JANUARY-JUNE 2025 NEWSLETTERS
Newsletter-January 2025
Bioplastics: Benefits and Inconvenient Truths
Key Takeaways from this newsletter:
- Bioplastics can reduce the carbon footprint compared to conventional plastics.
- In some cases unique properties make them the plastic of choice.
- Further research and development are needed for broader acceptance.
A friend of mine recently had some steering issues with his car and took it to the shop. It turned out that rodents had chewed through the soy-based wiring insulation. The technician explained that rodents are attracted to the soy, seeing it as food. My friend was furious and decided that the absence of soy-protected wiring would be the main criterion for his next vehicle purchase.
This practice isn't new. Automobiles started using soy-based wiring in the early 2000s to make them more environmentally friendly. My friend's complaint isn't new either. In 2016, a class action lawsuit was filed against Toyota, claiming the company should cover damage from rodents chewing through soy-based wiring.(1)At the time, Toyota stated, "Rodent damage to vehicle wiring occurs across the industry and is not brand- or model-specific. We are currently not aware of any scientific evidence that shows rodents are attracted to automotive wiring because of alleged soy-based content." The lawsuit was dismissed in 2018 and partially resurrected on appeal in 2020.(2) Regardless of the lawsuit and its outcome, car technicians today still believe that rodent damage is due to soy content. The original reason for using soy was sustainability, as soy is a more sustainable solution than petroleum-based plastics. A plastic like soy-based plastic, which is based on renewable resources, is referred to as a bioplastic. Renewability is one of the main benefits touted for bioplastics.
A more well-known bioplastic is poly(lactic acid) or PLA, which is the most abundant bioplastic, accounting for 26% of all bioplastics in 2024. It can be derived from lactic acid or lactide, both of which originate from fermented carbohydrates. PLA is used in disposable tableware, cutlery, and housings for appliances and electronics. It is also used in compost bags and food packaging and is the most widely used plastic in FDM 3D printing processes, which use a continuous filament of plastic material.(3) PLA is biodegradable but needs to be composted under certain conditions to degrade. Like soy-based plastics, the main benefit of PLA is that it is based on natural products and not petroleum.
Another well-known class of bioplastics is polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). These polymers are used in numerous biomedical applications, most notably as absorbable sutures.(4)
Bioplastics have their pros and cons.(5,6) Besides reducing dependence on petroleum, the benefits of bioplastics include:
- Potential biodegradability or compostability.
- Non-toxicity, as they are made from natural materials.
- Unique properties in certain cases that make them the plastic of choice.
The downsides are:
- They can be more expensive.
- Land use issues—should the land be used for food or bioplastics?
- They may need composting in an industrial facility.
- Increased pollution from fertilizers.
- They are usually not biodegradable on their own.
- As seen with soy-based bioplastics, they may not be suitable for certain plastic applications.
Bioplastics can reduce the carbon footprint compared to conventional plastics by sequestering carbon dioxide during their lifecycle. Additionally, certain bioplastics possess unique properties that set them apart from traditional plastics. As research continues to address the current limitations, bioplastics are expected to capture a larger share of the plastics market.
(1) Newer cars' soy-based wire insulation may be 'delicious' to rodents, Christina Hall, “Rats Can’t Resist the Wiring in Newer Cars: Here’s Why,” USA Today, online edition, May 8, 2018. (https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2018/05/07/rats-love-car-wiring-soy-based-insulation/588638002/)
(2) Toyota Soy Wiring Class Action Lawsuit Resurrected | CarComplaints.com, David A. Wood, “Toyota Soy Wiring Class Action Lawsuit Resurrected,” Carcompliants.com, September 20. (2020https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2020/toyota-soy-wiring-class-action-lawsuit.shtml )
(3) Polylactic acid - Wikipedia, Polylactic acid Wikipedia entry as of January 14 2025.
(4) Biomedical Applications of Polyhydroxyalkanoate in Tissue Engineering Thiruchelvi Pulingam et al., “Biomedical Applications of Polyhydroxyalkanoate in Tissue Engineering,” Polymers 2022, 14(11), 214, May, 24 2022. (https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/11/2141)
(5) Bioplastics: Pros & Cons and are they the Future? Ben Hardman, “Bioplastics: Pros and Cons and Are They the Future?” Green Living Blog, April 6, 2022. (https://www.greenlivingblog.org.uk/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-bioplastics/)
(6) Bioplastics—are they truly better for the environment?, Sarah Gibbens, “What you need to know about plant-based plastics,” nationalgeographic.com, November 15, 2018. (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/are-bioplastics-made-from-plants-better-for-environment-ocean-plastic)
(photo credit: Ron Lach, pexels.com)
Newsletter-February 2025
Formulating for Scuff Resistance in Architectural Coatings
Key takeaways from this newsletter:
- Scuff resistance has become table stakes in the architectural coatings industry.
- There are various approaches to achieving scuff resistance in interior architectural coatings.
Scuff resistance in wall paints is a crucial property for high-traffic areas, where walls can be damaged by black heel marks, for example. Paints with scuff resistance can withstand such damage and can be easily cleaned if it occurs. Originally, scuff resistance was only found in 2K (two-part) systems. However, the greater opportunity lies in 1K water-based architectural coatings, and many such offerings are available today.
So how is scuff resistance accomplished? There are many tools available to the formulator. Here are a few from the literature.
- Smooth Surface. One approach is to formulate a paint that dries to a very smooth surface, which resists grabbing particles from scuffing objects. Dulux Trade’s Scuffshield Matt uses this approach to achieve scuff resistance.(1) According to Behr, the use of low profile pigments can lead to a smooth surface that resists scuffing.(2)
- Waxes for Surface Slip. A U.S. Patent describes using a wax seeded latex in combination with a wax in the paint formulation.(3) The wax leads to “slippage” reducing the tendency to scuff. Wax manufacturers tout their ability to impart scuff resistance, and there are numerous wax-based anti-scuff agents on the market.(4,5)
- Silicones for Surface Slip. Silicones are a class of additives that can also impart scuff resistance by improving slip at the coating surface. Evonik has demonstrated that their polyether-modified siloxanes can enhance the scuff resistance of architectural coatings.(6) Momentive offers silicones for scuff resistance, such as their CoatOSil Clean, which achieves scuff resistance in paints by reducing surface friction.(7)
- Resin Choice. As noted in the referenced U.S. Patent above, a wax seeded latex is part of a scuff resistant composition. Another way to improve the scuff properties of architectural coatings is to use binders that incorporate ketone-containing monomers along with a polyhydrazide crosslinker as outlined in an international patent application.(8) In the examples of that patent diacetone acrylamide is used as the ketone functional monomer and adipic acid dihydrazide is employed as the crosslinker. Vista Paint’s Scuff-Tec technology is “a combination of high-performance acrylic urethane cross-polymer technologies” with unique pigments.(9) The acrylic urethane provides “excellent durability.”
These are just a few of the approaches used to achieve scuff resistance, and there are likely more. Scuff resistance has become essential in the architectural coatings industry so if your interior offerings don’t have it, get in the lab and start formulating!
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(1) Dulux Trade Scuffshield Paint Range | Dulux Decorator Centre, Dulux Decorator Centre website. (https://www.duluxdecoratorcentre.co.uk/scuffshield)
(2) Should You Specify a Scuff-Resistant Wall Paint? | JLC Online, “Should You Specify a Scuff-Resistant Wall Paint?” (https://www.jlconline.com/how-to/interiors/should-you-specify-a-scuff-resistant-wall-paint)
(3) Jonathan Dugan et al., “Scuff Resistant and Chip Resistant Compositions.” U.S. Patent 11,230,645 B2, Jan. 25 2022.
(4) Micro Powders Inc. - Product Finder - Architectural Paints and Finishes, Micro Powders Website-Product Finder-Architectural Paints and Finishes. (https://www.micropowders.com/product-finder.html&application=paints-and-coatings&subapplication=architectural-paints-and-finishes)
(5) Paints and Coatings | Additives | Brochure Honeywell Paints and Additives Brochure. (https://prod-edam.honeywell.com/content/dam/honeywell-edam/pmt/oneam/en-us/performance-additives/documents/pmt-am-paints-and-coatings-brochure.pdf)
(6) Siloxane-Surface_JanFeb-2024.pdf Ingrid K.Meier, Kersten M. Forsthoefel, and Tony Hazim, “Advantages of Siloxane in Low VOC Architectural,” Paint.org, January/February 2024.
(7) architectural-paints-brochuree137ff03fa4141fca7864e21fb913fdb.pdf Momentive Brochure, “Paints and Additives For Architectural Coatings.” (https://www.momentive.com/docs/default-source/default-document-library/architectural-paints-brochuree137ff03fa4141fca7864e21fb913fdb.pdf)
(8) Kaliappa Ragunathan, “Mar and Scuff Resistant Architectural Coating,” International Publication Number WO 2024/064148 A1, March 28 2024.
(9) Scuff-Tec Line Vista Paint Website, Scuff-Tec line. (https://www.vistapaint.com/products/scufftec-line)
(photo credit: Photo generated by Microsoft Copilot)
Newsletter-March 2025 The Importance of Mission and Vision Statements
Key takeaways from this newsletter:
- Mission and vision statements are crucial for an organization as they outline its purpose and ultimate aspirational goal.
- The benefits of crafting good mission and vision statements are well worth the effort.
The Importance of Mission and Vision Statements
Mission and Vision Statements are crucial for organizations as they offer numerous benefits, including fostering a shared understanding of a company's purpose and future direction.
What is a Mission Statement?
A good mission statement outlines a company's purpose: what it does, how it does it, and sometimes why. It describes the company's current activities and is often directed towards consumers.
What is a Vision Statement?
A vision statement outlines where a company is headed and its ultimate, often aspirational, goal. It serves as a guide for employees, informing them of the company's direction and including other stakeholders as well.
Example: Amazon
Amazon has exemplary mission and vision statements:
- Mission Statement: "We strive to offer our customers the lowest possible prices, the best available selection, and the utmost convenience."
This mission statement is effective because it clearly defines the company's purpose and is customer-focused, explicitly mentioning "customers." - Vision Statement: "To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online."
This vision statement is goal-oriented and future-focused, aiming to be the most customer-centric company. It is inspirational and informs employees of the company's direction, motivating them to achieve these goals.
Benefits of Mission and Vision Statements:
- Precursors to Strategy Development: Without a clear vision of organizational purpose and ultimate goals, crafting a strategy is challenging.
- Guides for Employees: Employees can assess their work to ensure it aligns with the mission and drives the company towards its vision.
- Attracting Appropriate Talent: Public mission and vision statements help attract suitable talent, ensuring a good fit for the organization.
- Collaboration: A shared vision and mission align employees with objectives, enhance customer understanding, and strengthen connections with suppliers and partners.
- Public Relations: Mission and vision statements help define a company's identity and public image.
Creating effective mission and vision statements requires effort, but the benefits of investing time in crafting them are well worth it.
References:
Vision vs. Mission Statement: What’s the Difference? - 2025 - MasterClass
17 Mission and Vision Statement Examples to Follow in 2024
(photo credit: geralt pixabay.com)
Newsletter-April 2025 Sustainability and Healthy Coatings: Reducing Biocide Use
Key Takeaways from this newsletter:
- The umbrella of sustainability in coatings includes biocide reduction and elimination.
- New raw materials are being introduced that are free of biocides.
- Booster technology can help lower effective biocide levels.
- Innovation in this field will persist, with advancements extending to processing techniques like pasteurization.
When discussing sustainable coatings, many people focus on biorenewable solutions. However, sustainable coatings can also include circularity, durability, and health considerations. One approach to creating healthy coatings is via formulation of antimicrobial coatings that actively kill bacteria and viruses. Examples include Copper Force by Behr, Copper Armor by PPG, and SuperPaint with Sanitizing Technology by Sherwin Williams.
Another way to enhance health-conscious coatings is by eliminating or minimizing components with potential adverse health effects. These materials include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), alkylphenol ethoxylate surfactants (APEs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs), and biocides, such as preservatives and mildewcides.
Biocide-Free Raw Materials
Recent advancements have led to the introduction of biocide-free raw materials, as discussed on the Polaris Chemical Consulting website:
Acrysol RM-735BF Rheology Modifier by Dow.(1) A mid-shear (KU) thickener for architectural coatings, presented at the 2024 American Coatings Show. It also contributes to high-shear (ICI)
viscosity development.
Pearls Solid Colorants by Vibrantz.(2) A volumetrically dispensed solid colorant system introduced at the 2023 European Coatings Show. Since the system is based on solid colorants and contains no water, biocides are unnecessary.
Booster Technology for Biocide Reduction
Boosters enhance the effectiveness of preservatives at lower concentrations. Boosters weaken cell membranes, making them more susceptible to biocides, thus reducing the amount required for efficacy.(3)
Lower biocide levels mitigate toxicity-related health concerns and can help manufacturers avoid hazard labeling. Arxada, a specialty chemicals company, launched Polyboost in February 2025.(4) This multifunctional additive enables formulators to maintain preservation efficacy while working with lower biocide levels, potentially allowing manufacturers to avoid H317 labeling which warns of potential allergic skin reactions. For example, methylisothiazolinone must remain below 15 ppm in the EU to avoid H317 labeling, and Polyboost can help achieve this threshold.
Innovation and Future Developments
Ongoing efforts to lower biocide levels are fueling innovation, particularly in response to heightened regulatory scrutiny. While the above advancements focus on raw materials, processing improvements are also emerging, including a method for paint pasteurization.(5) With sustainability leading the charge, expect continued progress in biocide-free and low-preservative coating technologies in the near future.
#sustainability #biocides #biocidefree #biocidereduction #healthycoatings #booster
(1) ACRYSOL™ RM-735BF Rheology Modifier | Dow Inc.
(2) Pearls - Vibrantz Technologies
(3) Biocides with booster technology | chemipol.com
(5) US10639386B2 - Pasteurizing paints and method for pasteurizing paints - Google Patents
(photo credit: jess loiterton, pexels.com)
Newsletter-May 2025
Automation and the Generation of FAIR Data in the Laboratory
Key Takeaways from this newsletter:
- Automation of laboratories is on the rise.
- Laboratory informatics packages with integrated data centralization and modern analytical tools, such as modeling, benefit most from FAIR data.
- A modern laboratory equipped with automation and a laboratory informatics package which centralizes data and integrates data visualizations and modeling is the most reliable approach for the generation of FAIR data.
The automation of laboratory instruments and workflows is accelerating. In March of this year, Covestro announced plans to launch an automated and nearly autonomous laboratory dedicated to developing binders and crosslinkers for coatings and adhesives.(1) This cutting-edge facility will operate 24/7, conducting tens of thousands of tests annually. The structured data generated will feed into machine learning algorithms, optimizing formulations and guiding experiment selection when formulation objectives remain unmet.
So, how is Covestro accomplishing this? While details remain unclear, one can speculate.
Chemspeed, a company specializing in custom automation platforms for R&D and quality control labs, features Covestro’s announcement on its website, suggesting that it provided the automation hardware.(2) Additionally, Uncountable, a platform for data collection, management, and analysis, including AI-driven model generation, counts Covestro among its customers.(3) Given these connections, it is reasonable to assume that Covestro’s automated laboratory is leveraging Chemspeed and Uncountable technologies, though this remains speculative.
Ultimately, integrating automation with a laboratory informatics package that centralizes data while incorporating visualization and modeling tools is the optimal approach for ensuring FAIR data generation.
What Is FAIR Data and Why Is It Important?
FAIR data adheres to four key principles: Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability.(4)
- Findable: Data is stored in a centralized, easily searchable location rather than hidden in notebooks or local spreadsheets. Sufficient metadata ensures quick retrieval.
- Accessible: Data is retrievable through a defined process, potentially requiring authentication or authorization. Laboratory informatics systems designed for open access mitigate accessibility issues.
- Interoperable: Data is structured for seamless exchange between researchers and applications, facilitating processes such as modeling.
- Reusable: Well-documented and consistently generated data ensuring reproducibility and minimizing variability allows scientists beyond the original creator to leverage findings.
First outlined in a 2016 Scientific Data paper(5), FAIR data principles emerged in response to the growing volume of laboratory data requiring computational analysis. Data formatted according to FAIR principles is readily available for efficient machine processing.
Automation and FAIR Data: A Synergistic Relationship
Laboratory automation has long preceded the FAIR data movement. Traditionally, automation aimed to alleviate labor-intensive and repetitive tasks, reducing costs while improving efficiency, speed, and consistency.
However, as laboratory informatics systems evolve to centralize data and generate predictive models, FAIR data becomes a necessity. Faulty data undermines algorithmic reliability, resulting in inaccurate models. While laboratory informatics systems address Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability, ensuring Reusability remains a scientist-driven challenge. Variability in techniques among researchers can limit data consistency, making automation essential to guaranteeing that formulation and testing procedures remain uniform. In essence, automation ensures the "R" in FAIR is upheld.
Ensuring FAIR Data with Automation
A state-of-the-art laboratory that combines automation with an informatics package supporting centralized data, visualization, and modeling tools is the best route to generating FAIR data. FAIR data, in turn, optimizes visualization and enhances machine learning training datasets, leading to more robust computational models.
#FAIRdata #FAIR #automation #AI #artificialintelligence #machinelearning
(1)Covestro Launches Automated Lab for Coatings & Adhesives
(3)Customer Spotlight: Covestro Uses Uncountable for Optical Fiber Coating Product Development
(5) The FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship - PMC
(photo credit: thisisengineering, pexels.com)
Newsletter-June 2025
Sustainability: A Major Theme at the Eastern Coatings Show
Key takeaways from this newsletter:
- The momentum behind sustainability in the U.S. coatings industry is growing.
- Throughout the conference, numerous solutions outlined below were presented to advance sustainability in coatings, with contributions from both raw material suppliers and software providers.
The 2025 Eastern Coatings Show reinforced the growing momentum behind sustainability in the U.S. coatings industry. Held May 13-15 in Atlantic City, NJ, the event brought together 1,200 attendees and featured over 40 technical presentations, with more than a third dedicated to sustainability advancements.
A key focus was the elimination of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in coatings, a topic that garnered significant discussion. Several presentations explored the replacement of fluorosurfactants with phosphate esters, an approach gaining traction for maintaining block resistance in architectural coatings.(1,2,3) It has been suggested that phosphate esters migrate to the coating-air interface, forming a loose boundary layer that prevents blocking. Other strategies involve designing resin systems that allow coatings to coalesce while achieving a hard surface, minimizing the need for PFAS additives.(4) Additionally, non-fluorinated waxes and their dispersions were highlighted as viable alternatives to fluorinated materials.(5)
Biorenewability was another major theme. Dow presented its biobased resin, with expectations that a North American coating using this material will launch later this year.(6) Covestro showcased partially biobased resins for industrial coatings(7), while polysaccharide-based dispersants were discussed for their ability to effectively disperse titanium dioxide.(8) Presentations also explored natural waxes(9,10) and the development of defoamers free of mineral oils and siloxanes.(11)
Regulatory challenges surrounding biocide use were addressed by Arxada, which proposed two solutions: a multi-functional additive to enhance in-can biocide efficacy, and encapsulated dry-film preservatives that extend durability while reducing environmental toxicity by slowing leaching rates.(12)
Beyond raw materials innovations, software companies are making strides in sustainability as well. Uncountable demonstrated how its AI-powered formulation software enables rapid reformulation in response to shifting environmental regulations.(13) By leveraging structured data and machine learning, organizations can adjust formulations more efficiently to stay ahead of evolving requirements.
Throughout the conference, numerous solutions were presented to advance sustainability in coatings, with contributions from both raw material suppliers and software providers. The industry’s ongoing efforts signal a strong commitment to developing environmentally responsible coatings for the U.S. market.
#sustainable #pfas #fluorosurfactants #biobased #biorenewable #biocide #AI
(1) Xiangtao Meng of Dow, “Phosphate Esters as Alternatives to PFAS Surfactants for Block Resistance.”
(2) Brian Vest of Syensqo, “Sustainable Alternative to PFAS in Waterborne Coatings: a Novel Approach to Early Hot Block Resistance.”
(3) Mashid Niknahad of Byk, “Next-Generation Coatings: PFAS-Free Solutions for Block Resistance in Architectural Coatings.”
(4) Robert Sandoval of EPS, “Formulation Flexibility and Enhanced Performance in Architectural Coatings Without Relying on Fluorinated Additives.”
(5) Kelly Carluccio of Munzing, “Innovative Solutions: Replacing PFAS in Coatings for a Sustainable Future.”
(6) Michelle Gallagher of Dow, “Detailed Assessment of Performance, Bulk Volatile Organic Componds, and Emission Analysis of Acrylic Bio-based Polymers and Paints as Benchmarked Against Fossil Feedstock Based Controls.”
(7) Daniel Wang of Covestro, “Partially Biobased Resins for High Perfomance Coatings: Performance based on Chemistry.”
(8) Bailey Mclean of Integrity Biochem, “Novel Bio-based Polymers Aiding in Pigment Dispersions.”
(9) Bruce Berglund of CHT, “High Performance Sustainable Wax-Based Surface Modifiers.”
(10) Rich Czarnecki of Micropowders, “Enabling Sustainable Coatings With Natural Surface Modifiers.”
(11) Catherine Vitale of Munzing, “Defoamer Evolution Advancing Mineral Oil Free Defoamer.”
(12) Derrick Okull of Arxada, “Novel Innovations to Address Reduced Regulatory Limits in Wet and Dry Film Preservation.”
(13) Joseph Sanz of Uncountable, “How to Formulate Ahead of Environmental and Sustainability Regulations.”
(photo credit: igor omlaev, unsplash.com)
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