New Acrylic Polymers for High Performance Interior Wall Paints

By Wenjun Wu, Michael Kaufman, Jeffrey Schneider, Ronald Grieb

As a result of requirements to lower VOC, polymers with low minimum film formation temperature (MFFT) are increasingly being utilized in waterborne architectural coatings. However, coating compositions based on these emulsion polymers suffer from poor durability, contributing to soft and tacky coating films. Performance compromises, including lower scrub resistance, high soiling tendency, poor wash, and burnish resistance are often the reported deficiencies of low-VOC paints.

The VOC reduction has raised significant technical challenges but also driven the development of durable, low-VOC waterborne coatings. This success has been enabled by innovative polymer and paint compositions. The progress towards greener products and higher performance standards is clearly demonstrated by the new paint products on the market, a strong flat formulation. Neither the SG nor flat paints contained any VOC, owing to the use of Optifilm™ 400 co-solvent.