It is often said that “Variety is the spice of life.” The same could be said of applications for coatings. Variations in the raw material combinations selected by formulators, and how those raw materials themselves are engineered, create nearly unlimited variations in properties and, therefore, end uses for coatings.
Coatings formulators can turn to two types of polymers, polyacrylics and polyurethane dispersions (PUDs), to formulate both do-it-yourself (DIY) and industrial coatings. The formulation of the polyacrylics and PUDs influences the final properties of the coatings, as well as the coatings segment – DIY (applied by consumers for furniture refinishing, etc.) or industrial (applied at the time the product is manufactured) for which they will be most appropriate. As a leading supplier of coatings raw materials, Bayer MaterialScience LLC has the expertise necessary for developing polyacrylics and PUDs that meet the varied needs of its customers. Bayer’s skill with coatings and broad portfolio of raw materials support the fact that from great raw materials come great coatings.
Dr. Raymond Stewart, senior scientist, Coatings, Adhesives & Specialties business development, Bayer MaterialScience LLC, discussed the options available to coatings formulators when he presented “Waterborne Polyacrylates and Polyurethane Dispersions – Utilitarian Chemistries for the Coatings Formulator,” at the Southern Society for Coatings Technology (SSCT) 2012 Annual Technical Meeting, which took place March 11-14 in St. Augustine, Fla.
In his presentation, Dr. Stewart used four commercially available raw materials, two polyacrylics and two PUDs, from Bayer as examples. These Bayhydrol® raw materials are appropriate for coatings formulations in both the DIY and industrial markets.
Because DIY coatings are usually one-component (1K) formulas, they are ideal for consumer use as they require no mixing, are easier to clean up and cure at room temperature. Some DIY coatings are solventborne in nature, but they are more commonly composed of 1K waterborne PUDs and/or waterborne polyacrylates. Industrial coatings are available in both 1K and two-component (2K) formulas.
Both waterborne polyacrylates and PUDs provide the formulator with strong alternatives to 2K polyurethane coatings. They offer numerous advantages to formulators, such as lower volatile organic compound (VOC) levels than solvent borne coatings. They can also be used to formulate waterborne coatings that meet the appearance, hardness and durability requirements of the DIY market.
Dr. Stewart highlighted examples of waterborne PUDs and polyacrylates for both the DIY and industrial coatings markets. Through these examples, Dr. Stewart illustrated how coatings formulators are able to use their creativity in meeting customers’ demands and needs in a timely fashion.
“Product development for both waterborne PUDs and polyacrylics is an ongoing process,” according to Dr. Stewart. “As the raw materials continue to evolve and advance, coatings formulators will have even more options at their disposal for customizing DIY and industrial coatings.”