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PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGY:
Nanotechnology UV-Resistance Additive

Monday, April 12, 2010

The Performance Chemicals business of International Specialty Products Inc. (Wayne, N.J.) introduced SunCare Topcoat, a technology for protecting the integrity of coatings from damage caused by UV radiation.

The technology is based on nanoscale emulsions of UV-protective actives offering broad-spectrum protection (290 to 380 nm) with strong performance in the UVA range, the company says.

The technology is a stabilized combination of UV absorbers and hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS), providing a combined approach to maximize effectiveness. The patent-pending microemulsion technology is said to be the key to most of the product's properties, including a high degree of binder and dry-film protection across a broad spectrum of UV radiation. The product also contains no VOCs and surfactants.

The technology's performance capabilities are reportedly the result of the use of dramatically smaller particle sizes of the UV active, with optimal particle distribution in the emulsion. Applications for SunCare Topcoat include exterior wood stains and varnishes, indoor wood coatings and wood-care products, plasters, plastic and leather-care products, UV-blocking varnishes on printed materials, and adhesives and bonding layers.

The product is an extension of the line of Wood Care Technology launched by ISP in March 2009. The ingredient will be initially sold in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Scott Edris, senior director of global marketing, performance & agricultural chemicals, said the technology is the result of an initiative at ISP to create new technology for manufacturers of wood-care products, and is an example of the company's broadening product portfolio for the coatings industry. The expanded product offerings include biocides, new acrylates chemistry, and technically advanced products such as the UV-resistant technology.

Edris said that while the UV-protective technology is recommended for use in wood coatings and wood-protection products, the company believes the technology will have applications in a range of coatings products.

The company also said that tests conducted on the nanoscale UV-protective products show it works synergistically with lignin stabilizers in the company's Wood Care Technology line. The tests, involving primers and topcoats, showed a high level of performance in the field, the company said.