Coatings Compatibility - How to Get Along in Coatings

Innovation drives commerce to new accomplishments. For the coatings formulator progressive
products are brought to market by utilizing innovative raw materials. Combining two or more
innovative products into one new offering can make a new material with multiple functions.
There are many challenges creating need for new raw materials. While this article is by no means
a comprehensive review of new coatings resins and additives, I will try to highlight some
noteworthy examples introduced recently.
Researching resins and additives for your next formulation?
Prospector®‘s high-performance search tools allow you to narrow down your results, request
pricing and order samples from multiple suppliers, all in one place.
Drivers for bringing new resins and additives to market
Environmental regulations
Environmental regulations and the demands to update formulations to meet them change
constantly and coatings raw materials need to change to keep up. As new limits placed are on
the environmental release of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), heavy metals or alkylphenol
ethoxylates (APEs/APEOs), coatings producers demand the same performance with no or
minimal cost increase compared to legacy raw materials.
Consumer/worker protection regulations
Often environmental regulations govern the consumer/worker use of the same or similar
materials, however with different goals. Preventing worker and/or consumer exposure to
chemicals with the potential to negatively affect their health is the aim of these regulations.
Performance improvement, weathering, ease of application, corrosion resistance
Every customer wants a better performing product. This might mean easier to use, better
chalk and fade resistance or improved corrosion resistance. Better performing coatings can
enhance a product’s consumer appeal, keep cars looking new longer or make the bridge you
drive over every day safer.
Sustainability, renewable materials, waste reduction
Often thought of as an imprecise term, sustainability means different things to different
constituencies. Often the “cradle to grave” concept is followed when determining product
sustainability. This concept takes into consideration factors such as renewable raw materials,
low energy demand in manufacturing, waste reduction and product recycle potential.
Cost reduction

1
Cost reduction is not only achieved through raw material savings but also in lower labor costs
or increased productivity gained through process improvement enabled by an innovative
material.
New resins and additives by market segment
Architectural coatings
VINNAPAS® vinyl acetate/ethylene (VAE) emulsions from Wacker combine excellent
cost/performance with low environmental impact. Made with bio-renewable raw materials,
these APEO-free latexes can be formulated into low VOC interior and exterior paints without co-
solvents or plasticizers. The low monomer content allows the formulation of low odor coatings
with less than 10 grams per liter VOC content. Sheen levels from flat to gloss can be formulated
in paints with durability and high resistance to scrub, dirt pick-up, water and abrasion.
Concrete coatings are one of the most demanding applications for architectural coatings. Allnex
introduced BECKOPOX® EH 2162 as a unique low viscosity, easily incorporated amine hardener
for low VOC coatings targeting concrete floor finishes. When combined with BECKOPOX® EP
147, this waterborne epoxy cross-linker is formulated into low VOC coatings with outstanding
penetration, enabling improved adhesion to damp concrete and an enhanced “wet” look finish.
Coatings made with BECKOPOX™ EH 2162 are capable of a deep penetrating vibrant “acid
stained” look using a DIY friendly simplified process as primers, mono-coat or multi-layer
systems. Physical properties include exceptional chemical and water resistance with excellent
hot-tire pick-up resistance. Extended pot-life of low VOC formulations enable easy application
and may be top-coated with various technologies.
Performance improvements can lead to process simplification and reduced environmental
impact. ENCOR Flex 192 resin from Arkema was developed specifically for primer-free
elastomeric roof coating systems on a wide variety of roofing membranes.
When properly formulated, coatings made with this new resin can even adhere to aged
thermoplastic polyolefin without the use of a solvent-borne primer. Improved roof coatings
based on ENCOR Flex 192 Resin can lower overall system VOC emissions while reducing labor
and material costs and increasing service life.
Industrial coatings
Using bio-renewable fatty acid raw materials to make an APE free short oil alkyd which doesn’t
require coalescing solvents checks the box for sustainability while complying with
environmental regulations. Beckosol AQ 405 from Polynt-Reichold provides high gloss and good
corrosion resistance in Architectural and Industrial Maintenance (AIM) compliant direct-to-
metal (DTM) topcoats. In my experience, coatings using Beckosol AQ 405 deliver equal or better
performance than water-reducible or solvent-borne alkyd DTM topcoats.
2
An often-overlooked industrial coatings application is vinyl window frame finishes. An unmet
need in this market was that of a one component (1K) system with the performance of 2K
waterborne coatings. To meet this need, Covestro launched Bayhydrol UH 2887 polyurethane
dispersion at the 2018 American Coatings Show (ACS) as a 1K coating resin with 2K polyurethane
performance.
Fast drying coatings made with Bayhydrol UH 2887 offer several application advantages. By
eliminating the need to mix two components, waste is reduced because there are no pot-life
limitations. Also, window coatings formulated from Bayhydrol UH 2887 provide exceptional
weathering and performance.
Automotive coatings
BASF introduced new eXpandTM Red EH 3427 stir-in pigment for automotive coatings at the
2018 ACS. This pigment simplifies manufacturing processing and combines a pigment and
dispersing agent into one material. Less labor required decreases cost. Compatible with modern
automotive coating systems, this blue shade red pigment offers high chromaticity, color
strength and transparency for heightened sparkle with effect pigments.
UV cure
Allnex developed EBECRYL® 8896/EBECRYL® 8894 specifically for UV cured soft-touch coatings.
This popular aesthetic trend is used extensively in consumer electronics, appliances, automotive
interiors and furniture. These second generation urethane acrylate oligomers work in concert
to provide improved soft feel, abrasion resistance and ease of formulation compared to
previous materials. EBECRYL® 8896 provides superior soft-feel to the coating while EBECRYL®
8894 enhances adhesion and resistance performance required in demanding applications.
Sartomer CN9030 is a new urethane acrylate oligomer designed to produce tough weather
resistant coatings for metal and plastic. Product performance highlights include excellent
coating adhesion with outstanding water and chemical resistance. Highly flexible and impact
resistant coatings formulated from Sartomer CN9030 offer excellent corrosion resistance.