Coatings

In coatings, resins crosslink to form a cohesive film upon curing or drying. This film acts as a continuous protective barrier on surfaces, contributing to adhesion, chemical resistance, and durability. Resins also dictate the mechanical properties of coatings, such as hardness, flexibility, and toughness, influencing their performance under different stresses and conditions. 

• Acrylic beads to reinforce coatings matrices for enhancing texture, surface smoothness, and durability. These are ideal for high-traffic areas such as floors and automotive finishes.
• Hydrocarbons (C5, C9, WW) are used in coatings as solvents, diluents, or viscosity modifiers for versatility and compatibility with a wide range of resin systems to achieve desired performance characteristics.
• Monomer modified alkyds are reactive intermediates that contribute to enhanced adhesion, flexibility, and durability by reinforcing structural integrity of coatings.
• Specialty alkyd resins offer unique attributes such as exceptional weather-ability, chemical resistance, or low VOC content, catering to the diverse needs of the coatings industry. 

Monomers react during polymerization to form polymer chains that are the backbone structure of coatings. The choice of monomers influences the properties of the resulting polymer, including its chemical resistance, mechanical strength, flexibility, and adhesion.

• Methacrylates provide formulators with exceptional control over polymerization kinetics and mechanical properties, ensuring coatings with superior durability and performance.
• Specialty methacrylates offer unique functionalities such as adhesion promotion, UV resistance, or enhanced flexibility, empowering formulators to create coatings optimized for specialized applications.

In coatings formulations, crosslinkers facilitate the formation of chemical bonds between polymer chains. These bonds link adjacent polymer chains together, creating a network structure that improves the coating's durability and integrity.

• Aliphatic amines are ideal for formulating coatings for demanding applications such as automotive, marine, and industrial coatings where durability and long-term performance are paramount.
• Aliphatic isocyanates serve as essential building block crosslinkers, enhancing durability, adhesion, and chemical resistance in various coating formulations.
• Aromatic isocyanates have compatibility with a wide range of polymeric materials and enable the development of high-performance coatings with superior chemical resistance, weatherability, and mechanical strength.
• Polycarbamides are well-suited for coatings applications requiring enhanced flexibility, impact resistance, and abrasion resistance, ensuring coatings withstand harsh environmental conditions and maintain their integrity over time.

Additives are essential components in coatings formulations, imparting a wide range of functionalities to enhance performance and application properties. See our full list of additives here!

• Defoamers to mitigate and destroy foam.
• Leveling & flow agents to achieve a uniform, even surface.
• Slip agents to reduce surface friction.
• Wetting & dispersing agents to prevent agglomeration and settling of particles.
• Rheological additives to control viscosity, flow behavior, and mechanical response.
• Biological control additives & preservatives to ensure quality and extend shelf life.
• Matting agents to adjust gloss and shine.
• Plasticizers to improve flexibility, workability, and durability.
• Flash rust inhibitors to inhibit corrosion.
• Catalysts to accelerate reactions.
• Specialty additives to address specific challenges or enhance particular characteristics.

Performance minerals are versatile additives in coating formulations, providing tailored solutions to meet specific performance requirements such as durability, aesthetics, and environmental protection.

• Attapulgite clays for thixotropic and rheological control to improve sag resistance and anti-settling properties in coatings, ensuring ease of application and enhanced film build.
• Calcium carbonate is a cost-effective extender and functional filler to enhance coating opacity, rheology, and mechanical properties, improving performance and reducing formulation costs.
• Diatomaceous earth (DE) provides matting, anti-settling properties, and sag resistance, ensuring smooth application and consistent film build.
• Feldspar imparts hardness, durability, and chemical resistance, for long-lasting protection and aesthetic appeal.
• Fumed silica (hydrophobic and hydrophilic) offers thixotropic control and reinforcement to improve viscosity, sag resistance, and mechanical properties in coatings.
• Hollow ceramic microspheres (E-SPHERES^®) enhance coating durability and energy efficiency with their light weight and thermal insulation.
• Kaolin clays offer opacity, brightness, and abrasion resistance for coatings aesthetics and durability.
• Perlite enhance coating durability and energy efficiency with their light weight and thermal insulation.
• Precipitated silica for reinforcement and rheological control to improve coating strength, viscosity, and sag resistance.
• Talcs provide reinforcement, matting, and abrasion resistance for coating durability, surface smoothness, and scratch resistance.