Painting a Greener Future – New Raw Materials, R&D for Coatings and Inks

TAGS:  Sustainability / Natural Coatings     

This article was originally published in 2019 and updated in 2020.

Bio-based and environmentally friendly coating raw materials and additives are now well established in the industry!

There are certainly several bio-based raw materials available in the market and each year we see more and more ingredients being launched. The complete supply chain is now stepping up its efforts to develop raw materials derived from bio or renewable sources.

Reduction in GHG emissions, low or free VOC, shortage of petrochemical-derived raw materials, etc. are some of the pressing factors driving the market growth of bio-based coatings.

In order to meet this demand of greener coatings, recently we have seen some very interesting raw material advances, research developments & partnerships in the industry.

Let's take a look…

Bio-based Raw Materials are Taking Centerstage

Listed here are the recently launched ingredients for paints and coatings:

Supplier	Product Name	Features
allnex	UCECOAT® 7999	A tin- and APEO-free, UV-curable polyurethane dispersion with 20% bio-based content Suitable for clear and white formulations aimed for industrial wood applications Offers high mechanical- and chemical resistance after cure
Eastman	Cellulose Esters	Food-contact compliant cellulose esters Bio-content value between 35 - 55%
	Solus™ 2100 Performance Additive	A food-contact compliant rheology control additive for high-solids 2K coatings Calculated approximate bio-content value of 36%
Braskem	HE-70S	A bio-based oxygenated solvent with lower toxicity and higher solvency power versus hydrocarbon solvents Designed for inks and thinners
Itaconix	BIO*Asterix™ Functional Additives	Bio-based functional additives derived from itaconic acid Recommended for decorative paints
Wacker	VINNECO®	Range of vinyl acetate co- and terpolymer dispersions and dispersible polymer powders produced using renewable resources Derived from bio-based acetic acid, a substance is formed as a byproduct of wood-industry processes For use as binders in construction applications, such as dry-mix mortars, tile adhesives or waterproofing membranes
Chemical Process Services Ltd. (Bitrez)	Furalkamine ‘Green’ Epoxy Curing Agents	Mannich-base curing agents, derived from pentosane-rich biomass Suitable for solvent-free or high solids, low-VOC maintenance specialized marine coatings, protective coatings Maintains regulatory compliance in EU

Other interesting raw materials to look for:

1. Appretan® NTR by Archroma – It is a water-based textile coating binder based on renewable natural ingredients (polysaccharide).
2. Ink Jet Magenta E-S VP6057 by Clariant – It is a sustainable quinacridone magenta pigment recommended for digital graphical applications.
3. Decovery® SP-2022 XP by DSM – This bio-based, low-VOC polyurethane dispersion is suitable for use as self-matting resin in floor coatings.
4. SYLFAT™ 2LC Exp tall oil fatty acid (TOFA) by Kraton Corporation – It is a 100% bio-based TOFA designed for architectural coating applications.
5. VISIOMER® GLYFOMA by Evonik – This partially bio-based methacrylate monomer is used as low-odor reactive diluent for coatings.

And, some of the final coatings & inks products are:

Supplier	Details
Cortec	Cortec has launched USDA Certified Bio-based Product that can be used to replace solvent- and mineral-oil based (RPs). EcoLine® 3690 is a ready-to-use, canola-oil-based temporary coating designed for corrosion protection in severe marine and high humidity conditions.
Covestro & PPG	PPG has developed a two-layer polyurethane car refinish paint featuring bio-based hardener Desmodur® eco N 7300 from Covestro. Under the Sonnenwagen project, both the companies have tested the robustness of ultra-durable clearcoat to withstand extreme conditions during the race, including extremely high temperatures, UV radiation and air dust content.
Asda & Apeel Sciences	A new plant-derived, water-based coatings adds a layer of protection to the surface of fresh produce to slow water loss and oxidation, thus reduce food wastage from farm to retail shelf to customers’ homes.
Stora Enso	Stora Enso is utilizing HSMG’s PROTĒAN™ barrier coating technology for food packaging applications. PROTĒAN™ is a plant-based technology that can be used as an additive or a barrier coating. It gives fiber-based packaging water-, grease- and oil-resistant properties.

Research and Development Advances

Over the last few months, we have seen some very interesting developments from the R&D world focusing on bio-based coatings and inks. Few interesting projects are:

Production of Bio-chemicals Utilizing Non-food Feedstock

UV Absorbers Out of Cashew Nut Shells – Leveraging the power of xylochemistry, researchers continue to explore techniques to produce chemicals from wood and other fast-growing non-edible plant waste. Once such development includes the use of cashew nut shells to produce new chemical compounds.
By using cashew nutshells, researchers have produced new aromatic compounds that show good UVA and UVB absorbance, which may be applied to polymers or coatings for protection from the harmful sun rays.

Biosurfactants from Rice Straw – In an innovative research project to find a natural replacement for chemical surfactants, scientists have demonstrated the production of ‘bio-surfactants” from rice straw. Surfactants help to lower the surface tension of a liquid and are widely used in paints and coatings.

O So ‘Soy’ Goodness

The production of chemicals from soy has been of interest for several reasons, and OSC has been at the forefront of soy-based research and development for more than 20 years. OSC has bought its research in-house with the new Airable Research Lab, which will focus on developing products that use soybeans.

In the recent development, researchers are developing a bio-based catalyst that converts soy-based fatty acids into safe chemicals for use in plasticizers, coatings, and surfactants.

More projects the team is working on include developing soy-based corrosion coatings, improving soy-based wax, which can be used in candles and packaging, and working with an Australian company to create a coating for concrete roofs.

bioORMOCER® – Functional Barrier Coatings

Biodegradable and compostable packaging materials made of cellulose, polylactide or starch blends have long been on the market. Now, the first compostable coatings are developed and applied to films to

• Make compostable polymer films competitive, and
• Help them to become a widely available commodity

Organically-based, biodegradable and compostable material called bioORMOCER® improves properties of packaging coating films. It provides sufficient protection to prevent moisture, gas and foreign substances from entering the packaging’s contents. When no longer needed, the coated film decomposes completely under composting conditions.

This year, bioORMOCER® is listed as one of the finalists for “Bio-based Material of the Year 2020” award.

Bio-based Lignin Leading the Way

• KU Leuven bioscience engineers are utilizing lignin oil to further process and manufacture chemical building blocks, such as phenol, propylene, and components to create ink.
  
  To further evaluate the economic viability of a switch from petroleum to wood and create a realistic scenario, the researchers joined forces with a Belgian-Japanese ink company as certain compounds from lignin can be used to make ink.


• Research team at NREL has discovered and characterized a new family of cytochrome P450 enzymes that is critical for improving the conversion of lignin into valuable products.
  
  Learning about the structure and function of enzymes helps scientists improve the microbes and thus enhance processes like the biological conversion of lignin from plant biomass into valuable products.


• In another study, the scientists have recently discovered a variety of the substance, catechyl lignin (C-lignin) that has attributes that could make it well-suited as the starting point for a range of bioproducts. Lignin often contains several kinds of monomers and becomes malformed when processed.
  
  However, in the new study researchers discovered that the substance is made up of only one type of monomer, or lignin molecule, and each monomer is held together in the same way. Hence it could, therefore, be refined into a single platform molecule, or a small array of such molecules, that can build a variety of products.

Industry Partnerships to Commercialize Advanced Technologies

The new biotechnology-based routes to manufacture monomers & bio-based additives have already reached production levels. Now, the coating raw material suppliers, biotech companies are taking the next steps to commercialize the technology for broader industrial applications. Find out some interesting collaborations below:

Bio-based 5-HMF Innovation – AVA Biochem & Michelin Group

AVA Biochem and Michelin Group joined forces with a common goal to further implement 5-HMF in various materials and chemical applications. The collaboration is targeted to improve the performance, economics, sustainability (low carbon footprint) and safety (non-toxicity) of a variety of both consumer goods and industrial products.

AVA Biochem developed, patented and piloted a novel hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) process for the conversion of industrial sugars into the 100% bio-based molecule 5-HMF. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural is the link between biomass and furan-based chemicals. With its various functional groups and associated reaction sites, 5-HMF opens the door to a wide range of chemical modifications, making it a versatile, renewable building block.

Levulinic Acid-based Bio-solvents and Bio-plasticizers – NXTLEVVEL Biochem JV

GFBiochemicals produces levulinic acid at commercial scale directly from biomass. Through its joint venture - NXTLEVVEL Biochem – it aims to produce and commercialize levulinic acid-based technologies like solvents and plasticizers at a larger scale.

Chemicals from Cellulosic Sugars and Glycerol – Gevo and Leaf Resources

In Q3 2019, Gevo and Leaf Resources have announced joint development agreement to explore the potential use of cellulosic derived sugars and glycerol and the ability to convert these to hydrocarbon molecules useful as chemicals.



Other notable partnerships are discussed below:

2^nd Generation of Renewable Bio-isobutene - Global Bioenergies & Clariant

Global Bioenergies & Clariant are working together to produce cellulosic isobutene using wheat straw hydrolysate. The partnership is part of OPTISOCHEM, a BBI JU project (H2020 program). The project aims to demonstrate a new value chain combining Global Bioenergies bio-Isobutene process with technologies developed by Clariant and INEOS.

Currently, underutilized residual wheat straw has been converted at demo scale into second-generation renewable bio-isobutene, and will eventually be transformed into oligomers and polymers.

OPTISOCHEM focuses on the demonstration of a new value chain, based on the combination of the technologies and know-how of the participants from four EU member states:

• Conversion of straw into glucose- and xylose-rich hydrolysates by Clariant sunliquid® technology (Germany).
• Fermentation of the straw hydrolysates into bio-isobutene by Global Bioenergies (France and Germany).
• Conversion of bio-isobutene into oligomers and polymers by INEOS (Germany and France).
• Preliminary engineering of a hydrolysate-to-isobutene plant and overall integration with a straw-to-hydrolysate plant, by TechnipFMC and IPSB (France).
• Assessment of the sustainability and environmental benefits by the Energy Institute at the JKU Linz (Austria).

Bio-based Polyurethane Coatings- Elevance & Stahl

Elevance Renewable Sciences & Stahl have joined hands to commercialize new coatings and Polyurethanes Dispersions (PUDs) based on Elevance’s C18™ Polyol technology.

This C18™ Polyol technology enables the development of hydrophobic and semi-crystalline bio-based coatings, with improved hydrolytic stability & desired flexibility.

According to Stahl, the C18™ Polyol technology can help the company to broaden the portfolio of bio-based high-performance Polyols and Polyurethanes in Relca and Permutex water-based Polyurethane ranges.

High-performance Materials from Plants - Covestro & Genomatica

Covestro and biotechnology company Genomatica have joined forces to research and develop high-performance materials based on renewable feedstocks. Both the companies are working together to drive commercially focused innovations:

• Genomatica deploys its strengths in developing industrial-scale bioprocesses to produce widely used chemicals.
• Covestro complements the collaboration with strong know-how in chemical process technology and application development.

AFYREN NEOXY JV for Organic Acids

AFYREN and Bpifrance, through its SPI Industrial projects fund, have finalized the agreement for the creation of their joint subsidiary AFYREN NEOXY.

Based on co-products from the sugar industry, this unit will produce a range of seven organic acids with an initial annual capacity of 16,000 tons. This project will contribute to the region's reindustrialization and the development of green chemicals with the CHEMESIS platform.

AFYREN is a producer of high-value bio-based building blocks with natural fermentation technologies.

Biomass-derived Additives for Architectural Paints - AkzoNobel & Renmatix

Last year, AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals (now Nouryon) and Renmatix joined forces to develop biomass-based performance additives to improve the properties of architectural paints.

Renmatix’s proprietary Plantrose® Process utilizes ‘supercritical’ water under high temperature and pressure to convert biomass into cellulosic sugars and bio-fractions, which are valuable green chemistry building blocks. The companies will research, develop and commercialize novel products using Crysto™ Cellulose, a unique form of crystalline cellulose, and the newest bio-fraction isolated by Renmatix.

Renmatix is one of the winners of the 2017 Imagine Chemistry challenge.

Bio-based Materials for Paints, Coatings and Inks

View a wide range of bio-based additives, resins, pigments and monomers available today, analyze technical data of each product, get technical assistance or request samples.