Surfactants
“The major trend in the market for surfactants for emulsion polymer-
ization is the drive for environmentally sound surfactant systems, and
primarily the replacement of alkylphenol-based products (APEO).”
advantage to formulators, since one multi-functional additive
contributes far fewer VOCs than the three or four conventional additives it replaces.
Coatings World: What areas are your R&D efforts focusing on
for the future?
products to the market, saving transport and storage costs for our
customers. While Disponil NG products offer additionally low
foam properties compared to standard non-ionic surfactants,
Disponil AFX 4070 can be considered a straight APEO-free drop-in for the widely used octylphenol- 40 EO product.
Carsten Bauman, Cognis: In the future we will focus on developing environmentally sound surfactant solutions that offer
top performance for our customers, e.g. aromatic-free surfactants for the manufacture of SB latex systems. Another focus
of our R&D activities will be on the development of co-poly-merizable surfactants, enabling the customers to use less surfactant with less negative impact of the surfactant on the final
formulation properties.
Maureen Mackay, Cytec: We have some work underway looking into the use of our surfactant products at very low concentrations for the production of acrylic and styrene-acrylic ultrafine
particle size (less than 100 nanometers) latexes. This work will
be applicable in numerous coatings applications. We also have an
active R&D program looking at the development of new surfactants based on renewable raw materials, with the aim of producing products offering enhanced emulsion and dispersion
stability for coatings applications.
Maureen Mackay, Cytec: We recently launched Aerosol EF-810
which is a highly effective APE-free primary emulsifier. This is
aimed at the emulsion polymer market where it provides excellent emulsion and pre-emulsion stability, increases operating efficiencies by minimizing grit and coagulum in the reaction
producing enhanced latex properties such as high solids and excellent mechanical stability. We also recently launched our initial Aerosol CS product, which demonstrates our “Custom
Solution” capability to provide custom blended surfactants to
meet specific customer and industry needs. The initial product
offered improved handling, simplified emulsion polymer process
incorporation and improved operational efficiency. We are working with the industry and other individual customers to identify
similar opportunities. Additionally we are regularly introducing
customer specific solutions, addressing issues such as food contact approvals or environmental/SHE concerns by reducing residuals in our surfactants or by using specific (co-)solvents for a
variety of applications in coatings, paper and plastics markets
Peter Sheridan, Troy: Troy R&D efforts are continuing to
focus on optimum performance for tomorrow’s coatings, and
expanding Troy’s Z-line of green performance additives. As
coatings manufacturers demand more capability from less total
additive, Troy is concentrating on incorporating more and
more multifunctional aspects into the additives we manufacture, and creating additives that offer excellent performance
at lower use levels. Furthermore, minimizing or eliminating
contribution of VOCs and other formulation components that
may have an environmental impact is important to coatings
manufacturers, so Troy will continue to do its part to develop
additives that have little to no environmental impact and maximum safe use attributes.
Coatings World: What new products has your company recently
launched and what are their applications?
Carsten Bauman, Cognis: We recently introduced Disponil NG
types and Disponil AFX 4070, both highly efficient APEO-free
non-ionic surfactants for the Emulsion Polymerization market.
Both products offer a very advantageous phase profile with low
pour points, enabling us to deliver highly active but still liquid
Peter Sheridan, Troy: In direct response to manufacturers’ efforts to comply with VOC regulations, Troy has introduced
Troysol ZLAC, a substrate wetting and flow additive that contributes zero VOCs to aqueous systems. The product is the latest
addition to Troy’s Z-line of green performance additives engineered to help manufacturers achieve regulatory compliance and
still maintain optimum performance. ZLAC provides the same
benefits and attributes long associated with LAC, but without
the VOCs. Silicone-free, HAPs-free, APE-free Troysol ZLAC is
the latest in a class of multifunctional additives developed by
Troy. ZLAC promotes wetting of low energy substrates, and provides higher gloss, improved flow and leveling, and excellent
color acceptance. Troy has also introduced Troysperse 200SF, a
solvent-free dispersing additive for non-aqueous systems. 200SF
is effective for difficult-to-use pigments, such as carbon black,
phthalocyanines, and other organic pigments. Since 200SF is solvent-free, the product enables the formulator to comply with
changing environmental regulations. Troysperse 200SF, with its
low use concentrations, also provides excellent cost-in-use. The
product improves color strength, increases gloss, and allows
higher pigment concentration for coatings across a wide range of
resin chemistries. It is especially effective for high-solids coatings
and color pigment concentrates. CW
www.coatingsworld.com
March 2011
