ACE) sector in the near future.” Beckers has also developed two apps, one that calculates energy savings in a building when using its coatings and one that compares sustainability functions and ingredients, for instance bio-based ones, of different coatings and then rates their sustainability. While Beckers does not produce consumer products itself, it is demonstrably committed to promoting environmentally viable coatings solutions.

nnINNOVATIVE WAVE ENERGY Norway is also home to a global paint and coatings major of course – Jotun, which is

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SECTION AREA FOCUS REPORT from -40°C to +30°C. Paint must resist temperature and changes in surface size,” she explained. Now celebrating its 75th anniversary, the AFPI’s 12 members span relatively large to small companies, but “all have their own special brands and develop formulae to compete abroad in their main export markets of Russia, central and eastern Europe,” she said. The imposition of western sanctions on Russia has created headaches for Finnish companies, but solutions have been found: “Russian demand is met by subsidiaries due to sanctions and many have plants located throughout the region”.

nnFINNISH EXPORTS

WaveEl Buoy in Runde. Photograph courtesy of Waves4Power AB, Sweden

based in Sandefjord, south of Oslo. It too has been focusing on the environment. Jotun has played a significant role in the launch of an innovative wave energy provider, supplying coatings and helping reduce the environmental impact of its renewable energy systems. Swedish energy company Waves4Power installed a buoy, equipped with a wave energy converter, off the island of Runde, Norway, last May (2017). The following month, the system began delivering electrical power to the Norwegian power grid. The unit can supply up to 250,000-kilowatt hours, capable of supplying 10-15 normal households with power for a year, according to a Jotun company note. Jotun supplied about 4000lit of modern epoxy systems and advanced selfpolishing anti-fouling coatings, including Marathon 500 (a high build epoxy primer), Safeguard Universal (an anticorrosive undercoat) and SeaMate, a premium self-polishing antifouling product, which have enabled this marine technology to operate efficiently.

nnUSING SILICON CARBIDE IN COATINGS

Meanwhile, Oslo-based Seram Coatings has developed a new product, ThermaSiC, which enables silicon carbide (SiC) to be applied as a coating by thermal spraying to industrial parts, lengthening their lifetime and, hence, their environmental footprint. The patent-pending product provides superior coating performance in corrosive and abrasive environments, as well as at

high temperatures (up to 1500°C in air and 2400°C in inert atmosphere), said a company note, adding that the coating lowers maintenance costs for machine parts in the petrochemical industry, pumps and sliding surface rollers. SiC is one of the worlds hardest materials and possesses a far lower density than any competing solutions, such as WC (tungsten carbide). “Compared to vacuum deposition methods (PVD or CVD), the thermal spraying of ThermaSiC provides faster deposition rates with higher efficiency, while significantly lowering application costs,” said Seram. Looking at the overall Norway paints and varnishes market, analysts at Euromonitor International say that turnover in 2017 stood at US$593.9M – up 2.1% from US$581.7M in 2016 and following a spike of 5% in the previous reporting period 2015-16. However, Jotun, which provides coatings to 25% of the world’s shipping fleet, recorded earnings of Norwegian Krone NOK561M (US$68.5M) in the first four months of 2018, down from NOK670M (US$81.8M) reported for the same period last year. “The decline is attributable to lower margins, mainly due to rising raw material prices and lower sales of marine coatings,” it said. Jotun’s long-term health is not in doubt, however, and the quality that has underpinned the region’s coatings sector is likely to persist, noted Eliisa Irpola, Managing Director of the Association of the Finnish Paint Industry (AFPI Kemianteollisuus). “Finnish and Nordic paint is high quality due to the demanding climate ranging

Exports are important for the Finnish industry, earning the industry €150M last year (2017). Last year (2017) saw domestic paint and coatings sales net suppliers €180M (volumes totalling 45M lit (+3%) over 2016). “We expect increases to continue as the construction sector is booming and the economy is forecast to grow,” said Irpola – the World Bank predicts the Finnish economy will grow 1.4% this year (2018). One benefit for the Finnish sector is local supplies of titanium dioxide – from Huntsman’s Pori plant, north west of Helsinki. Imports are also high at 28,000t (customs statistics are in tonnes). As Iirpola points out, this is partly due to two successful industrial sectors: the Valmet Automotive contract auto-assembly plant in Uusikaupunki, south west of Helsinki, which is running 24/7 making Mercedes models, where all the paint is imported. And also the Finnish shipbuilding industry where, again, the majority of coatings are imported, especially for Meyer Turku, which builds huge cruise ships all for export, based in Turku, west Finland. PPCJ

For more information, contact: International News Services www.internationalnewsservices.com

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SECTION COUNTRYREPORT FOCUS IRAN

Greener products and localisation will bring in market consolidation and opportunities for growth Ali Mirmohammad, Frost & Sullivan, reports on the state of the paint and coatings market in Iran

ass and industrial production of coating products in Iran dates back to the 1940s and started with a nominal capacity of less than 20M lit/yr in the decorative sector only. The industry has significantly developed and diversified in terms of capacity and product portfolio over the last couple of decades. While some industrial coatings products, such as anti-corrosion, fire retardant, marine and powder paints still need more investments, the decorative coatings segment is facing an over-capacity situation. Iran’s coatings sector still needs to grow in terms of technology, product diversification, logistics and branding. However, inappropriate go-to-market strategies, traditional management, lack of liquidity, obsolete formulation and inefficient sales channels hold back the industry’s growth. The government is actively looking to attract international players to take a role not only to overcome the current challenges but also to increase the share of coating exports. In such a scenario, joint ventures (JVs) and contract manufacturing practices are expected to provide substantial opportunity for global manufacturers. With the lifting of UN sanctions, the country witnessed a rise in demand due to an increase in oil revenue inflow into construction projects. In terms of quantity, local manufacturers might not be able to meet the demand and are in a weak position to offer more diverse products to the market. To increase the diversity and improve the quality of local production, the government is offering companies the opportunity for JVs, licensed production and mergers with international players as a way forward. Also, the government aims to increase duties to make imported products more cost competitive and offer initiatives, such as tax exemptions and other benefits to international players as counter measures. While more than 95% of decorative coatings are supplied locally, imports are limited to some specific anti-corrosion,

Ali Mirmohammad, Sr Consultant & Business Development Manager, Frost & Sullivan

fireproof, fire retardant, waterproof coatings, electro deposition (ED) and antifouling coatings products. The Oil & Gas, Petrochemical and Utility sectors in Iran prefer to mainly use international brands, as local products are poor in both quality and diversity. In most cases, Iranian coating manufacturers are not able to meet the required technical specifications properly when it comes to harsh or chemical environments or when the demand is for specific waterborne epoxy coatings. Despite such gaps, the government has imposed regulations to support local production that are limiting for state-owned end-users, such as oil and gas companies. Technical support, besides guarantee and after sale services is another key weakness among local manufacturers. Iran’s Research and Development (R&D) activity in the coatings sector is pretty weak. Except for a few players, the majority of local manufacturers allocate a very small budget for R&D activities (less than 0.5% of the total revenues). On the other hand, innovation and product diversification are key challenges. The pace of new product launches does not match

fast-changing customer preferences and needs in Iran. While the market is quite thirsty for new formulated products, such as zero VOC products or products with specific properties, such as anti-dust, less smelly, washable and quick drying, local manufacturers do not have the capability to serve these needs. International players can find a lucrative market for their products through contract manufacturing or joint venture practices. International companies may face various challenges with direct entry at this point in time, especially as the US$ exchange rate has just increased three-fold. Capacity utilisation in Iran’s coatings industry is less than 50% due to insufficient domestic demand and significant weakness in export strategies. Although the country can manufacture relatively high quality solventborne decorative coating products at competitive costs, exports are less than US$100M. There is potential for local manufacturers to gain market share in neighbouring countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Qatar and some CIS countries with an opportunity potential of close to US$900M. Iran’s per capita consumption of coatings is expected to grow and get closer to countries like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and Turkey within the next decade. Replication of European style “Do it yourself (DIY)” strategies along with establishment of dedicated DIY stores, which are typically attached to commercial spaces like malls, etc can be a good solution for this market. Apart from this, branding and portfolio diversification containing zero VOC product variants calls for huge benefits for global players to leverage their managerial and technological leadership in Iran. Establishment of paints and coatings technology incubators to support R&D and new technologies for manufacturers will also be supported by the government through subsidised loans, long term tax exemptions and other related benefits.

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SECTION AREA FOCUS REPORT Considering the fact that Iran benefits from a potential flow of US$300+bn free private liquidity besides a recent increase in international reserves (by US$13.3bn reported by the IMF) and recession removal policies by the government, the general outlook for the industry is bright. As leading sub-sectors in 2017, the decorative coatings market was estimated at US$520M, followed by protective coatings valued at about US$310M and were expected to grow at a CAGR of 4% and 6% respectively. Powder coatings is going to become the third largest market as a result of the rise in automotive, home appliances and metal fabrication production. In 2017, the market was valued at about US$80M million and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6% in the next five years. With improvement in the furniture industry in Iran, the wood coating market is thereby,

positively affected as the market increased to more than US$45M in 2017 and is expected to grow at CAGR of 4% between 2018 and 2022.

nnCONCLUSION The coatings industry is among the key manufacturing sectors in Iran with competitive advantages in lower cost of production across all segments. The industry has attained self-sufficiency in some segments like decorative and wood coatings since the late 1990s and is also faced with over capacities. Nevertheless, in terms of quality and formulation, new product launch, diversity and painting techniques (like DIY), the country is pretty weak (especially when it comes to specific products like zero VOC coatings). The market suffers from traditional production

and marketing besides great weakness in R&D practices. There are some gaps between what the market requests and what producers offer, especially in some types of protective, marine and powder coating products. Iran’s youth population, with a western lifestyle approach, looks for modern painting techniques and more diverse products, which the local manufacturers are unable to cope with. The market needs support from international players, particularly with technology and management in order to emerge as the first largest manufacturing hub in the region by 2030 as targeted by the Government. PPCJ

For more information, contact: Frost & Sullivan ww2.frost.com

Tikkurila protects steel structures of the world’s largest indoor ski centre

he world’s largest indoor ski centre is under construction at Lørenskog, Norway, approximately 20km east of Oslo. The six-storey skiing complex houses a downhill ski slope more than 500m long and a suspended cross-country ski track. Tikkurila has partnered with Ruukki Construction in providing the steel structures for the site. The ski centre has a snow-covered area of around 40,000m2, which is the equivalent of five football pitches. The downhill ski slope, equipped with three ski lifts, will be accompanied by a cross-country ski track. The ski track, suspended from the roof structures, will comprise of 150

components and weigh about 500t. The complex has been designed by Norwegian Halvorsen & Reine AS and the opening is scheduled for early 2020. More than 60 companies are involved in building the €105M ski centre. Ruukki Construction, a subsidiary of SSAB, is in charge of designing, manufacturing and installing the steel frame and loadbearing sheets. The steel structures are manufactured in Ruukki’s Peräseinäjoki and Oborniki units, where they are also coated with Tikkurila’s polyurethane system TP131. The paint system includes anti-corrosive Temacoat Primer and high-solids

polyurethane topcoat Temathane PC 50. The combination provides excellent weather and abrasion resistance for steel, stainless steel, aluminium and zinc surfaces.

nnHIGH-PERFORMANCE PROTECTION

The quality standards for the ski centre’s steel structures and protective coatings are very high. The minimum structural steel grade was S355 but certain structures of longer span distances required S550 highstrength steels. Protective coatings had to meet corrosion class C3 H according to EN-12944. “These standards are exceptionally high for indoor steel structures. All outside structures had to be galvanised steel,” explained Mika Jäsperlä, Design Manager of Ruukki Construction. “In protective coatings, we must consider not only the final purpose of use, but also logistics. An element made for indoors has to withstand varying weather conditions during transport, such as overseas shipping. Our epoxy primer gives steel structures excellent chemical and abrasion resistance and our polyurethane topcoat protects them from the weather and ultraviolet radiation. This ensures, that the final structures fully match the architects vision,” said Mikko Soini, International Key Account Manager at Tikkurila Oyj. Want to see how the project is coming along? Go to www.snooslo.no/live-fra-sno

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BEAD MILLS

The quality requirements for inks or functional coatings have clearly increased over recent years. In response, many manufacturers are operating their wet grinding systems with increasingly smaller grinding beads and maximum power input within the limits of their capacities. To help them be able to produce sustainably and safely at this level, Norbert Kern reports from Bühler, on how it is launching digital services over the next few years, which can be used to optimise the production process beyond machinery and site limitations

Digitising the wet grinding process

igh luminosity printing inks, protective automotive paints, colour-filters for LCD displays or electrical conductor pastes: A wet grinding process with agitated bead mills is used to manufacture these products. Due to the constant physical friction between the beads, the particle agglomerates of colour pigment are gently broken up, the single particle wetted and evenly distributed in the carrier. The requirements for quality in such suspensions have significantly increased over the last few years. At the same time, cost pressure has increased and manufacturers are seeking possibilities for differentiating themselves on the market, such as higher quality. This is why wet grinding systems with microgrinding beads are being used for many applications today. These beads are only between 50 and 500μm in size. Due to the higher number of mechanical frictions, the particle agglomerates in such systems are broken up faster and the bead package needs less acceleration. This can result in up to 30% less energy consumption and around 50% higher productivity.

However, the use of small grinding media, high throughput rates and maximised specific power input mean that many wet grinding systems are operated at the limit of their capacity. For production to remain sustainable at this level, a new generation of machine control systems is needed. Smart solutions for automation are in demand with which all important process parameters can be continuously monitored. Bühler has paved the way for intelligent process control by using the possibilities of IoT (the internet of things) with its digital services bundled under the “SmartPro” label. • SmartPro Cockpit aggregates process data from multiple machines or sites and loads this up to a secure data cloud where it can be made available from anywhere and for a variety of devices. SmartPro Cockpit is already available today. • SmartPro Statistics puts the data that has been gathered over a longer period of time into a chronological, historical relationship, prepares statistics, identifies deviations and proposes measures for optimisation. SmartPro

Statistics is planned for release at the end of 2018. • SmartPro Optimization integrates an inline quality assurance that constantly monitors production with a smart algorithm and, if needed, automatically adjusts the process. SmartPro Optimization is currently planned for release in 2019.

nnPROCESS DATA MADE

AVAILABLE FROM ANYWHERE

The visualisation solution, SmartPro Cockpit, bundles all important machine data, such as power input, and loads it up to the data cloud. The cloud storage meets the highest requirements for security and has been certified according to the ISO 27K standard. By storing the data in the cloud, it becomes available from anywhere and from any end device. This means an operator can monitor whether production is working as desired on a certain system on a tablet, while at home. SmartPro Cockpit can compile data from multiple machines and multiple sites and display it clearly structured. The information layout can be modified for individual preferences.

Cockpit views with mid- and longterm statistics

The future of the wet grinding industry

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Production module with MacroMedia™ predispersing unit and MicroMedia+™ bead mill

triggered on a mobile phone or the settings of a machine are automatically adjusted.

nnSMART ALGORITHMS MONITOR AND OPTIMISE THE PROCESS

Easy traceability of production via key performance indicators

Internal machine benchmarking visualisation

Thanks to its clear visualisation, SmartPro Cockpit makes it possible to compare the most important performance indicators at a glance. The operator can see if a plant falls noticeably under the level of other plants and immediately take action. Because production is being monitored in a timely manner, productivity increases. In addition, unnecessary service visits to sites are avoided. That reduces service costs. Another central aspect is the traceability it allows. SmartPro Cockpit identifies all recorded data with the product category and badge number. And lastly, any alarms triggered by individual machines are archived. This builds the foundation for proactive or predictive maintenance.

nnUSEFUL STATISTICS OPEN

POTENTIAL FOR OPTIMISATION

The SmartPro Statistics module makes it possible to observe data recorded over a longer period of time in its historical context, to compare it and to intelligently evaluate it. It can be determined faster and more easily if individual parameters or parameter groups deviate from a

defined process window. For instance, if the power intake drops at a mill while the rotor speed stays constant, it can be an indication of bead wear or a change in the flow properties. SmartPro Statistics make it possible to also compare data between multiple sites. If significantly more specific energy is being used for producing a tonne of suspension at one site compared to another, the operation can look into factors, such as bead size, rotation speed, bead volume, recirculation rate or temperature and, based on that information, make decisions that optimise the situation. Because the process data is collected over a longer period of time, the influence of seasonal factors on production, such as ambient humidity or the temperature of cold water, can be studied. All this collected data and diverse analytical and assessment options, puts manufacturers using SmartPro Statistics in a position to compare the performance data of their machinery and sites in terms of internal benchmarking, as well as where there may be weak points. SmartPro Statistics can also be configured so that when certain threshold values are reached, alarms are

SmartPro Optimization is the last step in completely digitising the wet grinding process. This intelligent process control expands every mill with an inline quality assurance system. This service does not just access data collected with SmartPro Cockpit and evaluated with SmartPro Statistics, it also accesses an extensive database from countless process tests at the Bühler laboratory. SmartPro Optimization constantly monitors parameters, such as the particle size distribution or the viscosity and evaluates this with smart algorithms. These algorithms can detect important relationships and, in turn, suggest process optimisations to the operator. For instance, SmartPro Optimization can detect bead wear early on or send notifications when a wear part, such as a mechanical seal is about to break down. Bühler can also monitor the production processes remotely, if the customer wishes, and suggest improvements. The intelligent process control enables manufacturers to align their production even more precisely to the required product quality. Thanks to smart plant control, operators can achieve maximum quality with minimal specific energy input and do not need a safety margin any more. Especially in times when cost pressure increases and many manufacturers produce at the limit of their capacity, this is a decisive advantage. Digital services like SmartPro Cockpit, SmartPro Statistics and SmartPro Optimization contribute significantly to growing a company’s competitiveness. PPCJ

Author: Norbert Kern, Head of Process Engineering, Bühler AG Grinding and Dispersing Technologies CH-9240 Uzwil, Switzerland Website: www.buhlergroup.com

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MARINE COATINGS

Dr Guenther Michael*, Dr Sascha Herrwerth*, Dr. Katrin Roland*, Maria Nargiello** (*Evonik Resource Efficiency GmbH, **Evonik Corporation) discuss the use of a novel structure modified fumed silica technology

SMS improves anti-fouling performance in cuprous oxide-based coatings Abstract: Structure modified, nanostructured synthetic fumed silica technology was introduced more than a decade ago for improving scratch resistance and mechanical strength across coatings and adhesives/sealant industry fields. New developments now create a novel design, which offers environmentally sustainable improvement to anti-fouling performance in marine environments. This paper addresses how the use of select, tailormade structure modified fumed silica technology (SMS) formulated synergistically with copper oxide (Cu2O) improves the antifouling behaviour and life-cycle performance of antifouling coatings. Supporting mechanical stability results will show how technology helps reinforce film properties. A brief review of the model to explain the positive effects of structure modified fumed silica in Cu2O based antifouling coatings will be presented. Specific performance enhancements of increased film stability and a reduced leaching of copper ions will be addressed.

nvironmental pressures have driven the marine industry to seek anti-fouling solutions beyond the reliance on Cu2O, as the main active component to deter the attachment of bio-fouling organisms. The main target for formulators is to reduce and or replace Cu2O as the active biocide, due to its toxicity and accumulating nature in the environment of global water ways, particularly along heavily travelled shipping routes and harbours. Results show a novel, engineered fumed silica has demonstrated anti-fouling efficacy when used as an active extender with Cu2O. Strong anti-fouling efficacy is achieved with combinations of Cu2O and selected structure modified fumed silica, thereby, achieving an anti-fouling function with lower levels of copper oxide. Fumed silica technology has been used across coating technology fields. Tailor-made grades are designed for rheology control, sag control on vertical surfaces, pigment and storage stabilisation, hydrophobicity supporting anti-corrosion performance, bulk fluidisation/free-flow, mechanical reinforcement/film strength and scratch

Figure 1. Copper oxide dispersion with and without SMS. Left image shows Cu2O dispersion without SMS. Right image shows Cu2O dispersion with 10% SMS

resistance. One particular set of engineered conditions creates structure modification, which functionally creates a significantly higher bulk density. This modification effectively reduces fumed silica’s ability to thicken, which allows for higher loading levels and this is the precise condition that has been shown to support the active extender contribution with Cu2O supporting the anti-fouling mechanism. SEM images in Figure 1 demonstrate the high surface interactive compatibility of structure modified silica dispersed in a copper oxide system.

nnFUMED SILICA PARTICLE DESIGN CAPABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY

Particle modification technology encompasses three major elements of design to influence performance: core particle composition, surface modification and structure modification. Pyrogenically produced core particles can range in composition and they notably include: SiO2, Al2O3, TiO2. Particles resulting from flame hydrolysis are non-porous and typically exist in an aggregated structure of sintered particles. Isolated primary particles do not typically leave the flame. Average primary particle size is determined by TEM, and for fumed silica, range from 7-40nm, with corresponding surface areas of 380-50m2/g. For mainstream coatings applications, surface

area ranges from 50-380m2/g and the end use functionality will determine the optimum surface area needed. For hydrophilic grades of fumed metal oxides; surface area, pH and loss on dry (moisture content) are three physical - chemical parameters typically measured and reported. The second element of particle design is surface modification and the main reason for this element is to render hydrophilic particles, hydrophobic in character. Treatment level is measured by C-content (a fourth property typically measured and reported). Different chemistries create grades of different treated fumed silica. Typical surface treatments include: dimethyldicholorosilane (DDS), hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), trimethoxyoctylsilane (TMOS), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and octamethyl-cyclo-tetra-siloxane (D4). The third element of particle design is structure modification. Structure modified products resulting from a mechanical post processing have significantly higher bulk density and dramatically reduced thickening efficiency. The reduced thickening efficiency allows a significantly higher filler loading. Higher loading level is important to achieve the functionalities of scratch resistance, high mechanical film strength and now anti-fouling synergy with copper oxide. Key elements of the novel modification are depicted in Figure 2.

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Figure 2. Key elements of structure modification

nnEXPERIMENTAL TEST PROTOCOL Formulation 70g Rosin* (with co-biocide, w/o Cu2O) 10g SMS (structure modified fumed silica hydrophilic and DDS treated hydrophobic SMS) 20g Xylene Dispersing conditions: bead mill 15min, 2000rpm Then addition of 5g Cu2O Dispersing conditions: bead mill 5min, 2000rpm * Rosin = natural resin (Kolophonium). The rosin is w/o Cu2O but with co-biocide (Dichloroctyl-isothiazolinone (Rosin is a proprietary preparation prepared with 10% solids, magnesium silicate and zinc oxide) There are three reference formulations: Blank (no coating, bare substrate) Ref 1 (w co-biocide and no Cu2O) Ref 2 (co-biocide and Cu2O)

Application: Coatings were applied to PVC Panels by roller at 100μm dry film thickness. Test according to ASTM 6990-03: Evaluating Biofouling Resistance and Physical Performance in Marine Coating Systems. Testing was carried out in the North Sea with support of the Fresh and Salt Water lab of LimnoMar (Hamburg/ Norderney), Germany. Test period ran from August 14, 2015 to September 30, 2016.

nnRESULTS Panels were visually inspected and graded at beginning of test period August 2015 and subsequent results were gathered September 2015, October 2015, April 2016, July 2016, August 2016 and the final set of data was gathered September 30, 2016. At time zero, panels are clear of all biomass. Over time, biomass accumulates and rating values represent percentage of panel

surface covered by biomass. The fouling rating used here in Figures 3-6 indicates the percentage of panels covered, after every review. The score of 100 indicates no fouling and the score 0 indicates the entire panel is covered with biomass. Figure 3 depicts the performance of the Blank panel containing no coating shows full fouling by April 2016 (9 months). Reference 1 containing the coating with the co-biocide demonstrates a slightly better performance. However, almost 80% of the panel shows biomass coverage in the same period. Reference 2 containing the cobiocide and 30% by weight of copper oxide performs the best by far with only 3% of its surface showing biomass attachment. Figure 4 depicts the performance of the Blank, Reference 1 and Reference 2 with various loadings levels of SMS. The key observations are the two formulations containing reduced loadings of copper oxide and increased loading of SMS remain very low of biomass accumulation over the test period. The formulation containing the combination of 6% by weight copper oxide and 12% by weight SMS remained equally biomass free as the original Reference 2 formulation containing 30% by weight of copper oxide. Figure 5 depicts the performance of the Blank, Reference 1, and Reference 2 with various loadings levels of SMS and barium sulphate. The key observations are the

Figure 3. Performance of Blank and References 1 and 2

Figure 5. Performance of Blank, References 1 and 2 combined with SMS and barium sulphate

Figure 4. Performance of Blank, References 1 and 2 combined with SMS and Cu2O

Figure 6. Demonstration of use of SMS allows significant reduction of copper oxide

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3% Cu2O w/o SMS

3% Cu2O 12% SMS

6% Cu2O 6% SMS

6% Cu2O 12% SMS

Figure 7. Biomass accumulation after test period

Figure 8. Model of sustainable ‘visibility’ of copper oxide with SMS

Figure 9. Martens Hardness increases with use of SMS

addition of barium sulphate (which is added to increase film toughness), supports limited deterrence of biomass fouling. After one year, 40% of the panel is observed to be covered. The best performing combination, paralleling the Reference 2 (30% copper oxide) performance, is the combination of a reduced loading of copper oxide (10%), along with 10% by weight SMS and 10% barium sulphate. Figure 6 depicts the performance of the Blank, Reference 1, and Reference 2 with the optimum performing combination of 12% by weight SMS combined with a dramatically reduced loading of 6% copper oxide. This combination performs similar to the formulation containing 30% copper oxide and co-biocide. Figure 7 captures biomass accumulation of select formulations at the end of the test period. Panels containing dramatically reduced loadings of copper oxide show significant anti-fouling efficacy with higher addition levels of SMS. The best performing formulation has a significantly reduced loading of copper oxide (6% + cobiocide) and 12% by weight SMS. Figure 8 depicts a molecular model demonstrating the homogeneously distributed SMS supporting the homogeneous ion-pair anchoring of the lower loaded copper oxide. The model also conceptualises the improved durability allowing the copper oxide to persist longer in the coating due to the reinforcing contribution with the higher loading of the SMS. The active ionic interaction is

lower loadings of Cu2O (3-6% by weight) are found to give effective anti-fouling protection. Novel particle design based on hydrophilic structure modified fumed silica performed better than the hydrophobic modified option. PPCJ

based on the SMS’s hydroxyl containing surface interacting and anchoring the copper ions. The higher loading of the SMS supports not only anchoring of the copper oxide but significant film reinforcement and film toughness helps keep copper oxide available longer. Lower thickening performance of the SMS makes possible the higher loading, which is creating the target functionality. Marten’s Hardness is also known as universal hardness measurement or nano-indentation, where the indenter is continuously forced into the coating surface with increasing force (F), while the depth of indentation (h) is measured. Higher values correlate to increased hardness. Results summarised in Figure 9 show that compared to the blank, already 6% of SMS can increase the film hardness significantly. It is well known, that the addition of high amounts of Cu2O will improve the film toughness. Reducing the amount of Cu2O to only 12% and adding 6% SMS compensates the loss in hardness completely. The film is hard and robust, although the total filler content has been reduced dramatically from 30 to only 18%.

This article is taken from a paper given at the 2018 ACC, which took place in Indianapolis, USA

nnSUMMARY AND CONCLUSION Structure modified fumed silica (SMS) can improve the efficacy of Cu2O based antifouling coatings. With loading levels above 10% (by weight) of SMS, higher hardness and reinforcement performance combined with dramatically

Contact Author: Maria Nargiello Head of AT Americas, Coating Additives Evonik Corporation 2 Turner Place, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA Email: maria.nargiello@evonik.com Website: www.evonik.com

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NANO COATINGS

Hair-thin nanotech coating improves break resistance of tempered and untempered glass

etaShield LLC, an innovator in the emerging field of advanced materials nanotechnology, has announced its patent-pending MetaShieldGLASSTM coating significantly increased the impact resistance of both tempered and untempered aluminosilicate glass in independent testing. The results were achieved using a coating thickness of approximately 90μm (.09mm). In a series of dynamic impact tests performed by Intertek, the robust MetaShieldGLASS coating increased the sharp impact break resistance of untempered aluminosilicate by 100% and chemically tempered aluminosilicate by 150%. The latter is the most commonly used glass in smartphones and tablets worldwide. MetaShield studies determined MetaShieldGLASS is also effective in increasing the break resistance of widely used soda lime glass thicker than 3mm. The coating is being sold to and applied by contract and original equipment manufacturers; it is not currently designed as a consumer product. The lab test results have implications for several industries. Aluminosilicate glass is used in automotive windows, mobile devices, with home goods, in windows, within medical equipment, glass containers, skylights, augmented reality and ordinary eye glasses, and even on space shuttles. “That such a thin coating can have such a dramatic effect really speaks to the miraculous promise of advanced materials,” said Martin Ben-Dayan, CEO of MetaShield. “In some cases, MetaShield’s technology can also improve sustainability by allowing for glass options that can be thinner and lighter without sacrificing breakstrength quality.”

Intertek, a multinational, London, UKbased independent third-party testing company, conducted a series of dynamic impact drop-ball tests in their Kentwood, Michigan, USA facility – following standards and methods developed by researchers at Asahi Glass Co in Japan – comparing uncoated glass samples against glass samples that were coated with the transparent MetaShieldGLASS formula. (Drop-ball testing is a common method used to determine the average kinetic energy required to break glass. For more information on test results and methodologies, please visit https:// metashield.com/metashieldglass/.) In a series of “drop-ball” tests, MetaShieldGLASS improved break resistance 83% in blunt impacts and 100% in sharp impacts on 0.55mm untempered glass coated with MetaShieldGLASS. The same tests on 0.55mm Gorilla® Glass 3 (chemically tempered aluminosilicate) samples improved break resistance by 222% during blunt impact and 150% in sharp impact testing. Thirty samples of 0.55mm glass were used for each format and glass type for a total test size of 240 samples. “By combining enhanced properties, simple application, and a form factor that is near invisible, MetaShieldGLASS provides a fantastic and potentially transformative cost/benefit to glass industry stakeholders,” said Ben-Dayan. “Our unique coating, the result of several years of development using the combined work of theoretical physicists, chemists and engineers, adds only a negligible size and weight,” said Jacob Schliesser, PhD, Materials Chemist at MetaShield. “Because it is transparent, thin and simple to apply,

it can be easily integrated into existing manufacturing processes.”

nnAPPLICATION PROCESS While many advanced thin films are difficult and expensive to apply, the MetaShieldGLASS formula is applied using conventional spray, dip or flood coating along with a rapid UV cure. The process time is less than five minutes for complete end-to-end application. It is designed and tested for application using commercially available systems and there is no specialised or custom equipment required.

nnDURABILITY MetaShieldGLASS, when applied onto glass, currently achieves an average hardness of 550 MPa in nano-indentation testing (ISO 14577-1), and 5H in pencil hardness (JIS K5600-5-4), which is significantly better than common plastics. Testing for MetaShieldGLASS also demonstrated the overall robustness of the formula. Thermal cycling (ASTM D694415), UV extended exposure (ASTM G155), and humidity extended exposure (ASTM D224-15) resulted in no obvious changes to the coating. Abrasion testing on coated glass samples, using a Linear Taber Abraser with a total weight of 500g and 1000 cycles of 0000 steel wool, resulted in a low Δhaze of ~0.35%. ΔHaze is defined as the difference between the haze of the coating before and after abrasion testing. For more information, visit www. metashield.com PPCJ

In drop ball testing, MetaShieldGLASSTM improves break resistance of untempered glass by 100% (left) and tempered glass (Gorilla Glass 3) by 150%

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PRODUCT NEWS

Jotun delivers tanker flexibility, durability and a commercial advantage Jotun has responded to market demand for a cargo tank coating that allows greater cargo flexibility, long-term performance and vessel utilisation with the launch of Tankguard Flexline. The unique product is built on the Flexforce technology, ensuring excellent cargo resistance, quick port turnarounds and lengthy, and hence, cost effective, maintenance intervals “In the ultra competitive tanker market optimal vessel flexibility, efficiency and utilisation are top of the ‘wish

list’ for our global customer base,” explained Marc Giesselink, Global Director – Tank Coatings. “However, the aggressive nature of some cargo types, which can be absorbed into

tank coatings, stressing and ultimately damaging them, as well as leading to lengthy ventilation periods after unloading, has, until now, been problematic. This has obvious knock on effects upon vessel availability and utilisation,” he added. “Tankguard Flexline has been developed to solve this pressing industry problem, with its Flexforce technology designed for effective operation enabling vessels to carry critical and aggressive cargoes shipped in coated cargo tanks.” www.jotun.com

Eu compliant scrub abrasion tester from BYK BYK-Gardner – worldwide partner of the automotive, paint and plastic industries for quality control of colour, appearance and physical properties – has introduced the Gardner-scrub ECE 43. Safety glass for use in cars and other motorised vehicles has to withstand different conditions than conventional glass products. In order to ensure the quality of vehicle glass

the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) has issued regulation R43, which specifies standards for safety car glass. The new Gardnerscrub ECE 43 allows for a quick and reliable determination of scratch resistance according to this regulation. To determine the scratch resistance of glass or plastic materials and coatings used for motorised vehicle windscreens,

a windscreen wiper blade under a specific force and cycle time scrubs the sample. A standardised abrasive liquid solution accelerates the test results. The Gardner-scrub ECE 43 runs two samples simultaneously. The abrasion tester comes with two blade holders, sample holders, liquid containers and pre-cut wiper blades. www.byk.com

5L4 Matt and 1R Arizona, the latest series introduced by Europolveri Europolveri recently introduced two new product lines: 5L4 Matt Collection and 1R Arizona Series as a further extension of its product range. The new 5L4 Matt Collection features all the 207 RAL colours in matte version. The products are part of the 5L Pural Series, Polyester Qualicoat without TGIC, and are suitable for aluminium profiles or steel application and wherever high resistance to weathering is required. Indeed, they all ensure excellent durability and high resistance to atmospheric agents, because they are developed in compliance with Qualicoat Class 1 technical requirements and are implemented for the

architectural market. The products available are RAL colours – in compliance with CEP. (05-05-2014) – with gloss level of 25 ± 5; there are also 17 of the pearled colours in the K7 RAL Chart available. 1R Arizona Series features 44 different colours with wrinkled finishing developed to assure both a high level of quality and great aesthetic value. Due to their excellent durability and applicability, all the products presented are suitable for architectural and outdoor industrial applications that require high demand for protection and decorative effect. From an aesthetic point of view, the wrinkled finishing makes it possible to hide

defects in the substrate but it also satisfies the need of an attractive look in line with the design requests. All the colours available are part of the Pural Series 1R and are formulated in accordance to Qualicoat Class 1 requirements, therefore they grant a high level of protection and durability. Using correct coating cycles, both with 5L4 Matt and 1R Arizona, the final user can reach the highest corrosion protection C5M-H (EN ISO 12944-2) in compliance with Qualisteelcoat (QSC) requirements. www.europolveri.it

IN BRIEF VAE latex for tape joint compounds from Arkema Arkema has introduced Encor® 137 Vinyl AcetateEthylene (VAE) latex for use in tape joint compounds, cement admixtures and production of redispersible powders. This product offers a wide range of easy formulating capabilities, allowing for more efficient operations and potential products. “Our goal in developing Encor 137 VAE latex was to provide formulators with a binder they could use across many different products,” Keith Oleson, Field Marketing Manager for Arkema, explained. “We did this in two ways. First, by ensuring compatibility with the other materials used and, second, by reducing or eliminating the need for additives that might affect performance, in this case, external plasticisers.” www. arkemacoatingresins.com

Ideal for period properties Luxury UK-based paint manufacturer, Fenwick & Tilbrook, has launched Claypaint – a new finish developed specifically for plastered interior walls and ceilings. The paint is particularly ideal for period properties with lime plaster walls, which require moisture to be let out. A water-based paint, Claypaint has a unique formulation to provide a highly breathable, yet durable matte surface. It is available in the entire spectrum of Fenwick & Tilbrook’s 120 colours but can also be paint matched to virtually any shade. Using the highest quality ingredients to deliver paint with exceptional chroma and intensity of colour, Fenwick & Tilbrook paint is made fresh to order and delivered next day. www.fenwickandtilbrook.com

43 PPCJ • October 2018 www.coatingsgroup.com

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APPLICATIONS

Advanced anti-corrosion coating utilised on two north sea offshore platforms

n a collaborative effort, designed to improve vital protection of offshore assets, the Oil & Gas Technology Centre (OGTC) in Aberdeen, UK is successfully conducting trials of an advanced anti-corrosion coating on two North Sea offshore platforms. The mission of the OGTC, which is jointly funded by the UK, Scottish and Aberdeen governments, is to establish a culture of innovation that will consolidate Aberdeen’s and North East Scotland’s position as a global hub for oil and gas technology and innovation. The challenge, however, is that the UK’s North Sea is one of the most brutal climates in the world. Often ice cold and windswept, the rigs in the North Sea face a constant corrosive onslaught of waves and salt spray. Traditional coatings simply cannot withstand the environment. The cost of maintenance on a rig can be up to 100 times as expensive as land based maintenance because crews and supplies often have to be helicoptered out to the site, so when coatings fail it costs the asset owner enormous amounts of money. After extensive research, OGTC identified a spray applied inorganic coating called EonCoat, from the Raleigh, North Carolina-based company of the same name, as a method of delivering long term protection for the offshore assets. The anti-corrosive coating represents a new category of tough, Chemically Bonded Phosphate Ceramics (CBPCs) that can stop corrosion, ease application and reduce offshore platform production downtime even in humid, storm or monsoon susceptible conditions. OGTC worked with EonCoat’s UK distributor and applicator, SPi Performance Coatings, to implement two trial programmes. With OGTC’s vision and sponsorship, SPi applied EonCoat to a

Total E&P platform and a Nexen platform, each of which is located on the UK continental shelf in the North Sea. Total is a global integrated energy producer and provider and a leading international oil and gas company, with operations in more than 130 countries. Nexen, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, is an upstream oil and gas company responsibly developing energy resources in the UK North Sea, offshore West Africa, the USA and Western Canada.

nnTOTAL E&P TRIAL SPi applicators, along with EonCoat material and equipment, were helicoptered to Total’s Elgin ‘A’ Wellhead platform on December 17, 2017. The coating was applied to areas of the platform’s lower deck that were suffering from severe corrosion and a topcoat was added for aesthetics. Surface preparation for the trial was carried out by Muehlhan, a global provider of surface protection and industrial services with operations in shipping, oil and gas, renewables and industry/ infrastructure segments. In the trial area, the existing coating system was completely removed from structural steel tubulars and flat plate. The structure was power washed and degreased to remove contaminants. All tubulars were blasted to SA2.5 and flat plate mechanically prepped to ST3. While rust rashing was visible on areas prior to spray application of the anti-corrosion coating, this was deemed acceptable due to its unique properties. It can be applied to a damp substrate with rust rashing/flash rusting, and high salt levels do not degrade the coating, which reduces surface preparation requirements.

Before (left) and after the EonCoat application

The coating can cure in a single coat 15min after application, depending on climatic conditions, which expedites completion, compared to traditional coatings, which require extensive drying time between coats. In contrast to traditional coatings, which only form a physical barrier to corrosion until breached, EonCoat chemically bonds with bare substrate surfaces, providing an iron magnesium phosphate layer that prevents steel corrosion. This process provides a very thin layer (about 2μm) of permanent protection. A second layer – a tough ceramic outer shell – provides further protection and also acts as a reservoir to re-phosphate the steel if needed. This ensures the alloy layer remains intact and allows it to “self heal” if it is ever breached by mechanical damage. During this ongoing trial, testing has been done via cross cuts of about 6-8ins in length down to the substrate to provide evidence of EonCoat’s selfhealing properties.

nnNEXEN TRIAL After the early success of the Total E&P trial, a second offshore trial is now being conducted. SPi applicators, as well as EonCoat material and equipment, were helicoptered to Nexen’s ‘Buzzard’ platform on June 18, 2018. After Stork, a Fluor company and global provider of integrated operations, maintenance, modification and asset integrity solutions, assisted with fabric maintenance and surface preparation, SPi applied the anti-corrosion coating to platform areas suffering from severe corrosion. While results from this second trial are still under consideration, they look extremely promising. “As oil and gas E&P companies look to combat offshore asset corrosion, extend safe production and reduce the need for costly maintenance and downtime, we look forward to working with OGTC, Total, Nexen, Muehlhan, Stork and other platform owner/operators in the North Sea,” concluded Merrick Alpert, President of EonCoat. For more information, visit www. eoncoat.com; or write to EonCoat, LLC at 551 Pylon Drive, Unit D, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA. PPCJ

44 PPCJ • October 2018 www.coatingsgroup.com

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27/09/2018 16:18

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