Focus on Surfactants

Coatings World had the opportunity to interview some key surfactant manufacturers who spoke about the trends and issues effecting the paint and coatings market. Included in this Q&A are Robert Ruckle, global marketing and sales manager, Siltech Corp., Brad McPhee business manager, Performance Additives, Troy Corporation.

CW:  What do you think are the primary issues (environmental, economic, raw material cost, etc.) facing the surfactants market today?

Ruckle: Beyond COVID-19 and the economic impacts both already here and still to come; the environmental concerns for biodegradability, naturally derived and sustainable remain important.  Many people define sustainability as “not from petroleum” which is where most surfactants originate, so this has had and will continue to have a large impact particularly on new product development.

McPhee: Challenges create opportunities. Some of the most impactful innovations in our industry arise when suppliers and formulators are faced with market or regulatory pressures.

Environmental pressures led to the development of Troy’s Z-line of performance additives, which is being expanded to accommodate the needs of formulators to create ‘green’ coatings systems. Multifunctional additives that perform the functions of several additives in one, continue to be developed to assist formulators to reach performance goals as well as address economic pressures and regulatory requirements. 

CW:  What regions present the most opportunity for growth?

Ruckle: For Siltech, Europe and Asia represent the fastest growing segments.

McPhee: South Asia and the Middle East/Africa represent opportunities for growth as the architectural coatings markets in these regions mature and grow at a rapid pace. Demand for higher quality paints in these regions means a greater need for performance additives to enhance surface properties.

CW:  What are the key trends?

McPhee: We continue to see solid growth in high-performance additives that have multifunctional capabilities and growing demand for additives that help customers meet regulatory requirements. 

CW:  How is your company meeting the needs of customers who are looking for “greener” technologies?

Ruckle: We manufacture silicone-based surfactants and silicone does not occur naturally.  However, these polymers need other groups attached to be surfactants.  We are focusing our efforts in this area on naturally sourced hydrophilic groups.

McPhee: Troy 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 Troy Z-line additives, the ZWD series is ideal for ‘green’ aqueous systems.

CW:   What new products have your company recently launched? What are their applications?

Ruckle: In Personal Care we have launched several greener surfactants mainly for emulsifiers.  

McPhee: Troy recently introduced Troythix® 200X & 220B, advanced rheology modifiers for non-aqueous systems. The new performance additives provide anti-settling & 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 Troy’s Performance Additives portfolio.

CW: What areas are your R&D efforts focusing on for the future?

McPhee: Troy is a company built on innovation, and is committed to the research & development of the latest technologies to enable customers to lead in the marketplace. Troy’s Z-line of zero-VOC, APEO-free additives are increasingly important, and will remain the focus of R&D efforts. Multifunctional additives are also an important focus of our efforts. Multifunctional additives that perform the function of numerous additives are of interest to customers, as they simplify the formulation process, contribute less material and expense to formulations, and reduce inventory.

CW: How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your business?

Ruckle: Silicone surfactants are sold into many markets, some of these markets are adversely affected by the economic impact of the pandemic but others have been favorably impacted.  It is critical to be able to pivot in times like this and Siltech’s flat management structure has allowed us to do that.

McPhee: Adaptability is one of Troy’s strengths, and as such, the company has been well-suited to handle variables in the marketplace and business environment. Troy’s contingency plans have been well-planned and implemented to allow us to adjust to these unprecedented times. As such, the company has remained fully operational to serve its customers with products and services worldwide without significant interruption. While there are many COVID-related uncertainties in the near term, the coatings industry currently remains strong. We are seeing high demand for our products and services worldwide, and we expect this to continue, while at the same time remaining vigilant and well-prepared for future COVID-related effects.