Unexpected collaborations can have wide-ranging impacts. The recent partnership between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Covestro LLC is just one example. The two organizations are teaming up to explore how advanced materials might be applied to improve the safety and sustainability of hockey.
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Even though formulation additives comprise only a minor part of a coating formulation, they can have pronounced effects on the physical properties of the final coating. This is especially true for pigment dispersants, which can enter a coating formulation “under the radar” through, for example, pigment pastes. As dispersants are often polar polymers with a low glass transition temperature, the...
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Solvent-based varnishes and lacquers have been the coatings of choice for industrial wood applications for many years. These coatings can provide an attractive durable finish that is cost effective. Kitchen cabinet and furniture manufacturers choose these coatings because they are fast drying, they are easily repaired, they tolerate climate differences well, and they are extremely forgiving. Some of these coatings...
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Additives formulating can be resource intensive and time consuming to paint manufacturers due to the plethora of ingredient combinations and interactions that affect performance properties. These challenges may inhibit the efficacy of selected additives, which are particularly important in low-VOC formulations to address foam control, water sensitivity, and general surface properties. Silicone additives in particular are disproportionately influential in impacting...
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Enzymatic polymerization is emerging as a scalable process to polymerize sucrose into engineered polysaccharides. Polymer architecture and material properties can be controlled selectively to provide the foundation for novel differentiated biomaterial platforms. One first example for such an engineered polysaccharide is alpha-1,3-polyglucose (alpha-1,3-glucan), which was prepared using this bioprocess. This article describes initial results applying this polymer in architectural coating applications....
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Raw materials, in the form of individual chemical constituents that are incorporated into paints and coatings, represent an exceptionally diverse and vitally important sub-set of the overall specialty chemicals industry. They may either be added to a paint or coatings formulation during the product manufacturing process—or, in the case of multiple-component coatings systems (2K, 3K, etc.)—may be used to make...
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The utility of a high-throughput, spectrophotometric assay in screening over 23 enzyme and peptide-based additives against bacterial coating spoilage agents was evaluated. Candidate additives were then evaluated using ASTM D2574 for in-can coating spoilage challenges, and additives that may be used to substitute for traditional biocides were identified that eliminated recoverable bacterial growth.
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by Clifford K. Schoff, Schoff Associates
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Waterborne coatings for industrial applications have been available for many years. Despite significant advances in resin technology, however, their use remains limited in these markets compared to their adoption in the architectural coating sector. This can be attributed to perceptions of poorer performance and higher costs when compared to solvent-based solutions. Expectations of OEMs and their customers are having some...
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BASF officials recently placed a cornerstone for a new waterborne production plant at the company’s manufacturing site in Tultitlan, Mexico. The new plant will provide sustainable solutions for the growing automotive market in Mexico. Accoding to BASF, waterborne basecoat and primer sales are expected to grow due to increased market demand for water-based colors and coatings.
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