Low and Zero-VOC Technologies
consumption and increasing throughput. As an example, one
California-based manufacturer reports that his company doesn’t
come close to the allowable monthly limits of VOC that can be
sprayed since a move to waterborne finishing with Ultra-Cure
Waterborne Pigmented Blending System. We also offer a fam-
ily of coatings for the wood flooring market that includes UV-
curable wood flooring coating systems.”
For general finishing applications, Sherwin-Williams offers a
wide variety of coatings with reduced VOC levels such as Polane
and KEM Aqua. “For building products, our SHER-NAR 5000
fluorosurfactant-free coating with Arkema Kynar 500 PVD
resin is designed to help architects and specifiers meet stringent
AAMA 2605-13 specifications for long-lasting performance
standards in a variety of weather conditions,” Bartoszek said.
When formulating zero- and low-VOC coatings paint
manufacturers must balance achieving low VOC levels while
providing a quality product that will meet its customers performance demands.
“One of the biggest challenges for low- and zero-VOC coat-
ings is meeting and exceeding regulations,” noted Burroughs.
“For example, the United States’ federal government has set the
acceptable limits of VOCs up to 250 grams per liter (g/L) for flat
finishes and 380 g/L for non-flat finishes (low-luster, semi-gloss,
etc.). However, several states in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic
regions have adopted a more stringent model based on Ozone
Transport Communication (OTC) Specifications, which limit
VOC levels in flat coatings to 100 g/L and non-flat coatings to
150 g/L. The southern coast of California is known to have
the strictest regulations on VOC levels, with limits of 50 g/L
for both of these high-volume categories as set by California’s
South Coast Air Quality Management District. In Europe how-
ever, VOC levels are set by the EU Deco Directive and they ap-
ply to all EU countries.”
“In addition, the performance of low- and zero-VOC coat-
ings must match that of traditional paint,” Burroughs said. “It
is crucial for low-VOC products to keep similar application
standards to what DIY consumers and professional painters are
accustomed to. Previously, painters were forced to make major
sacrifices with product application to achieve lower VOC lev-
els. However, in the U.S., low- and zero-VOC products have
made a lot of progress over the years and now apply similarly
to regular paints in coverage and spreadability. This is no less
true in EMEA, where the performance gap between traditional
and low VOC coatings has almost been closed, especially for
wall paints.”
“If you are using a zero- or low-VOC base, keep in mind
that colorants can increase VOC levels significantly depending
on color choice,” Burroughs added. “For instance, more colo-
rant is needed in order to achieve darker colors, which can in-
troduce higher amounts of VOCs into the paint. Additionally,
the composition of the paint product can impact VOC levels.
For example, latex paint generally includes less VOCs than al-
kyd paints.”
According to Wendoll, the main technical challenges are in
achieving good wet edge/open time and good dry film hardness.
“Resin selection is the most effective way to ensure good film
hardness,” he noted. “Unfortunately, no truly effective non-
VOC additives are currently available to improve wet edge/open
time. We are hopeful that the industry will see some new devel-
opments in this area soon.”
PPG’s Burroughs noted that the demand for low- and zero-
VOC coatings will continue to rise. “As the low- and zero-VOC
paint space progresses in the U.S., consumers will be looking at
additional ways to be environmentally sensitive, such as using
recycled paints or paints made from bio-renewable resources, or
participating in Paint Care programs,” she said.
“In parts of Europe, we have seen an interest from consumers in the reduction of indoor air pollution by limiting emissions after installation or application – typically 28 days. France
(for all paint types), Belgium (for floor coatings) and Germany
(only for parquet lacquers) have regulations in place to limit
emissions to this end. In France, paint cans have to be labeled
according their emission characteristics (A+ is best, A, B, C is
worst) and in the other two countries products are not allowed
to be sold on the market if they do not comply. Compliancy can
only be tested in special emission chambers and cannot be calculated from the formulation. PPG has these testing capabilities
both in-house and with third part suppliers, and is thus able to
investigate thoroughly the formulation parameters that results
in low-emission paint.” CW
