BASF Researchers Receive 2010 American Coatings Award
Paper on anticorrosive coatings cited as 'most outstanding' at American Coatings Show
CHARLOTTE, NC, April 12, 2010 -- A team of BASF researchers today received the 2010 American Coatings Award for the most outstanding technical presentation at the American Coatings Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The American Coatings Association and Vincentz Network - sponsors of the American Conference - presented the award to Oihana Elizalde, Stephan Amthor and Collin Moore of BASF for their paper titled, "Closing the Gap Between Water and Solvent-borne Anti-corrosion Coatings via New Binder Concepts."
A copy of the award-winning presentation and a brief video on the topic are available at http://www.basf.us/ACS2010
The winning entry was chosen from a pool of 90 technical papers submitted by coatings formulators and researchers around the world for consideration in this year's conference.
"This award highlights two areas of focus for BASF that demonstrate our ability to support customers in the coatings industry," said Uwe Liebelt, Group Vice President, Dispersions & Pigments, for BASF in North America.
"First, that BASF can deliver sustainable, eco-efficient solutions that meet or exceed performance requirements. Second, that we offer a depth and breadth of technological knowledge to support the needs of our customers."
Elizalde and Amthor, who work in Ludwigshafen, Germany, and Moore, who is located in Wyandotte, Michigan, leveraged the strengths of BASF's global research organization to examine different technologies that can be used to design acrylic binders for anticorrosive metal coatings with improved barrier properties, low water uptake, and improved anti-corrosion properties.
"Since the invention of emulsion polymerization, water-borne materials have been developed in coatings for the purpose of replacing solvent-borne systems in the market and reducing our impact on the environment. Nothing is greener than water," said Elizalde, who will present the paper during the Protective Coatings II session on April 13 at 2 p.m.
"But after 40 years of intense effort, there is still a performance gap between water-borne and solvent technologies, despite varying monomer composition, surfactant and feed methods," Elizalde added. "Water-based anticorrosion resins have gone through many stages of evolution, and despite steady progress, there is still need for improvements."
Recent innovations in polymer colloids and hybrid materials offer opportunities to develop new coatings for metal protection. Among the different methodologies explored in the BASF paper are designed particle morphology, engineering of the water phase composition, and the use of hybrid binders.
The BASF researchers also examined a new technology that utilizes a built-in, enhanced corrosion protection mechanism resulting in outstanding performance in salt-spray and early-rain resistance.
As a result of this research, new products are already being introduced to the coatings market, including:
Acronal® PRO 761 styrene/acrylic emulsion, an alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEO)-free product for metal primers, and, Joncryl® 1522 acrylic emulsion, which is being used in the construction industry in the United States this year.
In addition to Elizalde, Amthor, and Moore, BASF will present the following papers during the pre-conference tutorial sessions, as well as at the main technical presentations:
Tim December, Technical Group Leader, Automotive Coatings - "Waterborne High Performance Coatings," on April 12 at 10:30 a.m. Sarav Jhaveri, Research Chemist, Polymer Research Group - "Superior Chemical and Blush Resistance Properties via Selective Coalescence," during the Novel Materials session on April 13 at 2 p.m. Sunitha Grandhee, Technical Group Leader, Resins - "Low VOC 2K Systems Using Novel Hydrophobic Polyols," during the Polyurethanes session on April 14 at 9 a.m.
Ken Perry, Technical Director, Automotive Coatings, for BASF in North America will deliver the keynote presentation at ACS 2010 titled, "Sustaining Innovation and the Environment in Difficult Times," on April 12 at 1 p.m. In addition, Perry will discuss "BASF Coatings: Innovation Strategy and Bio-based Raw Materials" during an ACS breakfast held at the Westin Hotel - Charlotte, on April 14 at 8 a.m.
BASF's booth 2827 will highlight "Chemistry for Sustainable Performance," a theme that recognizes that sustainability means more to its customers in the coatings industry than so-called "green" products. BASF will conduct a survey on sustainability, covering topics that range from products to business issues.
BASF will also exhibit technologies that help formulators achieve requirements for performance while addressing needs for: zero- and low-volatile organic compound (VOC) formulations, APEO-free or formaldehyde-free materials, low energy curing, replacement of heavy metal pigments, and, latex with minimal environmental impact.
BASF is also sponsoring a private customer event at the Charlotte Motor Speedway on Wednesday, April 14, that will include a ride-along in a NASCAR Sprint Cup-style stock car and the opportunity to meet NASCAR celebrities.
BASF offers the coatings industry a broad portfolio of resins, binders, latex, pigments and effect pigments, colorants, specialty additives and minerals, and systems to meet specific applications and customer needs.
Additionally, in close cooperation with customers, BASF develops intermediates that are specifically adapted to the needs of the coatings industry. BASF is also a global leader in acetylene chemistry and the development and production of functional vinyl monomers.
Additional information regarding BASF's participation in the American Coatings Conference and Show is available at http://www.basf.us/ACS2010.
BASF - The Chemical Company.
BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 16,000 employees in North America, and had sales of $13 billion in 2009. For more information about BASF's North American operations, or to sign up to receive news releases by e-mail, visit www.basf.com/usa.
BASF is the world's leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals and oil and gas. As a reliable partner, BASF creates chemistry to help its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges, such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of more than 50 billion in 2009 and had approximately 105,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.
