Performance Enhancing Additives

This month, Coatings World interviewed a number of key suppliers of performance-enhancing additives. They include: Vic Patel, global segment head, Arxada; Ray Gonzales, global head of marketing & business development, Business Segment Coatings & Adhesives, Adsorbents & Additives, Clariant; 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, Gonda van Essche, TCS director, Coatings, and Alex Kröger, TCS manager, Coatings, W. R. Grace & Co.

CW: How has the performance enhancing additives market performed during 2023?

Clariant: We see value chains to be volatile right now due to weaker economic growth and an imbalance of inventory compared to demand. Customers are having many different reactions to this environment, including to drive down inventories and rethink their geographic supply chains. There are also some who see this as an opportunity to shift focus back to product development and innovation as a way to grow. Performance additives will benefit from this type of investment as they are genuinely enablers of differentiation.

keim additec: We see the market as being unpredictable. Sales have been like a roller coaster up and down month to month. There seems to some supply chain stability within the markets. This stability has given opportunities for the customer to focus on new development by looking for sustainability and more regulatory compliant greener products.

Shamrock Technologies: The supply chain pressure in the market has significantly subsided. Shipping concerns have softened considerably. While the rate of inflation has slowed, raw material costs still remain a point of focus.

W. R. Grace & Co.: The coatings additives market has experienced significant headwinds in 2023 as coatings companies have reassessed industry conditions of slowing growth, environmental regulations, and inventory control. Inflation, higher interest rates, labor shortages, and higher raw material costs continue to negatively impact current outlook; however, one positive factor is the demand for housing remains strong even with the higher cost of purchase. Additive companies with unique offerings in performance and processing conditions have gained a foothold in the market and will continue to grow as consumers demand higher-performing products that also take environmental concerns into account.

CW: What are the main advantages of using them?

Arxada: End-use consumers demand quality and capability in the paints and coatings they purchase, whether its 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 in modern paints, and even the least savvy consumer will notice the difference – and likely demand superior quality. Today’s modern performance additives, such as the proven Troysol, Troysperse, Troythix, and Troykyd products from Arxada, offer high levels of capability and performance at low use rates that the cost contribution is minimal. Our multifunctional additives further enhance this efficiency and cost optimization.

Clariant: The advantages of performance enhancing additives depends very much on the application. Generally speaking, these materials are delivering a boost in performance of a key attribute or they may be improving the manufacturing process, or they could enable a reduction of some other expensive material. Sometimes they may serve multiple purposes. At Clariant, we are striving to deliver a needed performance benefit, but also to do it with the most sustainable option in the market.

keim additec: We feel additives are the sugar and spice to a coating’s formulation. Our additives can offer scratch and mar, improve abrasion properties, reduce surface tension, and improve flow and leveling. Some of our additives can reduce formulation foaming, and they can improve viscosity stability and hydrophobicity properties. We have specific additives that have a special purpose, like a formaldehyde scavenger, a stain blocker that acts as a barrier to block difficult stains. Many of our additives offer performance, and they can enhance and improve a coatings formulation.

Shamrock Technologies: There are numerous advantages associated with using performance enhancing additives. The additives available from Shamrock Technologies have the ability to improve durability, control the coefficient of friction, reduce blocking, improve sandability, increase water repellency, provide hydrophobicity, prevent burnishing, provide texturing and impart matting.

W. R. Grace & Co.: Performance-enhancing additives have historically allowed formulators to achieve differentiated value in their coatings. Better performance is key to bringing value and consumers will pay more for a product if they can perceive that value. Coatings that protect and enhance the product’s utility beyond aesthetics are one of the major desires of consumers, as well as those that protect against rusting, protect a wood surface from water damage, and improve hardness.

CW: Are companies looking for sustainability and regulatory advantages when utilizing 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 and 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 excellent functionality at low use levels for minimized cost-in-use.

Troysperse ZWD1 high performance dispersant 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, Troysperse ZWD1 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, shipping of material, and inventory stocking, thereby reducing carbon footprint.

Clariant: Many of our customers see additives as a critical element of their strategic path towards greater sustainability. There are so many ways that performance additives can contribute. What often comes to mind is the move to bio-based or even renewable solutions like Clariant’s Rice Bran Waxes, but additives can also be used to improve process efficiency, thus conserving energy and resources. They can also support the transition away from substances of concern such as the use of waxes to replace PTFE in coatings and inks applications.

keim additec: The trend I am seeing is a driving force backed by the EU’s Sustainability-Related Disclosure Regulation approaches. This directive is becoming increasingly important to companies and within all sizes. This is, in part, due to investee companies needing to follow good governance practices. This is to be classified as a “sustainable investment.” Keim-Additec has focused on this hierarchy by offering performance additives that fortified zero or minimal VOCs, APEO, HAPs, PFAS free ingredients to a coating or paint formulation.

Shamrock Technologies: Most definitely. We are seeing a continued push for more sustainable solutions to improve coating performance. To meet the specific needs of our customers, Shamrock Technologies has greatly expanded our BioSLIP line of sustainable bio-based products. Furthermore, our research and development efforts are being focused on developing new and innovative performance enhancing additives that are not only sustainable, beneficial to the environment and meet all global regulatory requirements, but also maintain the high performance that coatings manufacturers have come to expect from Shamrock Technologies’ additives.

Siltech: Companies are trying to figure out how to measure and accomplish sustainability, which is increasingly becoming carbon footprint in one form or another. Many companies are looking up and down their value chain for situations to reduce their environmental impact. At Siltech, we have focused on our plant as well as our value chain to find areas to improve. In addition to those internal improvements, we have offered higher bio-based silicone coatings additives and are sharing publicly our expertise to help those who want to formulate out PFAS.

W. R. Grace & Co.: Most definitely, yes. Formulators want raw materials that perform but also comply with regulations and meet certain sustainability standards. Grace has focused its R&D and technical resources on product development to create solutions to support our customers’ efforts to achieve their sustainability targets, technology shifts, and human health and safety demands. For example, Grace’s SYLOID silica does not contain crystalline silica, which substance is a major health concern in the industry. We also see customers’ and suppliers’ strong interest in reducing their carbon footprint ahead of regulatory requirements. Grace is endeavoring to reduce its CO2 footprint in an effort to align with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

CW: What are the paint and coatings segments that typically look for high performance additives for their formulations?

Arxada: 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. However, even budget paints incorporate performance additives, and with excellent results. This holds true not only in established markets but also increasingly in emerging markets.

Clariant: It’s very hard to think of a paint and coatings segment that is not already using performance enhancing additives. There are always new challenges for the industry, and companies will need to either reformulate old products or create new products or coatings systems. Trends towards decarbonization and circularity can drive things like reduced film thickness, overspray reduction, and lower curing temperatures and VOC content. Additives will always have an enabling role to play as formulators in all markets seek ways to differentiate themselves and address the changing trends and challenges.

keim additec: Exterior paints and wood coatings generally need high performance properties, such as hydrophobicity, to combat environmental effects such as color fading,
weathering, etc.

Shamrock Technologies: Performance enhancing additives are used in practically every paint and coatings segment. There is always a demand for improved performance regardless of the market. Shamrock Technologies has performance enhancing additives specifically developed for a large array of different paint and coatings; wood, coil, can, industrial, powder, seed and architectural coatings all benefit from the use of our performance additives.

W. R. Grace & Co.: High-performance additives are predominantly used in highly developed industrial applications, such as in radiation-cured systems. The technology applicability spans all coating technologies. In addition to the common aesthetic and protective aspect of these coatings, processing properties steadily gain importance.

CW: Along these lines, what markets have the most potential for using performance enhancing additives in the future?

Arxada: There continues to be growth in powder coatings as newer formulations are developed that can be cured at lower temperatures. The inherent energy savings are even more worthwhile if these formulations have similar performance to conventional powder coatings. Performance additives for use in low temperature cure systems, such as Arxada’s Powdermate portfolio, can provide the necessary processing and physical performance needed for defect-free, durable coatings.

Clariant: Paint and coatings markets have always had to manage regulatory pressures and it is no different today. Substances of concern are front and center including BPA, formaldehyde, mercury, PTFE, heavy metals, and halogenated compounds to name a few. It’s often the case that there is not a one for one substitution when replacing an ingredient in a formulation, but rather a new system altogether. Performance enhancing additives can help formulators who are looking to replace substances of concern with solutions for a new system that is safer and potentially better performing.

keim additec: Coatings and inks, especially those with food contact, will likely remain top frontier for new performance additives. The regulatory landscape is constantly shifting and keeping everything “eco-friendly” is a present challenge. As a result, there is always intrigue in finding the next innovation, especially with the market becoming more competitive.

Shamrock Technologies: We are seeing an uptick in interest in Shamrock Technologies’ performance enhancing additive in packaging, industrial and architectural coatings.

Manufacturers have raised the bar on the performance expectations of their functional coatings, improved scuff and stain resistance, as well as improved burnish and wear resistance. Shamrock Technologies has performance enhancing additives that will meet the needs of these functional coatings’ formulators.

W. R. Grace & Co.: Formulators and raw material suppliers will continue to face the challenges of frequent changes in industry regulations and the increasing demand for enhanced aesthetic and protective properties, all which beckon to performance-enhancing additives for providing a solution. Additionally, new market segments such as renewable energy continue to grow. In some market segments such as wind energy, the focus on safety of matted surfaces outweighs the appearance characteristic. Corrosion continues to impact the global economy, hence products designed to improve the longevity of coating and substrate will be in focus.

CW: What performance enhancing additives has your company launched recently?

Arxada: Arxada has expanded its portfolio of performance additives to include the Effexel OTA suite of products. These Open Time Additives are unique chemistries that are able to replace conventional glycols used to extend open time of paints. These additives are able to provide better open time with zero/very low VOCs compared to glycols, without severe adverse effects to physical properties like scrub and stain resistance.

Troythix 200X and Troythix 220B advanced rheology modifiers for non-aqueous systems are additional recent introductions to the marketplace. 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 and Troythix 220B offer excellent performance that meets or exceeds market standards, and further broaden and diversify Arxada’s performance additives portfolio.

Clariant: Clariant is focused on helping companies look beyond PTFE with Clariant’s Ceridust additives that offer scratch-resistant protection for packaging barrier coatings with good slip-effect and rub-resistant printing inks. Clariant’s PTFE-free solutions include polyethylene waxes and a bio-based wax blend all with proven success in replacing PE/PTFE additives.

We’ve also launched a new stabilizer for SMP sealants, AddWorks IBC 760, which offers sealant formulators possibilities to use a label-free solution (no SVHC listing; benzotriazole-free) to improve heat and UV stability and reduce product yellowing. In the space of fire protection, Clariant has introduced halogen-free, low dosage flame retardants to advance the fire protection and safety of intumescent coatings for load-bearing construction applications. Exolit AP 435 can prolong the shelf life of water-based finished products during storage and transportation, and Exolit AP 418 for solvent-based coatings achieves up to 10% longer fire-resistant time for a film applied at up to 25% less thickness. We also launched Exolit AP 855 for transparent fire protection for wood.

keim additec: Addressing the need for PTFE alternatives, we developed several new oxidized waxes in the form of mju:wax 2616, mju:wax 5012, and mju:wax 5912. All three expand on the strengths of our popular mju:wax 2615, with higher hardness, abrasion resistance and thermal stability. Though mju:wax 2615 has approvals against many popular PTFE grades already, we are able to offer a wider variety of premium products to address individual formulation needs.

Shamrock Technologies: Shamrock Technologies has recently launched our MaxWax and BioSLIP series of performance enhancing additives to augment the Shamrock PTFE micropowder product line. These PFAS-free micronized wax alloys provide an optimum combination of slip and wear resistance for a variety of different types of coatings. We are seeing great success with their implementation, which is driving us to develop additional unique performance enhancing additives within the PFAS-free product line.

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.

We recently launched SYLOID RAD 2111 silica for UV-cured coatings systems. SYLOID RAD 2111 silica provides hard-to-matte formulations significant advantages in coating property retention, viscosity profiles, a lower impact on chemical resistance, superior matting efficiency, and optimal gloss/sheen ratio.

Other popular products in our lineup include SYLOID CAT 11 silica, an untreated silica matting agent developed for high-performance polyurethane coil and general industrial coatings applications; SYLOID MX 110 silica for difficult-to-matte VOC-compliant systems; SYLOID AQ 800 and 880 silica, water-based matting agents for wood; and SHIELDEX C303 silica, a Cr-VI-free alternative for anti-corrosion.