materials
33
particularly for retrofitting thermal insulation in old demonstrates the strong and urgent market need for
buildings as well as for cooling buildings,” says Martin diverse technological innovation to help reduce fuel
Brudermüller, responsible for plastics on BASF’s board consumption.”
of executive directors. “We expect the global market for
EPS in the construction sector to grow by about five per
Better performance
cent per year, a trend driven by energy prices that will On 2 April, at the Nuremburg-based European Coating
rise over the long run and by statutory regulations.” Show 2009, DSM NeoResins+ announced the launch
Meanwhile, Dow Corning scientists are stepping up of a new range of waterborne two-component (2K)
their search for a technology solution that will help polyurethane (PUR) coatings that are completely
improve fuel efficiency for millions of solvent-free and deliver high gloss,
drivers worldwide. So-called ‘green’ body and filling performance
tyres are already in widespread use (Fig. 2).
on cars, particularly in Europe, but DSM featured three new product
Dow Corning is now working on a introductions at the show: NeoCryl
technology solution that will make XK-531, NeoCryl 541, and NeoCryl
it possible for these tyres to also be XK- 555 which are designed for
used on trucks and road tankers. metal applications and are the
“In 2007, there were around 20 company’s first high gloss and
million trucks worldwide, so this is solvent-free waterborne 2K PUR
potentially a very big opportunity resins.
for us,” said Dow Corning’s Thierry The company developed the new
Materne, global industry director for range of high gloss products through
coating, reinforced plastics and tyres. a combination of its expertise
“Dow Corning developed processes and technologies in solvent borne
and technology that contributed to acrylics and waterborne acrylic
make it possible for millions of car emulsions. The new process is based
drivers to get the benefits of green on an optimisation of secondary
tyres. Now we want to help truck emulsion technology that enables
drivers get the same advantages.” the production of solvent-free
Fig. 2. The new range of
To this end, Dow Corning waterborne 2K PUR resins.
waterborne, 2K PUR coatings
scientists have joined forces The new non-VOC emulsions
are completely solvent-free and
with counterparts at Rhodia allow high blister free film build
deliver high gloss, body and
Corporation. The two companies are coatings that enable the creation
filling performance
collaborating in the development of ‘perfect layers’. Because they
and commercialisation of new silica/ contain no solvents, they also
silane products to support the tyre industry’s drive for offer greater freedom to paint manufacturers in their
energy efficient, safer motoring. Their first activity will formulations. This allows formulators to make paints
be to develop a way of introducing silica into natural with a solvent content of less than 100g/l, whereas until
rubber, covering applications such as truck and winter now waterborne 2K paints have had solvent contents of
tires. 200g/l or more. These new products will therefore make
The Dow Corning scientists will be aiming to repeat it possible to reduce VOC emissions by as much as
their success of a few years ago where they developed 50 per cent. This, says the company, is combined with
a new technology called phase transfer catalysis (PTC) excellent performance and appearance characteristics,
which made the manufacture of green tyres more comparable to those of solvent borne 2K polyurethane
affordable through a reduction in both the amount of systems.
materials consumed and the costs in making silane Another strong advantage is that paint formulators
coupling agents. Studies have shown that green tyres have freedom of choice over the particular solvent they
give better traction on wet and icy surfaces and can use with the isocyanate, allowing them more flexibility
reduce stopping distances by as much as 15 per cent, to determine the drying time, production speed, and
making the roads safer for everyone. Tyre-rolling flow properties, as well as providing more control
resistance is reduced by up to 20 per cent compared to over the cured coating end product properties such as
an equivalent standard tire, which reduces vehicle fuel hardness.
consumption by up to five per cent. “These new waterborne 2K products produced
“According to the recent PricewaterhouseCoopers with this novel process allow our customers to reduce
Truck Future Report, fuel economy is the number one emissions, improve the application process and
purchasing criteria of the road transportation industry,” improve the properties of the resulting paints,” noted
added Eric Noyrez, president of Rhodia Silcea and Sjaak Griffioen, business director at DSM NeoResins+.
director of the company’s silica business unit. “This In another new announcement, ExxonMobil
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