May 2024 Newsletter-Sustainability at the American Coatings Show and Conference

Key Takeaways from this newsletter:

• Sustainability was a major theme at this year’s American Coatings Show and Conference.
• Sustainability of the environment was addressed in talks on the development of biobased raw materials, biodegradable raw materials, cool coatings, and the replacement of solvent-based coatings with water-based coatings.
• Protection of human health and the environment was tackled in presentations focusing on biocide-free raw materials and replacements for fluorochemicals.
• Formulators should take a holistic approach when removing hazardous materials from their formulations. 

Sustainability was a major theme at this year’s American Coatings Show and Conference held in Indianapolis April 30-May 2.  Sustainability as it relates to the coatings industry does not have one standard definition. Most coatings companies and suppliers have sustainability statements which include environmental, health, and social aspects, along with initiatives to ensure the long-term viability of the company.  Environment and health were the pillars of sustainability addressed at the American Coatings Show and Conference.

Regarding the sustainability of the environment, conference talks and show floor presentations focused on biobased materials, biodegradable materials, cool coatings and water-based alternatives to solvent-based coatings:

Biobased Materials. Many presentations were focused on the use of biobased materials which are renewable and therefore considered sustainable. Biobased materials was a big supplier theme at the European Coatings Show in 2023 and that emphasis continued at the American Coatings Show in 2024. Conference and show floor talks included presentations on biobased polyols for polyurethanes (1,2,3), biobased binders (4,5,6), biobased surfactants (7), carbon dioxide based polyols for polyurethanes (8,9), and biobased monomers for  sustainable polymers (10).

Biodegradable Materials.  Surprisingly, the area of biodegradable materials did not receive much attention in Indianapolis.  Deurex reviewed their biodegradable waxes, which are not necessarily biobased (11).  Deurex sees the use of biodegradable waxes as one step toward the elimination of microplastics in coatings. 

Cool Coatings. Temperature increases globally will lead to an increase in cooling demand which could lead to an increase in greenhouse gases.  Reduction of energy use can have a positive impact on the environment. Cool coatings can help reduce energy consumption and a few presentations were centered on cool coatings and fillers that can lead to higher reflectivity in a coating (12,13,14).

Water-based Alternatives to Solvent Based Coatings.  Of course, moving from a solvent-based to a water-based coating will also benefit the environment as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are eliminated.  Dura introduced an acrylic/cationic stain blocking latex that could facilitate the transition away from solvent-based alkyd architectural coatings (15).

Health is another one of the cornerstones of sustainability which was addressed at the American Coatings Show and Conference.  There are industry efforts underway to minimize the use of biocides and fluorosurfactants  which can have adverse effects on human health and the environment.

Biocide-Free Thickener.  Dow launched their biocide free thickener  Acrysol RM-735BF, a KU builder which also contributes to low and high sheer viscosities (16).

Fluorochemicals. As for fluorochemicals, the EPA set limits on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water earlier this year, which makes work on substitution of fluorinated compounds especially timely. Of course, one of the ways to eliminate a fluorinated compound is to replace it with a workalike, and numerous presentations dealt with the replacement of fluorochemicals.  Lubrizol, Micropowders and Clariant  gave presentations on the replacement of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (17,18,19).  Also of concern is finding replacements for water soluble fluorosurfactants which are often used for block resistance in water-based coatings.  Those additives function by migrating to the surface and creating a loose boundary layer which prevents two coated surfaces from sticking together.  Block resistance is more difficult to achieve in softer coatings which often result from efforts to reduce VOC levels.  Syensqo's Rhodoline HBR was showcased as a surfactant which can be used instead of fluorosurfactants to achieve hot block resistance (20).

Formulators should not rely solely on the development of innovative workalikes when removing hazardous raw materials from their formulations.  For example, an additive like Rhodoline HBR can assist in achieving hot block resistance without fluorosurfactants but formulators must take a holistic approach to achieving that property.  The additive approach to achieving hot block is used to overcome the softness of a coating, and formulators should focus on improving the softness of the coating in addition to incorporating an additive which creates a loose boundary layer at the coating surface.  It is the resin/coalescent combination which is most responsible for film softness.  Emerald Kalama (now Lanxess) realized that coalescents can be multifunctional and presented new coalescents that can be used for improved hot block resistance (21). Latex polymers imparting improved block resistance can be achieved by control of particle morphology and/or via crosslinking (22).  The construction of latex particles with a core/shell morphology is a well known way of achieving block resistance in a coating (23).  For example, a core/shell emulsion polymer with a first stage glass transition temperature (Tg) of about 50 degrees C and a second stage Tg between -30 and 10 degrees C imparts improved block resistance to coatings (24).  Judicious selection of the coalescent and latex used in a water-based coating , in addition to the use of a surface modifying additive, can help achieve acceptable hot block resistance.

The sustainability movement is gaining momentum in the U.S. and will be a driver of innovation in the coatings industry.  Environmentally friendly raw materials and coatings are increasing in their numbers, and strategies for the elimination of compounds hazardous to human health and the environment are being developed.  The new materials being developed and promoted will help formulators create more sustainable coatings.  Formulators should take a holistic approach when addressing the elimination of hazardous raw materials from their formulations to achieve the best results.

1.  Wolfgang Geuking (Cargill), “Enhancing 2K PU Coating Formualtions Using Bio-based Polyols,” American Coatings Conference, Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

2.  Milena Garay-Tovar (Lubrizol), “Bio-based High Solids Polyamide Polyols for Protective Coatings,” American Coatings Conference, Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

3.  Kyle Flack (BASF), “Formulating Bio-based Polyols for Low-VOC, Solvent-borne Protective Coatings, American Coatings Conference, Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 22024.

4.  Richard Flecksteiner (Synthomer), Alkyd/Acrylic Hybrid Latexes for use in Waterborne Wood Coatings, American Coatings Conference, Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

5.  Latoska Price (Synthomer), New Biobased Versatile Binder for Architectural Coatings,American Coatings Conference, Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

6.  Paul Doll (Dow), RHOPLEX RN-128:  New All Acrylic Biobased Polymer that Delivers Value and Performance, American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

7.  Laura Benavides (Integrity Biochem), “Sustainable Revolution in Paints:  Bio-based Surfactants as High Performance Additives,” American Coatings Conference, Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024. 

8.  Ricard Stevenson (Econic Technologies), “Painting with Pollution: polyols from waste CO2 for use in PU-based coatings,” American Coatings Conference, Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024. 

9.  Ron Valente (Aether), “Aether Industries, LTD and Converge CO2 Based Polyols, American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

10.  Michael Webb (Evonik) , “VISIOMER Specialty Methacrylates for Sustainable Coatings & Polymers,” American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

11.  Steffen Remdt (Deurex), “Biodegradable Waxes to Avoid Microplastics in Paints and Coatings-Biomere,” American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

12.  Ray Fernando (Caltech), “An Investigation of Solar Reflectivity of Exterior Architectural Coatings, American Coatings Conference, Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

13.  Scott Van Remortel (Covia), “Ultrawhite Fillers for More Sustainable Cool Coating Applications,” American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

14.  David Gonzalez(Omya), “Cooling Energy Savings from High Reflective Coatings Using Lightweight Fillers,” American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

15.  Palak Choudhary  (Dura), “Novel Acrylic/Cationic Latex That Blocks the Most Difficult Stains,” American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

16.  Sunny Wang (Dow), “ACRYSOL RM-735BF: New High Efficiency Biocide-Free Rheology Modifier,” American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

17.  Tobias Niederleitner (Clariant), “PTFE-free and sustainable solutions for coatings and inks,” American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

18.  Rich Czarnecki (Micropowders), “Replacing PTFE With Composite Additive Powders,” American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

19.  Bill Ruth (Lubrizol), “Powder/Add 9780-PTFE-free Coarse Textyring Agent for Powder Coatings,” American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

20.  Linda Adamson (Syensqo), “RHODOLINE HBR-Specialty Additive for Early “Hot” Block Resistance in Water-based Coatings, “ American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

21.  KovachLaura_EmeraldKalama.pdf (pcimag.com) Laura Kovach (Emerald Kalama), “New Development of Multifunctional Coalescent for Coatings,” Coatings Trends and Technologies, Chicago, IL, September 2019. (https://www.pcimag.com/ext/resources/Events/CTT/2019ppt/KovachLaura_EmeraldKalama.pdf)

22.  Improved Block Resistance in Low-VOC Acrylic Topcoats Without Fluorinated Additives | PCI Magazine Matt Anderson, Karl Booth, “Improved Block Resistance in Low-VOC Acrylic Topcoats Without Fluorinated Additives,” PCI eMagazine, April 3, 2024. (https://www.pcimag.com/articles/112246-improved-block-resistance-in-low-voc-acrylic-topcoats-without-fluorinated-additives) 

23.  Block-Resistance-of-Low-VOC-Acrylic-Paints_Sept-2009.pdf Wenjun Wu, Michael Anderson, Jeff Schneider, “Block Resistance of Low-VOC Acrylic Paints: Influences of Latex Design Parameters,” JCT Coatings Tech, September 2009, pp 22-26. ( https://www.paint.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Block-Resistance-of-Low-VOC-Acrylic-Paints_Sept-2009.pdf)

24.  Pavel Holub and Edward Enns McEntire, “Aqueous Dispersions Containing Multi-Stage Emulsion Polymers,” U.S. Patent 7,285,590 B2, October 23, 2007.