“The Technology is
sive testing, it often gives them the confi-
dence to take the next step.
Available Today”
¨ In the architectural and industrial
segments, very low- to zero-VOC levels
can be achieved for waterborne coatings, Joan Schuller, General Manager,
Dow Coating Materials, North America
Region, explains.
properties. Industrial waterbornes can
also achieve very low, and in some cases, zero-VOC levels. So the technology
is available today for architectural, and
some segments of industrial, to move
away from solventborne systems. When
customers see the results of our exten-
How much do current regulations influ-
ence R&D activities for WB coatings?
Joan Schuller: Helping customers meet
regulations is always part of our R&D efforts. But our focus goes beyond that.
Addressing customers’ current formulation challenges is one key area. And
we always work on solutions that address a market need they might not have
thought about. Our hiding technologies,
which facilitate the removal of generally
20–35 percent of the titanium dioxide
Joan Schuller,
Dow Coating
Materials
in their formulations, are one example.
Our formaldehyde abatement technol-
ogy, which removes formaldehyde from
indoor environments, is another.
What are the latest trends in water-
based coatings?
Joan Schuller: For the architectural segment, achieving higher-performance,
lowering titanium dioxide loads due to
market tightness, and the drive to zero-based VOC coatings are still major drivers that are pushing manufacturers to
reformulate. The industrial segment is
more conservative and has been slower
to adopt waterborne technologies. But as
they watch the technology improve, leading asset owners are making the switch,
prompting others to realize that they
don’t have to sacrifice performance. So
it’s a slow shift but a steady one.
Will the shift away from solventborne
systems go further, or is there a limit?
Joan Schuller: In the architectural segment today, you can achieve zero-VOC
with waterbornes. With that, however,
come other performance challenges, and
formulators are working closely with their
suppliers to achieve the right balance of
Waterborne Systems
SESSION 14
at the American Coatings
CONFERENCE:
May 9,
9:00 am - noon
14.1 Self-Crosslinking Resins for
Waterborne Wood Finisches
Laura Vielhauer, The Dow Company
14.2 Innovative Protection for
Wooden Surfaces
Terri Carson, Alberdingk Boley
14. 3 Molecular Defoaming Active
in Low-VOC Paint Defoamer
Design
John Mangano, BASF
14. 4 Waterborne PSAs Based on
Soft and Hydrophobic Vinyl
Esters
Francois Simal, Momentive Specialty
Chemicals
TIME FLIES
14. 5 Improving the Water Resistance of Waterborne Coatings
Steffen Pilotek, Buhler
See Us At The
American Coatings Show
Booth 1733
14. 6 Dispersing Agents for Transparent Pigments in WB and
HS Applications
Steffen Onclin, BASF
SHAMROCK
H
H
H
