David Savastano, Contributing Editor09.06.22
This month, Coatings World interviewed a number of key suppliers of performance-enhancing additives. They include: Brad McPhee, business manager, Performance Additives, Arxada; Nayib Homayden, sales manager North America, Coatings & Consumer – Additives, Clariant (BU ICS and BU Additives); Maria Nargiello, technical director, Industrial & Automotive Coatings, Americas, and Tim-Frederic Sloot, head of sustainability and innovation performance, Evonik; Keith Condon, national sales director, keim additec; Thomas Kinlin, technical marketing leader; Shamrock Technologies; Robert Ruckle, global marketing and sales director, Siltech Corp.; and Jim Bowler, senior industry marketing manager, Coatings, W. R. Grace & Co.
This has also been an exciting year as the long-standing industry leader Troy Corporation became part of Arxada, a new global leader in microbial control and performance additives, built on the legacy of Lonza Specialty Ingredients. Now as one company under the Arxada name, we offer an even stronger and broader portfolio of additives to the paint & coatings market.
Evonik: The strong interest in performance-enhancing additives in 2022 has two strong market drivers: Customers remain very focused (1) on finding alternatives to additives in short supply and (2) on finding solutions that their current additive toolbox does not address. This is different compared to 2021, where customers were almost exclusively committed to finding alternatives. Our TEGO Foamex 812 is an example of a new, high-efficiency defoamer offering (compared to our well-known TEGO Foamex 810) with an expanded domestic supply benefit.
Shamrock Technologies: 2022 has seen continued turmoil in the supply chain due to geopolitical and pandemic-related events, which has impacted the performance enhancing additives market. Customers and vendors alike find themselves needing to increase their flexibility, communications, and collaboration to smoothen supply and service their customers.
Siltech: For Siltech, we are struggling to keep up with the demand not just in coatings additives, but in every market. Some of our coatings customers are up 40% over 2021, which was already strong. In addition to strong demand, our inability to source key raw materials are impacting supply. We realized increasing our capacity was within our power to do and could only help the situation so we have added a third shift to both existing plants and are anxious to break ground on our recently announced third plant in Fort Erie, Ontario.
W. R. Grace & Co.: 2022 had a good start to the year thanks to carry over from 2021. Headwinds continue in the coatings industry as inflation and interest rates increase coupled with labor and raw material shortages.
As legacy Troy and LSI business more fully integrate, we are able to take advantage of a significantly increased manufacturing network, which is beginning to pay dividends in terms of product delivery for customers.
keim additec: To be blunt and straight to the point, our sales have not been affected that much through this whole pandemic. For Keim-Additec Surface USA, our 2020 final sales year ended up just down 1% from the 2019 year, and 2019 is the pre-pandemic year. As things slowly began to open again in 2021, our final 2021 sales were up 45% from 2020. 2022 is looking even better as we continue to grow further. As one would imagine, it’s ebbed and flowed, just as everything else really.
The pandemic did slowdown specific industries and markets. We believe it re-contextualized how business is done today. “What worked prior simply doesn’t work anymore, and likely never will again.” We are doing more customer/prospects conference calls, technical and training conferences and see an improvement for more sample requests and opportunities. There is a lot less travel and in person visits. Some of the reasons for this success is that our supply chain is vertically backward integrated and our supply chain is very reliable.
Shamrock Technologies: The market has been slowly recovering since the pandemic. The coating industry only suffered a short-lived slow down at the beginning of the pandemic. It seems the market recovery began in the third quarter of 2020 and is only now showing signs of leveling out.
Siltech: Demand has recovered but supply is struggling to catch up. The reasons are mainly the macro-drivers we all hear on the news.
W. R. Grace & Co.: The market quickly recovered by the end of 2020 following a near shutdown in Q2. 2021 was strong on revenue (due to price increases), which were necessary to offset the cost of inflation and extremely high shipping fees.
Additionally, today’s modern performance additives, such as the proven Troysol, Troysperse, Troythix, and Troykyd products, offer such high levels of capability and performance at such a low use rate, that the cost contribution is minimal. Our multifunctional additives further enhance this efficiency and cost optimization.
Evonik: Achieving high-quality, defect-free surfaces at the time of application saves manufacturers the re-work costs both in the materials and the time, so often the usage levels of performance additives are used even though their cost per pound may be higher than other ingredients in the formulations. Their dose level is often very low 0.1-0.5% and in some cases are used at even lower loadings of < 0.1%.
keim additec: It depends on the application, really. I’d say the most important advantage additives have is the ability to modify one’s formulation properties by changing a very small percentage of said formulation’s make-up. Most additives make up less than 10% of a given formula (with the best making up less than 5%). To go from high abrasion resistance to high water repellency to high gloss (and beyond) with just a few quick adjustments is a powerful tool to have for the avid chemist.
Shamrock Technologies: Specialty additives offer properties such as matting, mar and abrasion resistance, slip, hapticity, hydrophobicity, water beading, and more with a small addition to formulas that otherwise cannot be achieved with the bulk of the resin and solvent formula. The cost is proportional to the value that these additives bring to the final coating formulations.
Siltech: In most cases, they are the most performance-effective and cost-effective way to enhance the performance. Realize that 1% is a high usage level for a silicone additive. Many are used at an order of magnitude less and foam control agents use levels are measured in ppm.
W. R. Grace & Co.: Additives are unique ingredients that offer incredible benefits to coatings. You typically do not need a high quantity to enhance the performance of the coating. Better-performing brands require minimal quantity to achieve benefits like matting and anti-corrosion.
The Troysperse ZWD series of high-performance dispersants is engineered for formulators requiring excellent color development capabilities, high pigment loadings, and fast dispersion time. The advanced additives offer performance at very low use levels and incorporate multifunctionality. Like other Arxada Z-line additives, the ZWD series is ideal for “green” aqueous systems.
Arxada’s multifunctional additives by their nature perform the tasks of several additive products, and thus further reduce ingredient contribution, as well as simplify inventory and shipping, thereby reducing carbon footprint.
Clariant: Yes, there are sustainability and regulatory benefits depending on the type of additives used in a specific coating or ink formulation and what our customers are looking to achieve. Clariant does have a broad portfolio of additive solutions that have been awarded the Clariant EcoTain label for their outstanding sustainability and best-in-class performance. EcoTain is our flagship label for sustainability excellence products and solutions. It highlights solutions offering outstanding sustainability advantages and add value to customers and the society as a whole. For example, we offer naturally derived waxes that are successfully used in different types of powder coatings and inks formulations to replace PTFE. We also offer label-free light stabilizers that display superior performance against market standards and provide peace of mind to paint manufacturers and end consumers as they do not pose any health hazards.
Evonik: Performance enhancing additives also play a decisive role in the transition from petro-based components towards renewable resins or dispersions. In the industry, several technical or performance issues with bio-based components were observed, when they are used in coating and inks. We see performance enhancing additives as enablers to successfully introduce these new resins and emulsions into formulations. The additives address several technical issues such as foam formation, viscosity adjustment, surface control, or pigment dispersion. We came across some first proof of concepts, also by using our high throughput experimentation unit.
keim additec: Most definitely. As mentioned in the previous question, less is more with the right additive. That can very quickly pay dividends when it comes to fostering a healthy, sustainable environment: for us, our clients, and beyond. Sustainability and regulatory compliance are a major focal point for our team here at Keim Additec, and something that we are proud of achieving as we get even more backward-integrated.
Shamrock Technologies: Some specialty additives are developed to ensure sustainability and regulatory compliance. For example, Shamrock produces EU Regulatory (RC) PTFE and PTFE alloys, as well as bio-based alternatives like our BioSLIP line of natural waxes and modified waxes to our recycled PTFE. The use of recycled PTFE-based additives helps to reduce the CO2 emission when compared to the use of prime or virgin PTFE, as well as preventing the landfill of the waste PTFE. Shamrock has pioneered the use of recycled PTFE to be repurposed for enhancing specific performance in industrial and high-end applications, saving more than 160 million pounds of PTFE being otherwise landfilled.
Siltech: In the case of silicones, some of the current demand and interest come from replacing fluoroalkyl materials which have a strong regulatory pressure, so removing those can be considered beneficial for sustainable and regulatory targets. Of course, the old standby reasons, such as reducing solvent and even total product usage, are still there as well.
W. R. Grace & Co.: Most definitely, yes. Formulators want raw materials that perform but also meet regulatory and sustainability requirements. Their goal is to avoid reformulation while applying additives that minimize harm to people or the planet. Like many companies in the industry, Grace strives to be a responsible steward. We continue to develop products and new grades that improve on reduction of negative environmental impact including our SHIELDEX silica, which is a line of anti-corrosion pigments that does not contain Cr-VI.
Clariant: Almost every single coating formulation for any application requires a performance additive in order to enhance the functional or application properties of the coating. Clariant offers solutions for every market within the coatings industry i.e. industrial & protective coatings, automotive, wood, architectural, packaging, powder coatings and intumescent coatings, just to name a few.
The main reason for requiring the use of performance additive will be ultimately determined by the application, the substrate and the properties needed to be delivered by the specific coating. For instance, Clariant Additives offers an array of solutions to protect people, infrastructures and the environment against the detriments of fire. With only a thin coat of intumescent coatings on steel structures, a significant fire retardancy is ensured, while preserving the building’s architectural features.
Evonik: Performance-enhancing additives are used across market segments and coatings technologies, as all coatings have common expectations of having a defect-free appearance, good leveling, even gloss performance and color development, and good adhesion. Contributions driving such enhancements come from our SURFYNOL, DYNOL, and ZETASPERSE lines, as well as our TEGO Foamex, Airex, Flow, Wet,
and AddBond lines.
keim additec: We have many different markets for both paint and coatings. For example, we have many enhancing additives: wax additives for surface modification; additives used in a formulation for stain blocking; certain waxes and emulsions for hydrophobicity properties; dispersants for pigment strength development; defoamers for foam control; wetting agents for flow and leveling; and silicone additives for slip, mar, COF, and a lower contact angle.
Shamrock Technologies: Performance enhancing additives can be used across a broad spectrum of paint and coating markets. Additives that increase abrasion resistance are often utilized in floor coatings, whether it’s for wood, concrete, or tile. Enhanced durability is something we see a lot with all different types of industrial coatings. Shamrock has a number of performance enhancing additives that will increase the hydrophobicity of an exterior coating, improving the water resistance and promote water beading in architectural finishes. Bio-based additives are increasingly being used to achieve high slip coatings in coil and can, and even in substrates such as seeds and gloves. Powder coatings achieve efficient matting and texturing via the use of highly surface active wax-based additives.
Siltech: Nearly every segment uses additives. In waterborne systems, flow and leveling or foam control/ gas release are the most common reasons; in energy cured systems, increased slip/reduction of COF and improved haptic properties. Release and protection are the frequently seen drivers that cross systems.
W. R. Grace & Co.: Selection is about performance over aesthetics. Protecting the substrate is the main function of the coating, and in many cases, why additives are used. For example, anti-corrosive additives are necessary when coating metal.
keim additec: With the somewhat uncertain regulatory future of PTFE looming, I’d say that the graphic arts industry will probably see an upswing in additive sales as companies explore new and exciting alternatives. It really will be an arms race and we have done an excellent job so far. This 2022 year, we have had some great successes with offering a PTFE-free wax additive in dry wax form or water-based wax emulsion to all PTFE-type waxes. The feedback we have received on the evaluations is that many of our PTFE-free wax products have performed equally to a PTFE-type product. This is a phenomenal task and a great undertaking.
Shamrock Technologies: Anything related to shipping and transit. These markets continue to grow year over year. Whether it’s the coating on an Amazon package or the paint on the hull of an ocean freighter, the world will continue to need performance enhancing additives to boost coating performance and keep the world from wearing out.
Siltech: Likely any or all of them. The key will be to deliver more sustainable additives.
W. R. Grace & Co.: The coatings market is changing and will continue to change to support a growing trend in protection over aesthetics. Customers want coatings that look good but also provide functionality. Coatings that can produce electricity like a solar panel or decrease AC usage by reducing heat absorption on rooftops in warmer climates can have beneficial environmental impacts. If a coating can act as a solar panel or reduce the absorption of heat on a roof in the summer (thereby reducing AC usage), this will go a long way to help save
the environment.
Clariant: We have recently launched several new products. I would like to highlight our label-free light stabilizers Hostavin 3070 DISP and Hostavin 3315 DISP. Hostavin 3070 DISP is an oligomeric HALS dispersion that is EcoTain certified whose intended use is in waterborne systems together with Hostavin 3315 DISP, an aqueous dispersion of a UV absorber with high active content and excellent storage stability. When used in combination, they provide outstanding UV protection for clearcoats and pigmented coatings compared to alternative solutions in the market and, most importantly, they are label-free. Another product to highlight is our bio-polymer based micronized waxes, Ceridust 8330 and Ceridust 8360, which offer outstanding rub resistance in water-based coatings and flexographic inks and also certified under the EcoTain label.
Evonik: Evonik’s Coatings Additives business has introduced two new synthetic silica particle lines which are the easy-to-disperse fumed silica platform, which allows mainstream, hydrophobically treated fumed silica grades to be dispersed into coatings without the necessity of milling. These new grades include AEROSIL E 972, E 812 and E 805. To complement the extensive ACEMATT matting line, two grades were introduced (ACEMATT OK 390 and HK 390) which are finer in size (3.9 microns) to meet the growing market needs focused on improved haptics and smoothness.
keim additec: Where to start? There are just so many that our lab is constantly looking for new ways to update and innovate. One product that is particularly interesting is our mju:wax 8800M. This is a wax-treated silica product primarily for solvent-based coating systems. What makes this product especially interesting is that it is applicable in solventless and 100% UV systems. Water-based technology has always been our forte, but we have spent considerable resources on expanding our capabilities to produce additives compatible with any system imaginable. This new product is a testament to our flexibility as a wax manufacturer, which will be a major boon as we navigate the post-pandemic marketplace.
Shamrock Technologies: Shamrock launched BioSLIP, our bio-based wax additives product line. These additives have several functions. They have been developed to improve abrasion resistance, increase slip, add water repellency, provide matting, reduce blocking, increase burnish resistance and improve black heel mark resistance. In most cases, performance does not need to be sacrificed when switching from a synthetic performance enhancing additive to one based on natural materials.
Siltech: Our current focus is a series of organosilicone coatings additives made from biological plants instead of petroleum. We’ve planted the seeds and it’s growing.
W. R. Grace & Co.: Innovation forms the core of Grace’s manufacturing. Our R&D and technical service teams are always working on new products that deliver the functionality our customers need in wood, coil, general industrial, and architectural coatings.
In 2021, we launched SYLOID CAT 11 silica for the high-performance coil and general industrial coatings markets. SYLOID CAT 11 is an untreated silica matting agent that retains catalyst activity and matting efficiency, thereby ending the matting compromise. We also launched SYLOID MX 110 silica, an untreated matting agent for coatings that require enhanced application properties.
Other popular products in our lineup include SYLOID AQ 800 and 880 silica, water-based matting agents for wood; SYLOID RAD 3007 and 2105 silica for UV matte applications; and SHIELDEX C303 silica, a Cr-VI-free alternative for anti-corrosion.
As always, Arxada keeps an open dialog with its valued customers, and listens to what their upcoming goals are, what new achievements they’d like to make in properties and performance.
Evonik: A new coatings technology that is receiving a lot of attention is thermal insulative coatings, which is driven by market conditions focused on energy efficiency, dew point shift, reducing/eliminating CUI, and plant safety initiatives to create more safe touch surfaces across hot plant surfaces. Evonik will be introducing the new TEGO Therm platform in the fall to meet these aims.
keim additec: In my areas, CHT is working on silicone gum emulsions and silicone-wax hybrids. We have some products designed to have better attributes for performance. For years, we have had the expertise for making stable emulsions with very controlled and precise particle sizes. Our patented water-base wax Emulsions – Micro Dispersions – Dispersions will a topic during this year’s CTT and NAPIM Fall Technical Conference: there will be a technical presentation talk on these technologies, “Silicone Gum Emulsions and Silicone/Wax Hybrids.”
Shamrock Technologies: Shamrock’s R&D lab is constantly working on new and exciting technologies. We are investigating new materials and processes to expand the range of our functional additives to deliver superior coating performance for our customers.
Siltech: In addition to the bio-based additive line, we are continuing work on Q resin-based materials, which offer some unique properties especially in terms of adding strength and cross-linking will retaining flexibility.
W. R. Grace & Co.: Our team is always working on products and solutions that offer a high level of functionality to differentiate our customers’ offerings and make consumers’ lives easier. Our goal is to manufacture coatings additives that last longer, improve visual appeal, and offer tangible benefits such as self-cleaning, stain, and chemical resistance.
CW: How has the performance enhancing additives market been faring during 2022?
Arxada: The performance additives market continues to be strong in 2022 across most global regions, despite the supply challenges that have affected nearly all industries this year. The additives market is likely to continue to see strong demand and considerable growth in the following years. Manufacturers’ search for single additives that perform multiple tasks will continue to drive the market to the development to new, highly efficient, multifunctional technologies, such as those already offered by Arxada.This has also been an exciting year as the long-standing industry leader Troy Corporation became part of Arxada, a new global leader in microbial control and performance additives, built on the legacy of Lonza Specialty Ingredients. Now as one company under the Arxada name, we offer an even stronger and broader portfolio of additives to the paint & coatings market.
Evonik: The strong interest in performance-enhancing additives in 2022 has two strong market drivers: Customers remain very focused (1) on finding alternatives to additives in short supply and (2) on finding solutions that their current additive toolbox does not address. This is different compared to 2021, where customers were almost exclusively committed to finding alternatives. Our TEGO Foamex 812 is an example of a new, high-efficiency defoamer offering (compared to our well-known TEGO Foamex 810) with an expanded domestic supply benefit.
Shamrock Technologies: 2022 has seen continued turmoil in the supply chain due to geopolitical and pandemic-related events, which has impacted the performance enhancing additives market. Customers and vendors alike find themselves needing to increase their flexibility, communications, and collaboration to smoothen supply and service their customers.
Siltech: For Siltech, we are struggling to keep up with the demand not just in coatings additives, but in every market. Some of our coatings customers are up 40% over 2021, which was already strong. In addition to strong demand, our inability to source key raw materials are impacting supply. We realized increasing our capacity was within our power to do and could only help the situation so we have added a third shift to both existing plants and are anxious to break ground on our recently announced third plant in Fort Erie, Ontario.
W. R. Grace & Co.: 2022 had a good start to the year thanks to carry over from 2021. Headwinds continue in the coatings industry as inflation and interest rates increase coupled with labor and raw material shortages.
CW: Has the market seen recovery since the pandemic, and if not, when do you think the market will return to pre-pandemic numbers?
Arxada We’re seeing very strong demand for additives. Nevertheless, suppliers continue to face procurement challenges, which unfortunately affect product availability and delivery. This is very frustrating for customers industry-wide. Suppliers like Arxada are working double-time to circumvent these issues, identify additional sources of supply, and invest in redundant manufacturing capacities to ease logistics burdens.As legacy Troy and LSI business more fully integrate, we are able to take advantage of a significantly increased manufacturing network, which is beginning to pay dividends in terms of product delivery for customers.
keim additec: To be blunt and straight to the point, our sales have not been affected that much through this whole pandemic. For Keim-Additec Surface USA, our 2020 final sales year ended up just down 1% from the 2019 year, and 2019 is the pre-pandemic year. As things slowly began to open again in 2021, our final 2021 sales were up 45% from 2020. 2022 is looking even better as we continue to grow further. As one would imagine, it’s ebbed and flowed, just as everything else really.
The pandemic did slowdown specific industries and markets. We believe it re-contextualized how business is done today. “What worked prior simply doesn’t work anymore, and likely never will again.” We are doing more customer/prospects conference calls, technical and training conferences and see an improvement for more sample requests and opportunities. There is a lot less travel and in person visits. Some of the reasons for this success is that our supply chain is vertically backward integrated and our supply chain is very reliable.
Shamrock Technologies: The market has been slowly recovering since the pandemic. The coating industry only suffered a short-lived slow down at the beginning of the pandemic. It seems the market recovery began in the third quarter of 2020 and is only now showing signs of leveling out.
Siltech: Demand has recovered but supply is struggling to catch up. The reasons are mainly the macro-drivers we all hear on the news.
W. R. Grace & Co.: The market quickly recovered by the end of 2020 following a near shutdown in Q2. 2021 was strong on revenue (due to price increases), which were necessary to offset the cost of inflation and extremely high shipping fees.
CW: Considering the higher cost associated with these types of additives, what are the main advantages of using them?
Arxada: In well-established and even across emerging markets, the demand for performance additives is robust. Consumers demand quality and capability in the paints & coatings they purchase, whether it’s enhanced application properties, such as flow and leveling, surface property control, such as hiding and air release, or long-term durability aspects, such as scrub and mar resistance. Performance additives are a necessity to modern paints, and even the least savvy consumer will notice the difference – and likely demand better quality.Additionally, today’s modern performance additives, such as the proven Troysol, Troysperse, Troythix, and Troykyd products, offer such high levels of capability and performance at such a low use rate, that the cost contribution is minimal. Our multifunctional additives further enhance this efficiency and cost optimization.
Evonik: Achieving high-quality, defect-free surfaces at the time of application saves manufacturers the re-work costs both in the materials and the time, so often the usage levels of performance additives are used even though their cost per pound may be higher than other ingredients in the formulations. Their dose level is often very low 0.1-0.5% and in some cases are used at even lower loadings of < 0.1%.
keim additec: It depends on the application, really. I’d say the most important advantage additives have is the ability to modify one’s formulation properties by changing a very small percentage of said formulation’s make-up. Most additives make up less than 10% of a given formula (with the best making up less than 5%). To go from high abrasion resistance to high water repellency to high gloss (and beyond) with just a few quick adjustments is a powerful tool to have for the avid chemist.
Shamrock Technologies: Specialty additives offer properties such as matting, mar and abrasion resistance, slip, hapticity, hydrophobicity, water beading, and more with a small addition to formulas that otherwise cannot be achieved with the bulk of the resin and solvent formula. The cost is proportional to the value that these additives bring to the final coating formulations.
Siltech: In most cases, they are the most performance-effective and cost-effective way to enhance the performance. Realize that 1% is a high usage level for a silicone additive. Many are used at an order of magnitude less and foam control agents use levels are measured in ppm.
W. R. Grace & Co.: Additives are unique ingredients that offer incredible benefits to coatings. You typically do not need a high quantity to enhance the performance of the coating. Better-performing brands require minimal quantity to achieve benefits like matting and anti-corrosion.
CW: Are there sustainability and regulatory benefits when selecting performance enhancing additives?
Arxada: Manufacturers have focused on offering performance additives that contribute zero or minimal VOCs, APEO, HAPs, and other ingredients to paint formulations. Arxada is continually expanding its Z-line of performance additives, which are developed specifically for “green” systems. These Z-line additives are free of VOC, HAPs, and APEO, and offer performance at low use levels, making them ideal for modern aqueous formulations. An example is advanced Troysol ZLAC, a “green,” multifunctional, silicone-free additive that improves substrate wetting, flow & leveling, adhesion, gloss, and color uniformity in aqueous coatings and adhesives. The highly effective additive offers enhanced control of coating surface properties and the elimination of surface defects, such as crawling and cratering. Troysol ZLAC can help formulators achieve enhanced performance in many different applications, and offers performance at low use levels for minimized cost-in-use.The Troysperse ZWD series of high-performance dispersants is engineered for formulators requiring excellent color development capabilities, high pigment loadings, and fast dispersion time. The advanced additives offer performance at very low use levels and incorporate multifunctionality. Like other Arxada Z-line additives, the ZWD series is ideal for “green” aqueous systems.
Arxada’s multifunctional additives by their nature perform the tasks of several additive products, and thus further reduce ingredient contribution, as well as simplify inventory and shipping, thereby reducing carbon footprint.
Clariant: Yes, there are sustainability and regulatory benefits depending on the type of additives used in a specific coating or ink formulation and what our customers are looking to achieve. Clariant does have a broad portfolio of additive solutions that have been awarded the Clariant EcoTain label for their outstanding sustainability and best-in-class performance. EcoTain is our flagship label for sustainability excellence products and solutions. It highlights solutions offering outstanding sustainability advantages and add value to customers and the society as a whole. For example, we offer naturally derived waxes that are successfully used in different types of powder coatings and inks formulations to replace PTFE. We also offer label-free light stabilizers that display superior performance against market standards and provide peace of mind to paint manufacturers and end consumers as they do not pose any health hazards.
Evonik: Performance enhancing additives also play a decisive role in the transition from petro-based components towards renewable resins or dispersions. In the industry, several technical or performance issues with bio-based components were observed, when they are used in coating and inks. We see performance enhancing additives as enablers to successfully introduce these new resins and emulsions into formulations. The additives address several technical issues such as foam formation, viscosity adjustment, surface control, or pigment dispersion. We came across some first proof of concepts, also by using our high throughput experimentation unit.
keim additec: Most definitely. As mentioned in the previous question, less is more with the right additive. That can very quickly pay dividends when it comes to fostering a healthy, sustainable environment: for us, our clients, and beyond. Sustainability and regulatory compliance are a major focal point for our team here at Keim Additec, and something that we are proud of achieving as we get even more backward-integrated.
Shamrock Technologies: Some specialty additives are developed to ensure sustainability and regulatory compliance. For example, Shamrock produces EU Regulatory (RC) PTFE and PTFE alloys, as well as bio-based alternatives like our BioSLIP line of natural waxes and modified waxes to our recycled PTFE. The use of recycled PTFE-based additives helps to reduce the CO2 emission when compared to the use of prime or virgin PTFE, as well as preventing the landfill of the waste PTFE. Shamrock has pioneered the use of recycled PTFE to be repurposed for enhancing specific performance in industrial and high-end applications, saving more than 160 million pounds of PTFE being otherwise landfilled.
Siltech: In the case of silicones, some of the current demand and interest come from replacing fluoroalkyl materials which have a strong regulatory pressure, so removing those can be considered beneficial for sustainable and regulatory targets. Of course, the old standby reasons, such as reducing solvent and even total product usage, are still there as well.
W. R. Grace & Co.: Most definitely, yes. Formulators want raw materials that perform but also meet regulatory and sustainability requirements. Their goal is to avoid reformulation while applying additives that minimize harm to people or the planet. Like many companies in the industry, Grace strives to be a responsible steward. We continue to develop products and new grades that improve on reduction of negative environmental impact including our SHIELDEX silica, which is a line of anti-corrosion pigments that does not contain Cr-VI.
CW: What paint and coatings markets typically select performance enhancing additives for their formulations, and what are the key reasons for this choice?
Arxada: Even budget paints incorporate performance additives, and with excellent results. Of course, high-end architectural and decorative paints typically incorporate more or higher concentrations of performance additives to ensure that application, surface property, and durability aspects are of the highest quality. Both aqueous and solvent-based paints incorporate additives, yet the former generally incorporate more additive product to overcome certain innate deficiencies of the water-based format. Gone are the days of low-quality paints, even in the emerging markets, that eschewed additives for a rock-bottom price. The global consumer is much too savvy today to accept this.Clariant: Almost every single coating formulation for any application requires a performance additive in order to enhance the functional or application properties of the coating. Clariant offers solutions for every market within the coatings industry i.e. industrial & protective coatings, automotive, wood, architectural, packaging, powder coatings and intumescent coatings, just to name a few.
The main reason for requiring the use of performance additive will be ultimately determined by the application, the substrate and the properties needed to be delivered by the specific coating. For instance, Clariant Additives offers an array of solutions to protect people, infrastructures and the environment against the detriments of fire. With only a thin coat of intumescent coatings on steel structures, a significant fire retardancy is ensured, while preserving the building’s architectural features.
Evonik: Performance-enhancing additives are used across market segments and coatings technologies, as all coatings have common expectations of having a defect-free appearance, good leveling, even gloss performance and color development, and good adhesion. Contributions driving such enhancements come from our SURFYNOL, DYNOL, and ZETASPERSE lines, as well as our TEGO Foamex, Airex, Flow, Wet,
and AddBond lines.
keim additec: We have many different markets for both paint and coatings. For example, we have many enhancing additives: wax additives for surface modification; additives used in a formulation for stain blocking; certain waxes and emulsions for hydrophobicity properties; dispersants for pigment strength development; defoamers for foam control; wetting agents for flow and leveling; and silicone additives for slip, mar, COF, and a lower contact angle.
Shamrock Technologies: Performance enhancing additives can be used across a broad spectrum of paint and coating markets. Additives that increase abrasion resistance are often utilized in floor coatings, whether it’s for wood, concrete, or tile. Enhanced durability is something we see a lot with all different types of industrial coatings. Shamrock has a number of performance enhancing additives that will increase the hydrophobicity of an exterior coating, improving the water resistance and promote water beading in architectural finishes. Bio-based additives are increasingly being used to achieve high slip coatings in coil and can, and even in substrates such as seeds and gloves. Powder coatings achieve efficient matting and texturing via the use of highly surface active wax-based additives.
Siltech: Nearly every segment uses additives. In waterborne systems, flow and leveling or foam control/ gas release are the most common reasons; in energy cured systems, increased slip/reduction of COF and improved haptic properties. Release and protection are the frequently seen drivers that cross systems.
W. R. Grace & Co.: Selection is about performance over aesthetics. Protecting the substrate is the main function of the coating, and in many cases, why additives are used. For example, anti-corrosive additives are necessary when coating metal.
CW: What markets have the most potential for using performance enhancing additives in the future?
Arxada: South Asia and Middle East/Africa represent opportunities for growth as the architectural coatings markets in these regions mature and grow at a rapid pace. A demand for higher quality paints in these regions means a greater need for performance additives to enhance surface properties.keim additec: With the somewhat uncertain regulatory future of PTFE looming, I’d say that the graphic arts industry will probably see an upswing in additive sales as companies explore new and exciting alternatives. It really will be an arms race and we have done an excellent job so far. This 2022 year, we have had some great successes with offering a PTFE-free wax additive in dry wax form or water-based wax emulsion to all PTFE-type waxes. The feedback we have received on the evaluations is that many of our PTFE-free wax products have performed equally to a PTFE-type product. This is a phenomenal task and a great undertaking.
Shamrock Technologies: Anything related to shipping and transit. These markets continue to grow year over year. Whether it’s the coating on an Amazon package or the paint on the hull of an ocean freighter, the world will continue to need performance enhancing additives to boost coating performance and keep the world from wearing out.
Siltech: Likely any or all of them. The key will be to deliver more sustainable additives.
W. R. Grace & Co.: The coatings market is changing and will continue to change to support a growing trend in protection over aesthetics. Customers want coatings that look good but also provide functionality. Coatings that can produce electricity like a solar panel or decrease AC usage by reducing heat absorption on rooftops in warmer climates can have beneficial environmental impacts. If a coating can act as a solar panel or reduce the absorption of heat on a roof in the summer (thereby reducing AC usage), this will go a long way to help save
the environment.
CW: What performance enhancing additives has your company launched recently, and what are their primary applications?
Arxada: We recently introduced Troythix 200X & 220B, advanced rheology modifiers for non-aqueous systems. The new performance additives provide anti-settling and sag resistance properties with little to no impact on apparent viscosity for improved application properties. The rheology modifiers are intended for use in pigmented systems that need a boost in anti-settling and sag resistance without notable changes in the mid-shear viscosity profile. Additionally, these additives prevent hard caking of pigments and resist seeding, while offering low activation temperatures (45°C). Troythix 200X & 220B offer excellent performance that meets or exceeds market standards, and further broaden and diversify Arxada’s performance additives portfolio.Clariant: We have recently launched several new products. I would like to highlight our label-free light stabilizers Hostavin 3070 DISP and Hostavin 3315 DISP. Hostavin 3070 DISP is an oligomeric HALS dispersion that is EcoTain certified whose intended use is in waterborne systems together with Hostavin 3315 DISP, an aqueous dispersion of a UV absorber with high active content and excellent storage stability. When used in combination, they provide outstanding UV protection for clearcoats and pigmented coatings compared to alternative solutions in the market and, most importantly, they are label-free. Another product to highlight is our bio-polymer based micronized waxes, Ceridust 8330 and Ceridust 8360, which offer outstanding rub resistance in water-based coatings and flexographic inks and also certified under the EcoTain label.
Evonik: Evonik’s Coatings Additives business has introduced two new synthetic silica particle lines which are the easy-to-disperse fumed silica platform, which allows mainstream, hydrophobically treated fumed silica grades to be dispersed into coatings without the necessity of milling. These new grades include AEROSIL E 972, E 812 and E 805. To complement the extensive ACEMATT matting line, two grades were introduced (ACEMATT OK 390 and HK 390) which are finer in size (3.9 microns) to meet the growing market needs focused on improved haptics and smoothness.
keim additec: Where to start? There are just so many that our lab is constantly looking for new ways to update and innovate. One product that is particularly interesting is our mju:wax 8800M. This is a wax-treated silica product primarily for solvent-based coating systems. What makes this product especially interesting is that it is applicable in solventless and 100% UV systems. Water-based technology has always been our forte, but we have spent considerable resources on expanding our capabilities to produce additives compatible with any system imaginable. This new product is a testament to our flexibility as a wax manufacturer, which will be a major boon as we navigate the post-pandemic marketplace.
Shamrock Technologies: Shamrock launched BioSLIP, our bio-based wax additives product line. These additives have several functions. They have been developed to improve abrasion resistance, increase slip, add water repellency, provide matting, reduce blocking, increase burnish resistance and improve black heel mark resistance. In most cases, performance does not need to be sacrificed when switching from a synthetic performance enhancing additive to one based on natural materials.
Siltech: Our current focus is a series of organosilicone coatings additives made from biological plants instead of petroleum. We’ve planted the seeds and it’s growing.
W. R. Grace & Co.: Innovation forms the core of Grace’s manufacturing. Our R&D and technical service teams are always working on new products that deliver the functionality our customers need in wood, coil, general industrial, and architectural coatings.
In 2021, we launched SYLOID CAT 11 silica for the high-performance coil and general industrial coatings markets. SYLOID CAT 11 is an untreated silica matting agent that retains catalyst activity and matting efficiency, thereby ending the matting compromise. We also launched SYLOID MX 110 silica, an untreated matting agent for coatings that require enhanced application properties.
Other popular products in our lineup include SYLOID AQ 800 and 880 silica, water-based matting agents for wood; SYLOID RAD 3007 and 2105 silica for UV matte applications; and SHIELDEX C303 silica, a Cr-VI-free alternative for anti-corrosion.
CW: What new technologies (smart coatings, nanotechnologies) are your R&D labs working on?
Arxada: We will continue to focus on high performance additives that have multifunctional capabilities and can help customers meet regulatory requirements. Another area of focus is additives to enhance surface properties and improve manufacturing processes in low temperature cure (LTC) powder coatings. LTC powder coatings have many environmental benefits including lower energy consumption. In addition, we currently have a line of new products under development that offers remarkable durability, which helps enable longer-lasting coatings, yet has little to no effect on other additives properties.As always, Arxada keeps an open dialog with its valued customers, and listens to what their upcoming goals are, what new achievements they’d like to make in properties and performance.
Evonik: A new coatings technology that is receiving a lot of attention is thermal insulative coatings, which is driven by market conditions focused on energy efficiency, dew point shift, reducing/eliminating CUI, and plant safety initiatives to create more safe touch surfaces across hot plant surfaces. Evonik will be introducing the new TEGO Therm platform in the fall to meet these aims.
keim additec: In my areas, CHT is working on silicone gum emulsions and silicone-wax hybrids. We have some products designed to have better attributes for performance. For years, we have had the expertise for making stable emulsions with very controlled and precise particle sizes. Our patented water-base wax Emulsions – Micro Dispersions – Dispersions will a topic during this year’s CTT and NAPIM Fall Technical Conference: there will be a technical presentation talk on these technologies, “Silicone Gum Emulsions and Silicone/Wax Hybrids.”
Shamrock Technologies: Shamrock’s R&D lab is constantly working on new and exciting technologies. We are investigating new materials and processes to expand the range of our functional additives to deliver superior coating performance for our customers.
Siltech: In addition to the bio-based additive line, we are continuing work on Q resin-based materials, which offer some unique properties especially in terms of adding strength and cross-linking will retaining flexibility.
W. R. Grace & Co.: Our team is always working on products and solutions that offer a high level of functionality to differentiate our customers’ offerings and make consumers’ lives easier. Our goal is to manufacture coatings additives that last longer, improve visual appeal, and offer tangible benefits such as self-cleaning, stain, and chemical resistance.