AMERICAN COATINGS SHOW

Discover an exclusive view of Arkema's innovation strategy to support our customers' and partners' sustainability goals and scope 3 emission reduction, with a focus on safer solutions. Examples include lower carbon footprint along the value chain, feedstocks with biobased or recycled origins for resource preservation, low VOC and lower energy-consumption technologies, and solutions for doing more with less. The resulting flagship innovations for the coatings industry help meet sustainability targets while enhancing product performance in UV-LED-EB, powder, waterborne and high solids applications.

Building managers pursuing more sustainable building envelope solutions are adopting strategies that enhance the longevity of a structure while ensuring minimal impact to the environment and protecting the well-being of building occupants. The degree of protection, the frequency of re-coats and the impact to the environment and building occupants, are related to the chemistry of the coating system. Water-borne coating systems are desired because of their ease of application and low concentration of volatile organic compounds (low-VOC), making this a “greener” solution for the environment and building occupants, but typically sacrifices long-term durability. Solvent-borne coatings systems provide durability and longer lifetimes but expose applicators and building inhabitants to unhealthy solvents. This presentation introduces 1K and 2K water-born Kynar Aquatec^® PVDF coating solutions that reduce hazardous VOCs from the waste stream, allows for application in fully occupied buildings, delays the timeline for scheduled maintenance and coating re-application, ultimately extending the life-cycle of the building envelope.

Arkema is strongly committed to reduce its impact on climate and environment. Key initiatives include the launch of a bio-attributed acrylic chain through mass balance and ISCC+ certification to complete a network of global certified plants, enabling us to progressively introduce a range of bio-attributed high solids, waterborne, UV-LED-EB, and powder resins and additives. Replacing virgin fossil feedstocks is a crucial step to reduce CO₂ emissions linked to a product. Alongside the segregated model, the mass balance approach allows industries to gradually shift towards more sustainable alternatives. Being part of a mass balance certified supply chain immediately reduces our own Scope 3 emissions as well as those from our customers while keeping the same high level of performance.

The drive towards safer industrial coating formulations triggered the development of a two-pronged approach to 2K resin systems for metal substrates. The non-isocyanate (NISO) approach provides sustainable advantages, and Arkema has made recent advances in lowering the coating VOC level while maintaining performance. Alternatively, development has also progressed in HAPS-free solvent systems. We will present case studies based on both of these proven robust solutions.

As a leader in the design and production of polyurethane thickeners, Arkema Rheology & Specialty Additives keeps on innovating and developing new solutions for the paint and coatings market. Coapur™ XS 12 is a pure Newtonian HEUR thickener with a unique contribution to high shear viscosities. It allows the adjustment of cone & plate viscosity with very limited impact on mid-shear and low shear viscosities, thus confering excellent film build and leveling.