Clariant makes the difference with sustainable solutions showcased at ChinaCoat 2010

Muttenz, September 21, 2010 - With the theme “Make the difference - Performance colors and chemicals, the sustainable way”, global specialty chemicals company Clariant will present its products and solutions dedicated to the ecological aspects of the coating industry at ChinaCoat 2010.

By leveraging its R&D expertise to provide solutions tailor-made to end-user markets, Clariant is very successful in closely following its customers’ needs. In addition to the customized products, a host of dedicated value-added services are also available to its customers. Clariant’s customers regularly benefit from its expertise in understanding both global and local coating markets, for example.

Clariant also proactively ensures its products and production lines meet international standards at the forefront of environmental, health and safety performance. For the coating and pigments industry in particular, most of the products from Clariant already fulfill environment-related standards related to APEO-free, low VOC, low odor and low toxicity.

The following innovative products will be highlighted by Clariant during the 3-day show:

BU Pigments

Easily Dispersible (ED) Pigment

Whether solvent or water-borne, for industrial or decorative purposes, Clariant offers paint and coatings manufacturers a unique and easy opportunity to achieve perfect colors and lower manufacturing costs.

In paint manufacturing, one of the most important steps is the dispersion of pigments in the binder system. Clariant’s Easily Dispersible (ED) organic pigments are, as their name suggests, a convenient way to simplify this process and ensure a homogenous distribution of pigment particles. ED Pigments are incorporated into the paint binder system using only a disperser without the need for a separate milling step in the production process. The elimination of the milling step is achieved by including the dispersing additive in the ED pigment during Clariant’s manufacturing process. The reduced dispersing time and removal of the bead mill step creates a faster and more economical production process. This unique surface treatment is not available on normal pigments.

Within the ED pigments series, EDS pigments are compatible with all major solvent based paint systems, such as 2K Polyurethane, air-drying alkyds and thermoplastic acrylics. The new EDU and EDW pigments are now added to the series to be used under solvent to water-based systems and from industrial to decorative applications.

Opaque Organic Pigments (70 series)

Color designers and architects prefer organic pigments for their bright saturated colors. To translate their creative ideas into real color shades, coating technicians and application engineers need to overcome the limited opacity of organic pigments. Decades ago, Clariant developed a method of optimizing the opacity of organic pigments. By adjusting the particle size to the maximum light scattering effect, optimum opacity is achieved without sacrificing saturation and brilliance. Clariant offers the most comprehensive range of opaque organic pigments which can be easily identified by the number “70” in their product name. The “70” series organic pigments are also combined with safe inorganic pigments to substitute Lead-based pigments, which are being used less often for their potential hazards to the environment.

BU Additives

Ceridust®, Licowax® and Licocene®

These are waxes incorporated in paints, coatings and ink to achieve or improve various properties, such as sandability, smoothness, hand feeling anti-scratch and water repellency. Especially the Ceridust grades are micropowders produced by a special process. They can be finely dispersed in paints of different systems esaily and with little mechanical energy. Based on advanced knowledge to metallocene catalysts, we are developing more new grade polymer (Licocene) to achieve better performance for coating industry.

These waxes are virtually insoluble in water. Hence they are attacked only very slowly by microorganisms in water and cause no significant biological oxygen demand. They are eliminated from the effluent as ballast together with the sludge.

Light stabilizers - Hostavin®

Light stabilizers are added to a wide variety of coatings in order to protect them against the photo-degradation induced by the UV radiations. Clariant offers a comprehensive range of light stabilizers for the protection of paints and coatings, covering both solvent- and water-based systems, and fulfilling most of the requirements.

The highly concentrated Hostavin dispersions from Clariant offer highly effective light stabilization of water-based coatings. The series stands out by its ease of incorporation, superior compatibility and handling. The products realize gloss and color stabilization in many different applications, such as topcoats for automotive, industrial coatings, exterior wood finishes, and much more. In addition to the wide range of possible applications, other benefits are an extended shelf life due to an optimized formulation with biocides and humectants, and environmental friendliness and toxicological safety. All of these additive dispersions have a light stabilizer concentration of 52%.

Flame retardants Exolit® for intumescent coating

Intumescent coatings are the ideal way to combine an attractive architectural appearance with fire safety. Clariant has a wealth of experience with raw materials for intumescent coatings and the formulation of both water and solvent-based coatings. With modern non-halogenated environmentally friendly products, Clariant supplies flame retardants with a sure future due to their desired environmental and safety-related benefits.

BU Industrial & Consumer Specialties (ICS)

Wetting and Dispersing Agents for Pigment Preparations and Emulsion Paints

Regulatory constraints, environmental considerations, novel effects and changing customer tastes require constant reformulation. At Clariant, we collaborate with our customers to select the right additives to address economical and ecological concerns boosting the performance of paint, coating or pigment preparations. Under the brand name Emulsogen®, Genapol® & Dispersogen®, Clariant offers a broad range of wetting agents & dispersing agents. The products below will be highlighted in the ChinaCoat exhibition:

• Emulsogen LCN 088: is an APEO-free, low VOC wetting agent with low crystallization point and fast wetting effect. It could be easily used in winter.

• Emulsogen LO 070: is an APEO-free, low VOC wetting agent with low odor and fast wetting effect. It could be used on low odor emulsion paint.

• Dispersogen ECS and AN 100: suitable for universal colorants dispersing agent for both organic and inorganic pigments in universal colorants.

Emulsifiers for emulsion polymerization

Clariant is offering a broad range of surfactants to be used as emulsifiers in the emulsion polymerization process. Products from the Emulsogen and Genapol series allow the control of particle size and particle size distribution, improve electrolyte and freeze-thaw stability and reduce grid formation. The products are APEO-free and low in VOC meeting the current trends and regulations. We can offer a full range of NPEO-replacements.

Nonionic emulsifiers Emulsogen LCN serves as efficient emulsifier in emulsion polymerization. Readily biodegradable and universal in performance, the Emulsogen LCN range offers ideal alternatives to the standard APEOs used in emulsion polymerization.

EO/PO Block Copolymers serve as low foaming emulsifiers in the polymerization of latexes.

Anionic emulsifiers Emulsogen EPA and Emulsogen LA series have a strong influence on the polymerization rate and have a direct impact on particle size, particle size distribution and particle stability.

Due to good stability in polymerization, as APEO-free anionic emulsifier, Emulsogen EPA 073 can be used in producing emulsions with small particle size and higher gloss.

Emulsogen LA 083 is APEO-free, low foaming emulsifier which can provide emulsions excellent mechanical and chemical stability and improve the water resistance of coating.

Local production brings products closer to customers

In a bid to make its products more readily available for the growing domestic markets in China, a plant to produce a wide range of products including co-surfactants was established in 2009 in Zhenjiang. Another plant located at Daya Bay for the production of polyglykols and ethoxylates will go on-stream by mid 2011. These two plants could provide almost all products from the Clariant Business Unit ICS on paints & coatings locally, i.e. biocides, dispersants, wetting agents, dispersants, emulsifiers, defoamers, etc.

BU Emulsions

Mowilith® Emulsions

Clariant´s Mowilith Emulsions are proven choices in paints and coatings. Whether for interior or exterior paints, coatings, wood lacquers, varnishes, or decorative applications, these state-of-the-art products with improved environmental profile are available in the full range. The company’s binder technology and know-how guarantee added value for customers and improved quality in many applications.

For interior paints, for example, new standards are set in solvent- and plasticizer-free formulations, while low VOC is also present in products developed by Clariant. For exterior paints, unique technology is available for acrylic dispersions to improve specific properties like outdoor behavior, water, UV and blocking resistance. Based on Clariant’s know-how on polymerization, copolymers and terpolymers of Vinylacetate VeoVa™ dispersions are made used of to achieve differential properties like alkali, abrasion and UVresistance and improvement of high pigment binding power.

Water based wood coating is also an important application for Mowilith Emulsions. Based on Clariant rich knowledge of core-shell and self crosslink technology, Mowilith Emulsions can offer advantages and durability to our customers’ end products:

• High Tg

• Low MFFT

• Good hardness with elasticity

• Good blocking resistance

• Low solvent demand

Clariant’s global approaches enable the company to constantly provide ideas to its customers for the development of special products, like the ready-to-use range with their high quality effects in decorative paints.

ChinaCoat 2010 will be held from 27-29 September at Guangzhou International Convention & Exhibition Centre in Pazhou. Clariant will be exhibiting at booth 10C15-24 in Hall 10.2.