See the below 2024 Agenda (2025 Agenda coming in May)

Surfactants and Rheology: Chemistry, Theory, Mechanism and Application

This short course initially reviews the various types and chemical structures of commercially available surfactants. We then dive into an understanding of the role of inter-atomic and inter-molecular attractive forces as it relates to surface tension. The course progresses to a better understanding of various surface activities including surface area, surface tension, surface pressure, wetting, surface transport, and micelle formation. We will explore the world of foam with respect to how surface-active agents stabilize and de-stabilize bubbles at the surface or as entrained air. Finally, a review of surfactants as an aid to the dispersion process and the measurements of surface tension in both static and dynamic conditions.

The second part reviews the basic principles of rheology, including its definition and its influencers  chemical structure, morphology, and environmental conditions. The impact by various deformation forces, including compression, tension, torque, and, particularly, shear will be reviewed to demonstrate the resulting flow profiles of viscosity as a function of shear and time. The chemistry and ancestry of current rheological agents will help clarify the appropriate selection of products for various formulation types including waterborne, solventborne, aliphatic, aromatic, and polar systems.

While targeted to formulating chemists, this course is also well suited for marketing, sales, and production personnel. Managers and supervisors would also benefit by having a better understanding, and appreciation, of the important role surfactants and rheology play to the production, storage, transport, and application of quality paints and coatings.

Instructor

Sam Morell
President
samMorell.com

Sam Morell is a Chemical Engineering graduate of New York University. With over 50 years in the Chemicals industry, his experience includes both technical and marketing positions at Rohm and Haas, BASF, and Air Products and Chemicals. Mr. Morell has authored numerous technical articles on additives, pigments, and resins in various publications including PCI Magazine, Modern Paint and Coatings, The American Ink Maker, and Adhesives Age. He has been invited by various domestic and international industry symposiums, as well as Fortune 500 companies, to present both technical papers and educational courses. These include The American Coatings Show, The Waterborne Symposium, The European Coatings Show, and Coatings Trends and Technologies.

Powder Coating Fundamentals

This abbreviated version of the popular “PC Kitchen” course will introduce new formulators, chemists, and customer-facing personnel to the basics of powder coating. The presenters will discuss how powder coatings are formulated (resin/crosslinker selection, pigments, and additives), important processing details (premixing, extrusion, grinding, and particle classification), and laboratory test methods that are commonly used to evaluate powder coatings for performance. Participants will also be given a brief overview of where powder coatings are used, as well as their benefits and drawbacks compared to liquid coating technologies.

Instructors

Eric Casebolt
Vice President
The ChemQuest Group, Inc.

An accomplished leader with a proven track record of providing viable and actional solutions to organizational goals, Eric Casebolt started his career formulating powder coatings in support of resin development at Johnson Polymer. He later held numerous roles of increasing responsibility with BASF and Eastman Chemical Co., most recently serving as strategy manager at Eastman. Eric has worked to develop and market many resin technologies and formulation additives for use in coatings, packaging, and construction applications. He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Wisconsin Parkside, a master’s degree in chemistry from DePaul University, and an MBA from Wake Forest University.

Nathan Biller

Vice President
ChemQuest Powder Coating Research

Nathan Biller began his career in the powder coating industry in 2001 with Jamestown Powder Coatings, joining Powder Coating Research Group in 2011 (PCR was acquired by ChemQuest in 2021). He soon emerged as the team’s lead formulator, tackling complex formulation challenges in numerous industries, including transportation, medical instruments, aerospace, injection-molded automotive trim parts, and architectural. As a member of the CQPCR leadership team, Nathan assists clients in navigating strategic and business challenges. In addition, his technical skills continue to lead to numerous technology development advancements.

Rheological Additives in Latex Paint Formulations: How to Select Them and Adjust Viscosity to Obtain the Best Workability and Stability

A practical guide to rheological additives in latex paints, including cellulose ethers, clays, HEUR, and HASE/ASE thickeners. Step-by-step discussion of the selection of rheological additives based on research procedures, taking into account obtaining initial viscosity, and stabilizing viscosity over time, including storage stability, tintability as tint viscosity stability, as well as viscosity in the entire area of shear forces (Brookfield, Stormer, ICI-CAP), with attention to secondary rheological properties such as brush/roller drag, spattering, sagging, leveling.

Instructor

Artur Palasz, Ph.D.
Technical Director
Spektrochem Technical Center of Raw Materials for Architectural Paints

Artur Palasz is a chemist specializing in architectural coatings, their formulating and testing. He is the R&D Director in the Spektrochem Technical Center and cooperates with leading manufacturers of raw materials for paints in the field of developing starting point formulations, investigating the effectiveness of raw materials, and testing of paint and coatings. He is the author of numerous technical articles in global coatings journals, as well as a speaker at many coatings conferences in the United States and Europe. He is passionate about traveling and the creator of electronic music.

Resolving Resin and Coating Defects

This course will cover coatings resins; resin chemistries and selection; different curing mechanisms [including oxidative cure, two-component, energy cure (UV and baking) and coalescence]; and common coatings defects (what they are, what causes them and how to cure them). The course is intended for beginner to intermediate chemists.

Instructor

Michael Praw
Senior Applications Scientist – Paints, Coatings and Inks
Indorama Ventures

Born and raised in Montreal, Mike now lives in the Houston area. He has 35 years of coatings formulation experience, 18 years with coatings companies and 17 years with raw material suppliers. He is currently Senior Applications Scientist – Paints, Coatings and Inks, for Indorama Ventures: Integrated Oxides and Derivatives. He has degrees in Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, as well as a MBA. Mike is the Past President for The Detroit Society for Coatings Technology and The Piedmont Society for Coatings Technology, and served on the board of the Chicago Society for Coatings Technology. Mike is a Canadian Armed Forces veteran, having served 15 years in the Canadian Infantry.

Water-Based Polyester Polyol Dispersion for VOC-Compliant, Ambient-Cure Polyurethane Floor Coatings

This study aimed to broaden our understanding of our new water-based polyester polyol dispersion for VOC-compliant, two-component (2K) waterborne (WB) ambient-cure polyurethane coatings, responding to the dynamic demands of the floor coating industry. We examined new exterior starting point formulations, emphasizing the inclusion of light stabilizer additives to enhance durability in UV and weatherability testing. Our research ventured into assessing these coatings' efficacy on bare concrete and over epoxy primers, including evaluations for hot tire pickup and resistance to hydrocarbons such as Skydrol and motor oil.

The investigation extended to experimenting with different isocyanate types, varied A:B ratios, catalysts, and additional additives to fine-tune performance attributes, pot life, and drying times. We also focused on optimizing the surface quality of the coatings by achieving improved leveling to eliminate occurrence of crater and foam defects. Additionally, this work allowed for exploring dry film thickness (DFT) limitations, multicoat layering, and recoatability aspects.

To highlight our competitive advantages, we set new benchmarks by comparing our formulations against leading industry standards, including 2K polyurethane dispersions (PUDs), various polyaspartic coatings, and other high-performance floor coatings. Finally, we showcased the practical application of WB 2K PU coatings derived from our novel polyester dispersion in real-world scenarios. These included applying clear, matte, and pigmented paint to a range of floor types: a previously coated garage floor, a stained interior wood floor, and a direct-to-concrete plant floor. In so doing, we demonstrated the coatings’ ease of application, versatility, and performance in situ.

Speaker

Zore Ashish
Research and Development Chemist
COIM

I am currently working as Research and Development Chemist in Polyester lab at COIM. I got my PhD in chemistry from Missouri University of Science and Technology. My PhD research was in colloidal unimolecular polymer. I have a prior experience of two years in Coatings at Pidilite industries Ltd., Mumbai.

Ceramic Microspheres for Epoxy Formulations with Improved Flow and Abrasion Resistance

will discuss the use of solid ceramic microspheres in 2K epoxy formulations. Because of their almost spherical shape and good packing, the microsphere fillers included in the study improved flow of the epoxy system, which make it adequate for flooring applications. Consequently, these functional fillers allow for the development of lower-cost formulations still with good appearance. Conversely, higher filler levels can be used, resulting in still lower cost per volume, while keeping current performance characteristics. In addition, tests have shown that the solid aluminosilicate microspheres help improve the abrasion resistance of these formulations, compared to other fillers.

Speaker

Thorsten Heyden
Head of Industrial and Inside Sales
LEHVOSS North America

Thorsten has 15 years of experience in R&D for marine and heavy corrosion protection coatings at market-leading manufacturers. Since 2019, he has been the Head of Industrial and Inside Sales for the LEHVOSS Group Coating Solutions BU. Thanks to his experience in coatings and other industrial segments, he is always motivated to support customers in their technical and commercial developments.

AI - Where It Can (and Can't) Give You a Competitive Edge in R&D

We are in the middle of an AI boom, with new advances constantly being made in the field. But how can R&D teams take advantages of these developments? In this talk, learn where AI can make a difference today, where it might not be ready, and how you can best prepare your organization to utilize AI over the coming decade.

Speaker

Noel Hollingsworth
CEO & Co-Founder, Uncountable
Uncountable

Noel Hollingsworth is the co-founder and CEO of Uncountable. Noel works closely with Uncountable's customers to implement next-generation data management systems. Before his work at Uncountable, Noel led startup data teams and was awarded Forbes 30 under 30 for his work with machine learning and artificial intelligence. Noel's impressive engineering and data analysis expertise has enabled the company to create a robust platform that allows businesses to gain valuable insights, optimize their operations, and enhance their business strategies.

New surface appearance measurements to match consumer perception

For many decades, the visual perception of surfaces has been an important research topic. Newest studies found that the human vision system subconsciously considers multiple visual cues when judging or comparing surfaces. This company’s technology adopts a similar approach – capturing multiple surface images that represent the optical characteristics of the surface modified for different viewing conditions. Internal software uses state-of-the-art perception algorithms to calculate parameters that predict the human visual response to important surface characteristics. NEW measurement parameters to determine the perfect surface finish, exactly as your eye sees it.

Speaker

Tony Burrows
Managing Director
Rhopoint Holdings

Since 2015, Burrows has distinguished himself as the Managing Director of Rhopoint Instruments, guiding the company through a remarkable era of growth and innovation. His journey at Rhopoint spans over two decades, during which his visionary leadership in technology and innovation has been pivotal. Before ascending to these leadership heights, Burrows honed his expertise in coatings formulations, a skill cultivated during his tenure with a premier UK ink manufacturer. His career is a testament to a relentless pursuit of excellence in achieving the ultimate painted surface finish. This ambition has not only fuelled Burrows' professional journey but has also been the catalyst for the groundbreaking technological advancements that define the company today.

The Green Monster: Baseball Lessons in Carbon Economics and High-Speed Powder Coil Coating

In the face of global decarbonization efforts, industries are urgently seeking innovative solutions to achieve net-zero carbon goals while maintaining product quality and performance. This challenge is especially prominent in the manufacturing sector, particularly in the use of materials like steel and aluminum, which are essential in various consumer products. This presentation will describe a technology that uses advanced powder coatings in a continuous, high-speed process, enhancing the performance, durability, and corrosion resistance of coated materials.

Speaker

Robert McShane
President & CEO
PowderCoil Technologies, LLC

Bob McShane is the President and CEO of PowderCoil Technologies. He is a veteran of the steel/aluminum industries, having worked in the coil coating industry and metals markets for 40 years. He holds a BS in Chemistry, and an MBA.

Deploying AI and DOE in Real-Time at the Bench

AI and AI-driven DOE are finally being used in real-time at the bench by chemists and materials scientists, creating a dramatic leap forward from a productivity perspective. In this presentation you will be able to see and hear how you can:

• Explore your problem space holistically, while still creating the most efficient test plans possible.
• Leverage formulation recommendations with high predictive accuracy of technical and functional performance targets.
• Do all this without a statistics or data science degree. Once deployed, the business benefits of AI are tremendous. It is reducing product development timelines, increasing market responsiveness, and accelerating time to revenue. The presentation will conclude with two case studies, so you can see examples of actual problems and how they were addressed.

Speaker

Sasha Novakovich
Co-Founder & CEO
Alchemy

Sasha Novakovich is the Co-Founder & CEO of Alchemy, an enterprise software company serving industries where chemistry is at the core of product development. Alchemy digitalizes lab processes and deploys AI across the product lifecycle to speed time to revenue on new product development and improve customer responsiveness. Sasha is a veteran tech industry founder and investor. She started her first tech company in 1999, began investing in startups in 2007, and founded Alchemy in 2017. Sasha holds an undergraduate degree from University of California, Berkeley and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Optimizing the Air-Liquid Interface of Waterborne Coatings

Interfacial interactions between air and coatings formulations can create manufacturing challenges and compromise the performance of the coating through surface defects. Interactions with the air can lead to the formation of flaws in the surface such as poor wetting, cracking, bubbles, craters, orange peel, fish eyes, blistering, voids, pinholes, or uneven coating layers. These defects reduce the quality of the coating application, cosmetically or more substantially, and can negatively impact the overall performance of the coating. This presentation will discuss air entrapment and its stabilization within coatings due to unfavorable air/liquid interactions during production and application.

Defoamers are essential tools in addressing foam-related issues at the air/liquid interface in coating formulations. Defoaming additives used to correct these issues by breaking down or preventing the formation of bubbles will be examined, along with potential repercussions of under or overuse. Achieving the right balance is crucial to maintaining the desired coating properties without introducing unintended side effects. Guidelines for selecting the appropriate chemistry, dosage, and point of addition will be reviewed with the goal of creating ideal defoaming for production, storage, application, and film formation without creating surface defects. Finally, current compliance challenges for defoamers in different coating markets will be discussed along with green formulation strategies and additives that meet these challenges, some with substantial bio-based renewable content or other sustainability benefits.

Speaker

Catherine Vitale
PCA Applications Manager
MÜNZING

Catherine Vitale is the PCA Applications Manager at MÜNZING North America, where her team focuses primarily on additives for coatings, inks, and adhesives. She began her career over 25 years ago in the inks and coatings industry, starting in the laboratory and holding successive positions of R&D Chemist, Product Service Manager, and Technical Manager before joining MÜNZING in 2021. Catherine has extensive experience in new product development, applications troubleshooting, and manufacturing support, and enjoys helping customers identify the best solutions for their needs.

Rapid Reformulation of APEO Containing Surfactants Using AI-Guided Techniques

To meet ever-shifting market, customer, and supply demands, leaders in the coatings industry have adopted artificial intelligence to accelerate formulations development. Historically, intuition-based knowledge has been a key element of R&D in new coatings development. Through AI-driven development, historical data alongside expert domain knowledge is captured, preserved, and deployed in the service of accelerated new product development.

In this presentation, we discuss the core concepts enabling the successful deployment of AI to coatings problems. We provide an example of the application to address a common coatings reformulation problem: removing harmful materials. In this case, removing outdated surfactants to achieve regulatory compliance while maintaining product performance in solution and on application.

Speaker

Tyler Bell
Account Executive
Citrine Informatics

Tyler Bell is an account executive with Citrine Informatics with an extensive background in paint and coatings. Tyler earned a BS/MS in Chemistry and Polymer Chemistry from California Polytechnic State University,San Luis Obispo and started as a bench chemist for Valspar Paint Company developing new architectural resin systems. He joined Citrine Informatics with the vision of helping companies change the way they develop products by using AI/ML guided experimentation.

Who Needs Liquid Paint? Re-Inventing Surface Protection

There is growing concern in some companies about the high cost of maintaining the paint spray booth lines that are an integral part of their operations. Not only do spray booths consume lots of energy, but they must comply with strict environmental regulations for ventilation and worker exposure to harmful fumes and materials. As paint film technology has improved in performance and sustainability has become more of a focus in manufacturing operations, performance films are beginning to present a viable alternative to liquid paint. In this talk, we will discuss the evolution of paint film technology, the emerging trend of replacing films for liquid paint, and the potential impact on the coatings industry.

Speaker

Victoria Scarborough
Vice President, Collaborative Innovations
ChemQuest Group

Victoria Scarborough, Ph.D., specializes in the commercialization of in-demand new technology that leverages open innovation. Over the course of her career, she has advanced technology in the public and private sectors, ranging from the U.S. Department of Defense and federal laboratories, universities, and multinational corporations to individual inventors and startups, often by creating and managing complex R&D and commercialization activities with multi-million-dollar budgets. She draws on this experience to serve as ChemQuest’s vice president of Collaborative Innovation, a position she has held since 2020.

Victoria holds numerous U.S. and international industry patents on breakthrough technologies and is a frequent contributor to professional society conferences and publications. In addition, she frequently participates as a National Science Foundation (NSF) Panel reviewer for funding research grants and has participated as a mentor in several national-level NSF I-Corps program cohorts.

Victoria earned a BS degree in biology from the University of Mary Washington and received her doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. She pursued an MBA from Christian Brothers University and later participated in the Sherwin-Williams’ Leadership Excellence Program at Case Western Reserve University. She also completed the Licensing Executives Society’s Best Practices in Licensing: Developing, Negotiating & Executing Transactions program."

The Dirt Pick-Up Resistance Battle

The exterior appearance of residential and commercial buildings has great importance to owners and property managers in influencing first impressions. However, airborne contaminants from pollution, and vehicle emissions that dirty the exterior are especially problematic in industrial and densely populated areas.

Dirt pick-up resistance (DPUR) is the ability of a coating to resist discoloration due to the deposition of particles from the environment. Companies dedicate a great deal of resources developing accelerated tests that simulate the real world, sometimes using blends of dirt and ash that are found in areas where the coating will be applied. Polymers that exhibit excellent dirt pick-up resistance, while maintaining other properties that are important for exterior coatings, such as flexibility and adhesion are in demand.

In this presentation we will discuss the testing and results of a polymer for exterior coatings with excellent performance.

Speaker

Terri John
Technical Service Manager
Synthomer

Terri John is a Technical Service Manager and Senior Scientist in the Coatings Group at Synthomer. Terri holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from The University of Akron. She has over 20 years of experience formulating water-based and solvent-based specialty coatings for the architectural and industrial coatings market. In addition, she is actively involved in the development of innovative latexes for direct-to-metal coatings, clear sealers, and roof coatings. She also works closely with customers to develop and support new and existing business with polymers from Synthomer.

Measuring the Mass and Diameter of Pigment Particles - Towards a Universal Size Standard

The size of a pigment particle is a relevant parameter for the producers, consumers, and regulators. The broad range of particle shapes and optical properties poses a challenge for most particle sizing techniques. Ultimately, only electron microscopy imaging can detect any pigment material, but its application is limited by its high cost, low throughput and only provides a 2D-image.

A newly developed measurement instrument allows us to detect number-weighted distributions of the particle mass and diameter in less than 15 minutes. The particle mass is a fundamental and intrinsic property of a particle and, therefore, doesn’t require the assumption of spherical particle shape. The measurement concept does not rely on optical particle detection and is independent of material refractive indices. This makes the particle mass ideal to become a standard reference for the size of a particle. In combination with a diameter determination, the new instrument gives insights into the effective particle packing density and other structural parameters. For example, a typical iron red pigment has a median mass of 31 fg (10^-15 g) and a diameter of 274 nm. The resulting particle density of 2.9 g/cc indicates that the material consists of aggregated particles with a significant pore volume and not densely packed spherical particles (cf. true material density of Iron(III)-oxide is 5.2 g/cc).

From a number-weighted mass distribution, the total number of particles per gram ( e.g. 10^13 particles/gram) can be obtained. By simultaneously detecting the particle diameter, the nanoparticle content cannot only be expressed by a number-percentage but also by its absolute content (10^12 nanoparticles/gram versus 10% by number).

We deployed this analytical technique to investigate the mechanical stability of coated titanium dioxides. With increasing dispersion intensity, an increasing amount of the coating material is sheared off from the core particle. Firstly, this reduces the pigment performance in its final application and secondly, a majority of the released particles are nanoparticles. Total amounts of more than 1013 nanoparticles per gram were recorded. Similar observations were made for other coated pigments as well.

In coordination with the conference organizers, we will present data for titanium dioxide or colour pigments. Further we focus on the instrument as a potential size standard and/or on the regulatory implications of the release of nanoparticles.

Speaker

Franz Friebel, CEO, femtoG

Franz holds a Ph.D. in aerosol science from ETH Zurich. During several years of analyzing airborne nanoparticles in the laboratory, he developed an analysis concept to measure the mass, size, and structure of particles. As a co-founder and CEO of femtoG, a Swiss start-up, he set out to revolutionize the analysis of white and color pigments.

Bio-Hybrid Epoxy Diluent - Alternative to Nonylphenol

Nonylphenol is under increased environmental regulation due to its hazardous nature as a toxic endocrine disruptor and its persistence in aquatic environments. Specifically, nonylphenol has recently been subject to increased EPA regulations in the United States, and has been banned in the European Union, Canada, and various other countries. This study introduces the development of a new bio-hybrid resin that functionally replaces nonylphenol in 2K epoxy systems as an accelerator, plasticizer, and viscosity reducer. This bio-hybrid resin reduces both the gel time and the dry through time of epoxy by 25%. Testing was conducted on finished epoxy coatings formulated with this novel resin to assess the resin’s effect on flexibility, hardness, adhesion, impact resistance, and chemical resistance. This non-toxic epoxy additive is a light color, low-VOC alternative to circumvent current and future nonylphenol regulatory challenges in the coatings industry.

Speaker

Isabella Weinland
Synthesis Chemist
Neville Chemical Company

Isabella Weinland is a Synthesis Chemist at Neville Chemical Company, leading the Coatings platform in developing new resin technologies for protective and marine, alkyd-based, and concrete cure coatings. Her current focus at Neville is producing a new line of bio-hybrid resins for epoxy systems. Prior to joining Neville, Isabella worked as a research scientist in polymer formulation, product development, and defense technologies. She has dual bachelor degrees in Chemistry and Applied Mathematics from Geneva College.

Sustainability Trends in Epoxy Systems for Coatings

The first lab experiment to react epichlorohydrin (ECH) with Bisphenol-A (BPA) is recorded in Dr. Sylvan Greenlee’s laboratory notebook dated Dec. 12, 1942. Fast-forward more than 80 years and we find that epoxy systems (resins + curing agents) have become a preferred thermosetting technology for coatings that protect planes, bridges, automobiles, and even wind generation farms. Recognizing the need to address global climate change, raw material suppliers are developing new products and processes for epoxy systems. This presentation will describe several active developments that will enhance the overall sustainability of epoxy resin systems.

Speaker

Daniel (Dan) Weinmann
Market Development & Technical Services Manager
Westlake Epoxy Inc.

Dan Weinmann earned his B. S. in Chemistry from the University of Oklahoma and his Ph.D. from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. Since joining the epoxy resins business, Dr. Weinmann has worked in a variety of technical and market development roles with focus on support to the coatings, construction, and adhesives industry. Dan’s current role is the Americas market development and technical services manager for Westlake Epoxy. Dan Weinmann is the coauthor of two U.S. patents. He has published numerous technical articles and has presented papers on high solids, solvent-free and waterborne epoxy technology to industry groups around the world.

A Bespoke, Non-Additive Approach to Anti-Microbial Coatings

Anti-microbials were brought to the forefront of the paint and coatings industry during the global pandemic, with several new products brought to market. The pandemic increased our awareness of the danger of the pathogens around us, but even now that the world is recovering, a demand and a need for anti-microbial materials remains. For example, it is critical to reduce the risk of disease transmission in high-risk areas like healthcare and food-processing facilities.

However, innovation in the world of anti-microbials is slow. Traditional anti-microbials are additives  coating manufacturers purchase the additive and mix it into their product, and the anti-microbial activity results from the controlled release of the ingredient from the coating. While this has the advantage of simplicity, increasing regulatory demands and the trend towards sustainability are making the application of these additives less and less acceptable.

We present a bespoke, non-additive approach to anti-microbials, utilizing well-known anti-microbial metals but in a unique composite system. The active ingredient is synthesized within the resin, resulting in the formation of a chemical bond between the polymer and the metal. This produces an anti-microbial polymer that is completely non-leaching, which means it is long-lasting, sustainable, and safe.

This process can be applied to a range of different polymer types including polyurethanes, acrylates, and epoxies, which means that bespoke anti-microbial solutions can be produced for a variety of coating systems. In addition to the longevity and sustainability advantages of the technology, creating a bespoke anti-microbial coating system removes issues with compatibility, it can be seamlessly integrated into existing manufacturing processes, and it has significant cost savings compared to traditional anti-microbial additives.

Speaker

Emma Wrigglesworth
Technical Lead
Inhibit Coatings

Emma Wrigglesworth is the Technical Lead at Inhibit Coatings, based in Wellington, New Zealand. Her background is in nanoparticle and nanocomposite design and synthesis, having completed her Ph.D. at the Victoria University of Wellington focused on nanocomposites with unique optical properties. She now manages the technical team at Inhibit Coatings and oversees R&D, technical support, and innovation.

Plant-Based, Sustainable Propanediol as a Monomer Component in a Hybrid Powder Coating Applications

A hybrid epoxy polyester formulation for indoor white glossy powder coating used typically for appliances and white goods was chosen to evaluate. Two carboxy functional saturated polyesters were synthesized, a standard carboxy functional saturated polyester containing both ethylene glycol (EG) and 1,6-Hexanediol (1,6-HDO) and a polyester that replaced both polyols (EG and 1,6-HDO) with bio-based1,3-propanediol. The carboxy functional saturated polyesters with a type 3 epoxy resin in a hybrid powder coat for interior application. Properties of the two systems were compared.

The replacement of EG and 1,6-HDO with 1,3-propanediol (PDO) simplified the polyester synthesis, removed a toxic substance (EG), replaced a solid material (1,6-HDO) with a liquid (PDO) resulting in carboxy polyester system with 13% bio-content without significantly changing the raw material cost. The experimental white glossy powder coating showed excellent mechanical properties and had very similar properties to the standard hybrid powder coating containing both EG and 1,6-HDO with one exception. There a a visible improvement in the dark yellowing of the PDO-based system.

This project illustrated that the replacement of petroleum-based polyols with a renewable polyol is possible without impacting the performance of a white glossy hybrid powder coating while making the formulation easier to synthesize and more environmentally appealing.

Speaker

Sean Gahan
Global Technical Service Manager
Primient Covation (TM) LLC

Sean is a Global Technical Service Manager for Primient Covation™ LLC (formerly DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products) since 2018. Sean previously worked in the coatings industry focusing on water-based wood coatings & sealants and printing inks. Sean is a graduate of Clemson University holding a Master of Science degree in Chemistry. Sean has global responsibility for customer technical support, new business development, and end-use applications related to the Bio-PDO™ product for both consumer and industrial market segments.

Biodegradable Chitin Nanowhisker: Sustainable Reinforcing Nanofiller and Additive for the Epoxy and Coatings Industry

Molecular dynamics is a better way to control the flow properties of any material, both at the molecular and nano levels, specifically if the source is bio-based. Nano-sized fillers are recognized as significant and promising additives for enhancing the physical and mechanical properties of any polymer matrix. Organic-based nano-sized fillers are a burgeoning field of research and a rapidly expanding technology sector in a wide variety of application domains. Transitioning from micro- to nano-fillers leads to superior reinforcement in nanocomposites, requiring significantly less filler material compared to their conventionally sized counterparts. Among all these organic nanofillers, chitin gained much attention due to high abundance, complete biodegradation, non-toxic behavior, and adequate intrinsic mechanical properties compared to other filler systems. With controlled synthetic approach, we were able to separate the intrinsic crystalline domains into higher and lower grade qualitatively, exhibiting different properties. Our initial studies were focused on exploring the potential of high crystalline structure, referred as chitin nanowhiskers (CNWs) to improve the thermal and mechanical properties of various grades of epoxy resin.

Our studies demonstrated the promise of CNWs as a sustainable and effective reinforcement for epoxy, highlighting their potential for various applications requiring enhanced material properties. Undergoing collaborative and inhouse research offered better insight towards the CNW optimizing dispersion techniques and the impact of functionalized CNWs on the nanocomposite's performance.

Speaker

Aaron (Qi) Guan
Founder and CEO
Neptune Nanotechnologies

Mr. Guan is recognized as one of the most innovative young serial entrepreneurs (Forbes 30 Under 30) and one of the most influential people under 35 in the plastics industry (Rising Star 2015 by Plastics News), Aaron Guan is the Founder and CEO of Neptune Nanotechnologies Inc. He also serves as Board Director and Newsletter Chair for the Society of Plastic Engineers' Thermoplastic Materials and Foams Division. Mr. Guan received both his B.A.Sc and M.A.Sc in mechanical engineering at the University of Toronto, he has a number of patents and publications in the fields of bio-based nano-reinforcement, biopolymers, thermoplastics, and composites. Decorated with multiple awards recognizing his efforts in the development of sustainable biobased nanotechnology and entrepreneurship, Aaron founded Neptune in 2022 which specializes in the development of a novel nano-material known as chitin nanocrystal, a fishing waste-sourced single crystal with a wide range of applications.

Evaluation of UV-Resistant Epoxies for Protective Coating Applications

Protective coating system design requires consideration of desired properties alongside environmental criteria to select an appropriate formulation. While epoxy systems are highly regarded for their substrate adhesion, chemical resistance, strength, and durability, there are some inherent shortcomings due to their chemical structure. One such limitation is gloss retention and yellowing resistance, especially in the presence of UV exposure when compared to polyurethane or acrylic systems.

To formulate an epoxy system with the best UV resistance, cycloaliphatic epoxy resins and curing agents are often selected. With these systems, higher levels of gloss retention and reduced yellowing can be achieved, allowing the design of epoxy systems that do not need a PU or acrylic topcoat. This presentation will review physical properties and QUV-A accelerated weathering of UV resistant epoxy systems benchmarked against an industrial PU topcoat.

Speaker

Mitchell Buchanan
Business Development - Specialty Components
Huntsman Advanced Materials

Mitch Buchanan is Business Development for Specialty Components at Huntsman Advanced Materials. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he joined CVC Thermoset Specialties in 2016, which was then acquired by Huntsman in 2020. He has established a broad base of experience in technical service, sales, marketing, supply, financial analysis, and plant operations management across the multiple chemistries and end markets served by Huntsman. Mitch has a B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering with a minor in International and Military Affairs from The Citadel. He currently lives in Texas with his wife, and four children.

Improving Water Resistance of Pure Acrylic Emulsions with Nonionic Reactive Surfactants

The replacement of conventional surfactants with reactive surfactants in emulsion polymerization is a promising strategy for improving the water resistance of waterborne coatings. However, the appropriate use of reactive surfactants in emulsion polymerization to balance stability and water resistance is still a challenge. With pure acrylic polymer emulsions, due to their higher polarity, they are more difficult to stabilize during the polymerization in comparison to styrene-acrylic polymer emulsions.

In this presentation, the properties and application of a new reactive nonionic surfactant will be presented. The molecule was designed to react with the key monomers used in emulsion polymerization and to present surface activity similar to conventional nonionic surfactants. Polymerizations of pure acrylic emulsion polymers were carried out using a combination of conventional anionic surfactant and the new reactive nonionic surfactant. The effect of surfactant composition on emulsion stability and water resistance was explored.

Emulsions polymerized with the reactive nonionic surfactant exhibited particle sizes in the range of 90-110 nm and excellent mechanical stability. Emulsions polymerized with the optimized composition of surfactants showed outstanding blush/whitening resistance. They absorbed about 85 % less water than the all-acrylic emulsion benchmark after immersion in water for 7 days. Using HPLC, we will also examine the incorporation of the reactive nonionic surfactant.

Speaker

Bruno Dário
TS&D Scientist
Indorama Ventures

Bruno Dário has over seven years of experience in surfactants and specialty chemicals. He has worked in oil & gas, performance products and coatings, developing new products and applications for surfactants. Currently, he is a TS&D Scientist for Coatings at Indorama Ventures. He is responsible for the technical support for North American customers in surfactants for emulsion polymerization, coalescents, architectural, and industrial coatings. Bruno earned his Master’s degree in Chemistry from University of São Paulo (Brazil) in 2021, focusing on the study of adsorption of surfactants. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry at the same institution in 2015.

Influence of Novel Multi-Functional Additive on Melt Rheology and Surface Control in Powder Coatings

Sustainability and energy conservation efforts in the coatings market are driving progressions in powder coatings technology to achieve lowest possible curing conditions, while maintaining the appearance characteristics of traditional coatings. Film degassing and leveling properties become increasingly difficult to manage at reduced curing temperatures, trying to overcome the high melt viscosity of powder coating systems. Technology advancements have led to the development of a multi-functional additive suitable for the use in powder coatings with strong efficacy for improving surface appearance. This gives the formulator a greater latitude to balance low cure performance to better meet the degassing, DOI and leveling requirements of the end application.

In this study, the paper reviews a range of additive technologies to influence surface appearance of powder coatings and highlights the new additive’s ability to positively influence melt viscosity and film characteristics, while maintaining important surface properties. Key powder coating attributes, such as color, gloss, leveling, DOI, degassing threshold, recoatability, overbake stability, compatibility among others will be highlighted in this performance benchmarking.

Speaker

Bernhard Resch
Scientist II, AT Industrial Coatings, Coating Additives
Evonik Industries

Bernhard Resch is a Scientist II with Evonik Corporation’s Coating Additives Business Line. He has extensive powder coatings experience having worked for thirteen years with TIGER Drylac and seven years with Akzo Nobel before joining Evonik. His experience in managing production and labs as well as formulating powder coatings and trouble-shooting customer problems gives him broad understanding of powder coatings raw materials, manufacturing, and application. He has a degree in Chemical Industrial Engineering from Austria.

Controlled Free Radical Polymerization (CFRP) Dispersant Technology

Pigments are a fundamental aspect of many coatings in many different industries. As such, they provide desirable features to the performance of a coating ranging from protective aspects to coloristics (tint strength, chroma, etc.). Dispersing pigments into a liquid vehicle is a critical part of formulation as the degree of pigment stabilization will directly impact the extent to which desirable features are met. Dispersing agents are the additives of choice to meet this need for dispersing and stabilizing pigments in liquid media. It is important to recognize that not all pigments are equal in terms of their ease of dispersing. In the same vein, not all dispersants are equal in performance. To meet the need of dispersing difficult to disperse pigments, BASF has developed a line of advanced, high-molecular-weight dispersants with unique polymeric architecture via Controlled Free Radical Polymerization. This dispersant technology provides the ability to efficiently disperse even the most difficult to disperse pigments such as high color carbon blacks and transparent organic pigments. This presentation will cover the unique features and values of CFRP dispersants. Additionally, some application case studies will be discussed to demonstrate the performance value of CFRP dispersant technology.

Speaker

Tony Moy
Sr. Technical Specialist
BASF

Tony is responsible for Transportation, Industrial, Furniture, and Flooring market segments as well as being the primary expert for dispersing agents within the BASF Formulation Additives team. He has been with BASF for 12 years. Before assuming his current role, Tony was a Process Development Engineer working to support the scale up and alignment of defoamer and rheology modifier products at plant assets in North America. Overall, he has been in the coatings industry for 34 years, working in diverse areas such as fluoropolymers, refrigerants, inkjet, industrial, and automotive coatings. He has degrees in Chemical Engineering and an MBA.

Enhanced Corrosion Inhibition in Powder Coatings

Powder coatings have long been recognized for providing high-performance, durable finishes that can be utilized in various end-use applications. They have become a leading technology in the pursuit for sustainable coatings due to low waste generation and no utilization of volatile solvents, which are becoming increasingly scrutinized in every regulated region. The simplicity of powder formulations can generate manufacturing and formula development efficiencies as well. As companies drive to lowering the environmental footprint of their products, powder coating technology is an excellent avenue that can achieve that while providing high performance asset protection.

Powder coating performance, along with liquid coatings, is driven by the resin chemistry selection. But powder coatings differ from liquid systems in that they historically rely on fewer additives to optimize film properties. As the industry continues to migrate to powder technology, competition will grow, and the optimization of these systems will be essential to extend performance and achieve a competitive advantage. A case study evaluating the use of corrosion inhibitive pigments in a polyester/TGIC powder coating will demonstrate the performance advantages that can be achieved in a non-traditional metal protective system.

Speaker

Michelle Bauer
Senior Chemist
ICL

Michelle Bauer is a Senior Chemist at ICL where she has spent seven years focused on new product development and technical service support of the Halox product line. Michelle possesses a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Augustana College. She has accrued over 20 years of coatings industry experience, successfully commercializing additives and consumer coatings. She previously held positions in quality management and product development for Valspar and Ace Hardware Paint Division, and is a current board member of the Chicago Society for Coatings Technology.

Novel Waterborne Silicone Resin Emulsion for High Temperature-Resistant Protective Coatings

The use of silicon-based materials in architectural and industrial markets continues to expand from niche utility to being viewed as premium technology for high-performance coatings. Silicone resins and intermediates can offer improved resistance to temperature, moisture, corrosion, electrical discharge, and weathering for heat resistance paints, and industrial maintenance and protective coatings. With demanding performance requirements, formulators often utilize proven, superior performing solvent borne technologies; however, the increase in environmental, health and safety, and regulatory restrictions has excited an interest in more sustainable and regulatory compliant raw materials. Dow continues to drive cleaner, innovative solutions to address unmet market needs across the globe, and the high-temperature coatings market is no exception. In addition to introducing a novel, low volatile organic compounds (VOC), heat-resistant silicone resin emulsion, this presentation will outline formulation flexibility in performance, delivery, and cure requirements for demanding applications.

Speaker

Isabel Meza
Technical Service & Development
Dow Silicones Corporation

Isabel Meza is the Technical Service & Development / Research Scientist in Dow Silicones Corporation since 2022, working very closely with coating-resins, and specifically in the Thermal Insulation Coatings. Isabel has been deeply passionate for understanding all the physical and chemical interactions that exist between the industry and the environment. She has worked in Ecuador and the United States with several industries in environmental compliance, and during her post-graduate degree with uranyl arsenates synthesis for the overarching goal of uranium and arsenic decontamination from water resources in Native American lands. Isabel is originally from Ecuador, with a BSc. in Environmental Engineering and a MSc. in Environmental Management and Natural Resources, and a PhD in Environmental Engineering. Isabel is very excited to be able to work for DOW and support its sustainable goal to produce quality products while preserving and protecting the natural environment that we have, for us, and for our future generations.

Comprehensive Stabilizer Systems for Water-Based Coatings

Stabilizers, such as organic UV-absorbers (UVA), sterically hindered amines (HALS), and anti-oxidants (AO) find widespread use as coatings additives to prevent degradation during outdoor weathering and/or thermal exposure. In water-based (WB) coatings, many of the well-established non-polar stabilizers are difficult to incorporate due to insolubility and/or incompatibility with the aqueous coating or paint formulations. Getting a stable, uniform mixture, leading to homogeneous coating formulations upon storage and use without separation of stabilizers is critical. Several undesired phenomena such as sedimentation, and exudation may occur if the stabilizers are incompatible in WB coatings, leading to inadequate protection, or even detrimental coating performance.

A new emulsification technology was developed to make traditional stabilizers water dispersible. Optimized combination of several synergistic water-based UVA/HALS blends were designed to meet varying enduse performance expectations of different waterborne coating formulations. A water-based anti-oxidant was also developed to improve performance of water-based coatings under high thermal exposure.

A new waterborne non migrating light stabilizer system, containing a reactable non-basic HALS and a reactable photo permanent UV absorber was developed, for use in waterborne one component acrylic melamine coatings and waterborne two component acrylic/ polyisocyanate crosslinked coatings. This unique stabilizer system was designed to prevent migration issues in WB plastic coatings. It could also meet the high performance and durability requirements of water-based automotive and industrial coatings.

These new water-based light stabilizers and anti-oxidants thereby address the VOC and HAPS concerns, while maintaining the efficacy of conventional additives with the benefits of water miscibility, ease of incorporation and handling.

Speaker

Steven Lee
Senior Commercial Manager / Coating - Taiwan & Americas
Rianlon Corporation

Steven Lee brings over 15 years of extensive experience in the chemicals industry, specializing in UV and light stabilizer additive business management. Currently serving as the Senior Commercial Manager of Coating at Rianlon Corporation, he possesses a proven track record of success in the Americas region. Steven is highly skilled in C.A.S.E (Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants, and Elastomers), Plastics, and Channel Management, enabling him to effectively navigate complex market landscapes. Throughout his career, Steven has demonstrated a unique blend of sales acumen and technical expertise, consistently delivering innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of clients. His contributions extend beyond the corporate realm, with five research papers published in prominent industrial magazines, showcasing his thought leadership and commitment to advancing the field. With a passion for driving growth and fostering strategic partnerships, Steven Lee continues to be a trusted advisor and influencer within the chemicals industry, shaping its future trajectory with his knowledge and dedication.

Branched Vinyl Ester Copolymers for Intumescent Emulsion Paints

Viscoelastic characteristics of polymeric binders are known to greatly influence the foam expansion of intumescent paints. These organic resins also contribute to char formation. Furthermore, the thermal stability of the foams depends on the chemical structure of the char and thus on the chemical mechanisms governing the thermal decomposition of the polymer.

Polyvinyl acetate copolymers are known to undergo an autocatalytic deacetylation reaction where the elimination of acetic acid from the polymer backbones leaves unsaturated polymer backbone or polyenes with conjugated carbon-carbon double bonds. At higher temperatures, the polyenes undergo slower allylic chain scission reactions than non-conjugated polymers that would derive from other thermoplastic polymers such as polyacrylates. This step is then followed by complete degradation. The kinetics of polyvinyl acetate in this process has been found to yield optimum intumescent properties.

To improve other coatings performance aspects, such as storage stability, film formation, abrasion resistance, and durability, co-monomers such as ethylene or acrylates may be introduced in the polyvinyl acetate backbone. Yet, these co-monomers do interfere with the deacetylation process and subsequent allylic chain scission. Research has demonstrated that ethylene monomer has a negative impact on the deacetylation process. The autocatalytic effect mentioned earlier is slowed down and may even disappear at elevated ethylene concentrations.

Branched vinyl esters comonomers for vinyl acetate such as vinyl neodecanoate are well known to efficiently improve overall coatings performance. It is also known that paint formulations with these copolymers exhibit excellent intumescence development. The present study compares the performance of various vinyl acetate  vinyl neodecanoate copolymers with waterborne binders of different chemical natures: vinyl-ethylene, acrylics, and styrene-acrylics. It shows that, unlike the other monomers, vinyl neodecanoate significantly enhances intumescent properties via improved foam expansion and foam stability.

Speaker

Nathalie Havaux
R&D Researcher
Hexion Research Belgium

Nathalie Havaux is an R&D researcher at Hexion Research Belgium. With a chemical background, she has more than 15 years of experience in the development of waterborne and solvent-borne acrylic, vinyl and polyesters binders for automotive coatings and construction paints. Nowadays, Nathalie Havaux is involved in research and providing technical service support

Navigating ‘Materials of Concern’ in the Coatings Industry

In recent years, PFAS and other chemicals of concern have come under heightened scrutiny by regulatory agencies in the United States and Europe, leading to increased restrictions, expected bans, and a push to develop replacement products. Join us as industry experts from across the coatings value chain collaborate to discuss the debate surrounding these materials, how the restrictions are affecting their business, what innovative replacement products are under development, and what the future holds for some of these highly irreplaceable chemicals.

Panelists

Richard Czarnecki
Vice President
Micro Powders, Inc.

Rich joined Micro Powders in 2011 as Technical Director and is currently the Vice President. He has over 35 years of experience in the coatings and inks industries and has lead formulation and polymer synthesis teams at companies including Sun Chemical and Zeneca. Rich holds 10 US patents.

Noel Hollingsworth
CEO & Co-Founder, Uncountable
Uncountable

Noel Hollingsworth is the co-founder and CEO of Uncountable. Noel works closely with Uncountable's customers to implement next-generation data management systems. Before his work at Uncountable, Noel led startup data teams and was awarded Forbes 30 under 30 for his work with machine learning and artificial intelligence. Noel's impressive engineering and data analysis expertise has enabled the company to create a robust platform that allows businesses to gain valuable insights, optimize their operations, and enhance their business strategies.

Victoria Scarborough
Vice President, Collaborative Innovations
ChemQuest Group

Victoria Scarborough, Ph.D., specializes in the commercialization of in-demand new technology that leverages open innovation. Over the course of her career, she has advanced technology in the public and private sectors, ranging from the U.S. Department of Defense and federal laboratories, universities, and multinational corporations to individual inventors and startups, often by creating and managing complex R&D and commercialization activities with multi-million-dollar budgets. She draws on this experience to serve as ChemQuest’s vice president of Collaborative Innovation, a position she has held since 2020.

Victoria holds numerous U.S. and international industry patents on breakthrough technologies and is a frequent contributor to professional society conferences and publications. In addition, she frequently participates as a National Science Foundation (NSF) Panel reviewer for funding research grants and has participated as a mentor in several national-level NSF I-Corps program cohorts.

Victoria earned a BS degree in biology from the University of Mary Washington and received her doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. She pursued an MBA from Christian Brothers University and later participated in the Sherwin-Williams’ Leadership Excellence Program at Case Western Reserve University. She also completed the Licensing Executives Society’s Best Practices in Licensing: Developing, Negotiating & Executing Transactions program."

Brett Sago
Director, HSES Legal Services, and Global Product Stewardship & Regulatory Affairs
Eastman

Brett Sago is the Director of the Health, Safety, Environment and Security (HSES) section of Eastman’s Law Department and the Global Product Stewardship & Regulatory Affairs (Global PSRA) function. In this capacity, he coordinates Eastman’s high-performing HSES attorneys’ compliance counseling, legislative/regulatory advocacy, training, due diligence, privileged investigations, and enforcement defense. In September 2023, he assumed responsibility for Eastman’s Global PSRA function. The Global PSRA team includes technical experts in the product regulatory and toxicology fields around the world that help ensure Eastman’s compliance with complex existing and proposed laws, regulations, and policies governing chemical and polymer manufacturing, labeling, handling, and uses, among other things.

Brett advises Eastman’s Board, Executive Team, Businesses, Government Relations, Corporate Communications, Community Affairs, Sustainability/ESG and Global HSES teams regarding HSES and PSRA legal regimes, assessing the impact of proposed legislation and regulation and crafting changes. He has led Eastman’s HSES-related buyer/seller due diligence and contract negotiations for numerous acquisitions and divestitures. Brett is a leader on multiple intra-company teams including those focused on advocacy and auditing, sustainability, climate change, and more recently Eastman circular economy platform where he is advocating for the acceptance of solvolysis and thermolysis based recycling technologies and the mass balance allocation of recycle content. He enjoys mediating communications gaps and helping develop frameworks that maximize manufacturing and business objectives while assuring compliance and the protection of human health and the environment.

Brett is a 1993 graduate of Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas and obtained his JD, with honors, from Tulane University Law School in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1998. While at Tulane, he was Editor-in-Chief of the Tulane Environmental Law Journal, received a Certificate in Environmental Law and was a member of the Tulane Moot Court Board. Following law school, Brett practiced environmental law and litigation for five years at a firm in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is admitted to practice law in North Carolina and Tennessee. He is married, has two children, and resides in Kingsport, Tennessee.

Scott Simmons
Global Director of Environmental, Social & Governance
Barentz

As Director of Regulatory Affairs, Scott coordinates all cohesive corporate regulatory activities across all Barentz verticals. He has extensive experience in the chemical industry, most recently serving as the Manager, Product Compliance Americas for Lubrizol Corp. In this role he led a team of individuals which oversaw the regulatory compliance activities for Lubrizol’s North American operations and sales. Scott was instrumental in growing the Compliance team in response to regulatory drivers such as REACH, TSCA reform and OSHA GHS. He has chemical knowledge and a breadth of regulatory experience with Industrial, Food & Care and Medical products and has been involved with the integration of various acquisitions. Scott holds a BS in Chemistry from Ohio University, a MS in Organic Chemistry from the University of Dayton, and is currently working on his MBA at Villanova.

Peter Votruba-Drzal
Vice President of Sustainability
PPG

Peter Votruba-Drzal, PhD leads PPG’s global sustainability collaborating cross-functionally to drive the company’s sustainability efforts by increasing sales of sustainably advantaged products, creating increased value for customers and shareholders, and reducing the environmental impact of PPG operations. Since joining in 2005, he has held various technical and technical management roles of increasing responsibility in six different PPG businesses. Throughout his career he has demonstrated a strong focus on harnessing innovation to deliver growth. Peter also serves as the board chair for the Sarah Heinz House and sits on two University advisory boards.

Painting a More Sustainable Future – Bio-Based Binder for Interior Architectural Paints

Growing consumer awareness regarding personal health, indoor air quality, and environmental responsibility, coupled with support from government and non-governmental organizations, are fueling innovations in the development of safer and more sustainable materials. Within the coatings industry, the ongoing challenge lies in developing paints that achieve a harmony between sustainability, performance, and affordability.

Herein, we will discuss initiatives from Dow Coating Materials (DCM) aimed at creating durable solutions for more sustainable paints. DCM is incorporating plant-derived ingredients directly in 100% acrylic binders with measurable bio-carbon content in the final product. Preliminary internal LCA analysis, demonstrates that paints with these resins have lower carbon footprint and deliver equivalent or better performance than the existing acrylic-based wall paints. Additional studies indicate they can be formulated into high-performing, low-"materials of concern" paints with low emission from VOCs and without the need for purposefully added PFAS. These coatings can potentially contribute towards improved air quality and healthier living. This technology can also enable paint formulations to qualify for USDA BioPreferred certification and contribute to LEED and green building credits. Overall, this initiative aims to provide formulators with solutions to develop affordable coatings with more favorable sustainability profiles that integrate performance, safety and environmental benefits.

Speaker

Pratibha Mahale
Senior Research Specialist
Dow Chemical Company

Pratibha Mahale is a Senior Research Specialist at Dow and focuses on Applications Research and Development in the field of architectural coatings. Before venturing into the coatings industry, she earned her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania. Her doctoral work focused on developing functional materials using silica colloidal crystals, with applications in electronics and energy systems. Currently, at Dow, Pratibha leads the application R&D efforts for the development of biobased binder for architectural coatings in the North America market. Pratibha has authored over 13 publications and is passionate about finding high performing sustainable solutions in the materials industry.

High-Performance Materials: Introducing PEI Resins for Coating Applications

Polyetherimide (PEI) resins are high-modulus, high-strength, inherently FR thermoplastics that are available in a variety of powder formats. Recent work with PEI powders has shown that they are compatible with standard electrostatic coating methods. In this talk, we produce PEI coatings using ULTEM™ resins with Tg greater than 215˚C demonstrating high gloss and topcoat compatibility with epoxies. Fused PEI powder also demonstrate impressive adhesion to a variety of metal substrates and creates durable coatings with characteristics that reflect the properties of the base polymer.

Speaker

Kim Ly
Lead Scientist
SABIC Specialties

Kim Ly is a Lead Scientist for SABIC Specialties. She has over 18 years in the polymer industry. As part of the global application development team, she works on polymer processing while developing new technology and applications. She has degrees in Chemistry and Biology with a Masters in Material Science from the University of Oregon.

Unsaturated Polyester Resins as Adhesion Promoters in Coatings

This presentation investigates the use of amorphous unsaturated polyester (UP) resins as adhesion promoters to enhance the adhesion of solventborne coatings. Adhesion is a critical property, and its mechanisms in polymeric coatings are complex, involving factors such as surface morphology, wetting, mechanical interlocking, diffusion, acid-base interactions, and chemical bonding. The article explores the potential of UPs as effective adhesion promoters for the coating industry, focusing on their role in strengthening the bond between coatings and substrates. The study involves incorporating these adhesion promoters into solventborne coatings and then evaluating the resulting coatings' adhesion properties. The results demonstrate that UPs can significantly improve the adhesion of coatings. Their effectiveness depends on several factors, including the type and amount of UP used, as well as the substrate type. These findings have significant implications for the development of high-performance coatings with enhanced adhesion properties.

Speaker

Francisco Cortes
Head of Applied Research & Technology for Industrial & Transportation Coatings, Americas
Evonik Corporation

Francisco Cortés is a Chemical Engineer and holds a Master’s in Engineering by the Universidad Anáhuac in Mexico. Within the paints and coatings industry, Francisco has worked for companies such as DuPont and Covestro, both in Technical Service and Innovation areas. In 2016, Francisco joined Evonik CAD as Technical Service and Laboratory Manager for LATAM North region and was also responsible for setting up CAD’s Laboratory in Mexico. Since September 2019, Francisco is part of Evonik CAD’s Industrial & Transportation technical team and today he is the Head of Applied Research and Technology for the Americas region.

Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Paint and Coatings with Soy

As one of the most abundant plant-based oils, U.S. soybean oil plays a pivotal role in coatings formulations. The United Soybean Board is committed to offering valuable insights to companies aiming to fulfill sustainability and supply chain goals through the utilization of U.S. Soy. Soy presents multiple advantages beyond its renewability, including economic benefits, consistent quality, and widespread availability. With stable year-round production volumes and processing infrastructure, soybean oil streamlines supply chains, reducing transportation costs and carbon footprints.

Soy derivatives empower resin manufacturers to create a diverse range of sustainable, renewable, technically advanced, and cost-competitive products. This presentation emphasizes soy's crucial role in expanding resin portfolios to incorporate biobased feedstocks, aligning with company and industry sustainability targets such as NetZero Carbon 2050.

Furthermore, the presentation outlines USB-funded research comparing the performance of commercially available soy-based versus petro-based materials, including the preparation and testing of coatings formulated with soy alkyd dispersions in applications ranging from wood deck stains and sealers to direct-to-metal coatings. The resulting data will equip coating formulators with additional tools necessary for the development of sustainable coatings with high bio-based content.

Speaker

Kris Weigal
Biobased Business Development Consultant
OmniTech International

Kris Weigal is a BioBased Business Development-Senior Consultant for OmniTech International. For over 27 years, she has been a proven director-level leader, bringing insight to business strategy for commodity and specialty chemical companies, with expertise in the sustainable chemicals industry. Kris holds a B.S. in Chemistry/Business and an M.B.A. in Operation and Production Management from the University of Wisconsin.

Pigment Selection Process: Balancing the “MUSTs, WANTs and the NICE TO HAVEs”

In today’s fast-paced world, we do not want to “go down the rabbit hole” when selecting pigments for an application. If you are the color formulator, then you have the not so envious job of reaching the color design ideas provided by your marketing team yet meeting the technical requirements of the formulation and the performance requirements of the application process. Combining the complex function of the color formulator with the current pigment industry of mergers, SKU reductions, and less and less knowledgeable sales forces can result in a difficult and possibly an inadequate choice of pigments. Can you identify with a mouse in a maze looking for the cheese, or the list maker identifying each item with its importance? Pigment selection is a process, but it is a known process, and working with a knowledgeable manufacturer can make the process smooth and efficient. In the end, a pigment is only technically valuable to a customer if it performs in the correct manner required for the application it is used for. Each market segment has unique technical requirements and in every class of pigments, one will find at least one grade with higher performance characteristic(s). The degree of performance for a pigment depends on the demands imposed upon it for its intended application.

Speaker

Bonnie Piro
Technical Marketing Manager
Sudarshan North America

Bonnie Piro has been with Sudarshan for 5 ½ years. One of her focus areas is the expansion of use of Sudarshan colorants (organic, inorganic, solvent dyes and mica effect pigments) in all applications – product introduction, product development, and training. In addition, she supports the technical needs of all U.S. customers. Prior to Sudarshan, she was with Axalta Coating Systems (formally DuPont) for 30 years in the pigment/colorant area. Education: B.S Chemical Engineering – Drexel University, 1989; M.S. Engineering Management – Drexel University, 1992.

Novel High-Performance, Waterborne, Oil-Modified Urethane for Wood Flooring and Furniture Application

The growing global emphasis on environmental sustainability has spurred a significant transition within the wood flooring and furniture market from traditional solventborne urethanes, notorious for their high Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions, towards more eco-friendly waterborne alternatives without compromising on performance. Currently, the waterborne sector predominantly utilizes aromatic and aliphatic oil-modified urethane (OMU) technologies, each catering to specific property requirements due to limitations in performance. For example, aromatic urethanes demonstrate high hardness but limited flexibility and durability, rendering them vulnerable to cracking and wear. In contrast, aliphatic OMUs provide excellent flexibility but may lack the necessary hardness to meet the evolving demands for high performance. This presentation demonstrates the recent breakthrough in the development of a novel, NMP-free aliphatic OMU approach that achieves comparable hardness development to aromatic OMUs while maintaining the flexibility of an aliphatic system for wood flooring and furniture applications.

Speaker

Pengxu Qi
Group Leader, R&D Application Testing
Polynt Composites USA Inc.

Dr. Pengxu Qi is the Group Leader of Application Lab Testing in the R&D Department at Polynt Group. He received his Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry from the University of Florida in 2016. With a focus on innovation, Dr. Qi has dedicated the past five years to advancing waterborne technologies at Polynt Group, primarily focusing on polyurethane dispersions. His expertise and leadership in polymer chemistry contribute significantly to the company's development of cutting-edge products. Dr. Qi's work exemplifies a commitment to sustainable and high-performance solutions in the polyurethane industry.

Enhanced Robustness and Durability: Next-Generation Matting Agents for Waterborne Coatings

With the changes of people’s taste in aesthetics, there is a trend towards deep-matte and natural-looking finished coatings, especially in the furniture and flooring markets. On the other hand, as EPA requirements increase, waterborne coatings are becoming more attractive in the market. However, the development of deep-matte waterborne coatings, especially 1K systems, remains a challenge because of loss-of-film properties such as chemical resistance, transparency and mechanical integrity.

In this presentation, two new silica matting agents with special organic treatments and unique particle structures are introduced. One silica provides excellent matting efficiency as well as good chemical resistance, transparency and burnishing resistance. While the other silica exhibits outstanding chemical resistance and transparency with maintaining good matting efficiency. Both grades will provide formulators an additional tool to meet the ever-growing performance needs of waterborne coatings.

Speaker

Ziniu Yu, Ph.D.
Technical Service Manager
Coatings, North America W. R. Grace & Co

Dr. Ziniu Yu is a Technical Service Manager - Coatings at W. R. Grace covering North America region. He provides technical supports for customers involved in all coatings applications. He is also leading the coating application development group at Grace to develop new application for Grace’s silica products. Dr. Yu has more than 9 years of coating industry experience, which has expertise in both industrial and architecture applications. Dr. Yu holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and M.S. in Statistics from Texas Tech University and a B.S. in Polymer Engineering from the East China University of Science and Technology.

High-Solids TEA-Free Waterborne Polyurethane Dispersions

High-solid-content polyurethane dispersions (PUDs) can help deliver both sustainability and performance features in waterborne polyurethane coatings. The highest attainable solid content for waterborne polyurethane dispersions is lower than what can be achieved in acrylic emulsions. In this paper, we show our journey using novel technology to guide the development of several high solids waterborne dispersions with over 50% solid content, approaching the limits of acrylic emulsions while maintaining a high performance polyurethane. The increased solids content has several benefits for coatings applications, including the elimination of a coating step, thicker coatings, reduction of dry time, and lowered coalescing solvent need. These products were also designed with regulatory needs in mind and have been developed without the use of TEA or NMP. The combination of these advantages and the well-known high performance of the polyurethanes is expected to be a valuable benefit to a large variety of coating applications.

Speaker

Mark Wolfinger
Technical Marketing Manager
Lubrizol Advanced Materials, Inc

Mark Wolfinger received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and a Master of Science degree in Polymer Science from the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. He has spent over 30 years in various research, technical service, and market development roles. He is currently a Technical Marketing Manager supporting Lubrizol’s resins and polymer business for North America.

Powder Coating Resins from Recycled PET

The large amount of plastic waste ends up in in the landfills and the natural environment is a major global issue. Among many types of plastics, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) accounts for 70% of the global synthetic fibers and approximately ¼ of all packaging materials. Therefore, recycling PET would significantly reduce the plastic waste end up in the environment. Moreover, recycled PET will also reduce the use of virgin raw materials originating from the diminishing petroleum resources and reduce the greenhouse gas and carbon emissions. In recent years, allnex has successfully developed the capabilities and the know how to use recycled PET in powder coating resins. This presentation discusses these recycled PET-based powder resins and their impact.

Speaker

Daminda Navarathne
Research Scientist
allnex USA Inc

Daminda Navarathne is a Research Scientist for Powder Coating Resins at allnex USA Inc., a global leader in coating resins. He has 7+ years of experience in design, synthesis and development of polyester powder coating resins from lab to production scale. He holds a PhD degree in polymer chemistry from University of Connecticut.

High-Performance Wood Coating Additives

There are increasing demands for higher performance, more sustainable coatings employing more natural materials with substantial health, safety, and environmental properties. To address those challenges, raw material suppliers and coatings manufacturers are increasingly turning to water-based solutions of that require efficient, environmentally friendly emulsion technologies. The science behind key wax and silicone additive technologies to meet these needs will be presented.

Innovative technologies will be presented that utilize unique waxes, silicones, and wax – silicone hybrids. These additives are used to disperse pigments, reduce foam, and provide coating advantages including wetting and leveling, water and oil repellency, block resistance, water beading, scratch and abrasion resistance, haptic properties, and both slip and anti-slip performance. Novel coating additive features will be translated into specific advantages and benefits for coating formulators and end users.

Speaker

Bruce Berglund
Sales, Business Development and Technical Support Manager
CHT USA Inc.

Bruce has a BA in chemistry from St. Olaf College, a MS in organic chemistry from The University of Minnesota at Duluth, a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from The University of Illinois at Chicago, and an MBA from The University of Michigan. He also performed research in the organic chemistry department at Moscow State University in the Soviet Union. Following graduate school, he worked in technical, sales, marketing and business management positions at Wacker, Lubrizol, Michelman, and Euclid before joining CHT. Currently, he is a sales, business development, and technical support manager for the graphic arts and industrial coatings markets.

Silicone Resins for Breathable, Long-Lasting Exterior Architectural Paints

The exterior architectural coatings industry has a paradox: the requirement of a film to be both water-repellant and moisture-permeable. Particularly when coating porous substrates that may contain moisture such as wood and concrete, a paint must breathe to reduce damage from water build-up behind the film and maintain hydrophobicity to prevent damage from water incident on the film. One such way to accomplish this is by use of silicone resin emulsions. The unique Si-O bond that comprises these silicone resins allows for the transmission of vapor through the coating matrix while still preventing the absorption of water from the paint surface. The breathability of the film and water resistance of the silicone resin is a powerful combination that can produce a highly durable coating that lasts for generations, as evidenced by years of real-world exposure data.

A recent study was conducted by incorporating silicone resin emulsions as both a sole and co-binder in an exterior waterborne acrylic latex paint formulation at various levels. Properties such as water vapor permeability, water absorbance, contact angles, and accelerated weathering performance were evaluated against an acrylic latex control. The results indicate silicone resin emulsions provide an eco-friendly, water-resistant, and breathable binder option to improve coating and substrate lifespan in architectural coatings beyond what it is possible to achieve with acrylic binders alone, or even with low doses of silicone additives.

Speaker

Amanda Dershem
Chemist
Wacker Chemical Corporation

Amanda Schmotzer is a chemist at Wacker Chemical Corporation in the Ann Arbor Innovation Center and Regional Headquarters. She earned her Bachelor's in Chemistry from Siena Heights University and currently pursues a Masters in Polymers and Coatings Technology from Eastern Michigan University. She has three years experience in architectural coatings chemistry. When she isn't in the lab, you can find her reading, writing, and exploring Michigan with her husband and friends.

Design and Implementation of a Digitalization Strategy for Coatings Industrial Research and Development

Coatings are highly formulated products with vast potential design spaces and many complex interactions. In large organizations like Eastman Chemical, copious amounts of data are generated daily that theoretically can be harnessed to enhance the quality of decision-making and speed up innovation in today’s rapidly evolving industry. In practice, this data is often generated and stored in a variety of locations, not easily accessible, poorly organized, and not consistently structured. That’s not very F.A.I.R. and makes it difficult to take advantage of machine learning, data visualization tools, and other powerful data analytics. Therefore, an organization needs to develop a comprehensive digitalization strategy. Here, we discuss our approach to digitally transform our coatings division through implementation of a database management system across various stages of our workstreams and processes. We share our experiences with what has and hasn’t worked for us, including development of in-house relational databases, adoption of commercially available software and services, and challenges with getting a bunch of humans to adopt a change in the way they work. Finally, we highlight our efforts in developing a machine learning platform to aid innovation in resin design and coatings formulations using both internal resources and external partnerships.

Speaker

Cameron Brown
Group Leader
Coatings Applications Research, Eastman Chemical Company

Following completion of his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Duke University, Cameron joined the Coatings & Inks Division of Eastman Chemical as an Applications Research Chemist. His work as an individual contributor has revolved around designing polyester resins for coatings applications, as well as leading the division's digitalization and machine learning efforts. In 2023, Cameron transitioned to Group Leader of the Coatings Applications Research Group.

UV LED-Curable Dichroic Coatings Based on Structural Color Copolymers

In the search to reduce carbon emissions, the contribution of pigments is commonly overlooked, however they can contribute up to 60% of the carbon emissions of formulated coatings. Brush block copolymers offer a lower carbon footprint option to improve sustainability while providing eye-catching, highly chromatic colors based on structural color. In this presentation Cypris will review UV LED-curable formulations and methods to assess their color performance.

Speaker

Julie Hostetter
Associate Scientists
Cypris Materials, Inc.

Julie holds a MS in Polymers and Coatings Science from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and has a background in chemistry. Her previous experience includes polymer synthesis, coatings formulation, and materials property testing. At Cypris, Julie is focused on process improvements and supporting the transition of Cypris’s chemistry from lab scale to pilot manufacturing.

Characteristics of Styrene Sulfonates and their Application in Coatings

Sodium p-styrenesulfonate (NaSS) has proved valuable as a unique reactive emulsifier. Sodium p-styrenesulfonate is a unique sulfonated monomer having the highest reactivity among the sulfonated vinyl monomers. TOSOH produces the hemihydrate form of NaSS, which provides more storage stability and better handling. Key properties include low toxicity, high reactivity, sulfonate functionality and good surface activity, which lead to its use in varied and unique applications.

Recently, we have established an industrial method for producing ammonium styrene sulfonate (AmSS). Ammonium salts have the following three additional characteristics when compared to sodium salts. The first is that it is metal-free, the second is that it is soluble in organic solvents, and the third is that it has high purity. In particular, the fact that it is metal-free has the potential to solve the problems of water resistance and corrosion caused by alkali metals, making it ideal for producing higher quality emulsions.

Speaker

Michael East
Business Development Manager
Tosoh USA

B.Sc. University of Salford, UK (Chemistry and Botany) 1980. Ph.D. University of Toledo, Ohio, 1987. Post Doctoral Studies The Johns Hopkins University 1987-1989. Professor Florida institute of Technology 1989-1995. Industrial Chemist, FAR Research, Monsanto, Great Lakes Chemicals, AMRI 1995-2004. Business Development Manager Uquifa, Inc 2004-2011. Business Development Manager Tosoh USA 2012-present. With an extensive background in organic chemistry and mainly pharmaceuticals I have to admit to being slightly out of my depth in coatings. It is however, a fascinating and challenging area of science where the interaction of multiple components leads to complexities I have not seen before. I am still learning but, we have an experienced team of R&D scientists in Japan that provide excellent support.

Waterborne, Environmentally Friendly Omni-Phobic Coatings for Sustainable Application

Waterborne coatings/additives are of great importance not only due to the growing restrictions on VOCs, but also because of the growing awareness of sustainability. Acrylate emulsions are used for many coatings applications such as architectural coatings, automotive refinish, and industrial applications, to name few. At SCOPS, we are developing an omni-phobic additive for acrylate emulsion. SCOPS is using a state of art to create PFAS-free waterborne omni-phobic additives. SCOPS prepared a modified acrylate emulsion that can be used as an additive to other acrylate latex to impart hydrophobic and oleophobic characters. Our additive was tested in a number of benchmark products, including acrylate emulsions and polyurethane emulsions at different weight percents. The hydrophobicity/oleophobicity was tested by the sliding speed of water and oil on the coated substrates. The coating was applied to various substrates including glass, wood, tiles and plastic. SCOPS also tested the solvent-based analog of the prepared additives to assess the performance of both waterborne and solvent-based additives. The experimental details and more data will be presented in the presentation.

Speaker

Ramadan Abouomar
Scientist R&D
SCOPS Coating Technologies

Ramadan Abouomar received his Ph.D. from the faculty of polymer science and polymer engineering at The University of Akron, OH. After graduation, he worked as a postdoc at the school of packaging, MSU, where he developed mechanical sensors and biodegradable polymers for packaging applications. Later, he moved to the University of Delaware to work as a postdoc fellow at the department of material science and engineering and department of mechanical engineering. He worked on developing biomaterials for biomedical applications and microrobots for cancer treatment. Finally, he landed on a scientist position at SCOPS Coating Technologies to develop PFAS-Free omniphobic coating. Ramadan has published a number of papers and patents.

Sustainable Materials, Energy Demand Reduction and Process Optimization. Impossible Trilemma or Opportunity in Disguise?

The pressure on paint and coatings organizations to transition to water-based coatings is substantial, yet challenging. Reformulation and R&D efforts require significant financial investment, resulting in a slow transition for most organizations. Finding alternative bio-based feedstock materials and determining suitable quantities pose major challenges, particularly considering the historical reliance on the petrochemical industry.

While the decorative segment has transitioned relatively quickly, industrial applications are encountering difficulties in making the switch. Consequently, powder coatings have emerged as a preferable alternative for industrial applications, despite remaining relatively expensive and presenting application challenges. Moreover, debates persist regarding the extended drying times of water-based paints in winter, often necessitating the use of gas-based heaters.

Faced with these necessary changes, the elephant in the room remains energy consumption. While organizations have predominantly transitioned to renewable energy for lighting loads, production loads are still largely sustained by mixers. The iteration of batches during the production process, often required to achieve targeted color and viscosity, consumes significant energy too.

A comprehensive, three-prong approach to carbon footprint reduction by raw materials substitution, optimization of the process and reduction of energy consumption is the solution we present.

Speaker

Debra Hudgens
Business Development Manager
ProLeiT Corp, Subsidiary of Schneider Electric

Debra Hudgens is a Business Development Manager for ProLeit, a medium sized software company owned by a huge company, Schneider Electric. ProLeit is a process automation software company. The ProLeit headquarters are in Germany and our USA headquarters are in Chicago. Debra holds a Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Purdue University.

Low-Cure Applications in Powder Coatings – with Particular Focus on Formulation

The conversation about low-cure powder coatings has been well discussed in recent years. In this presentation, we provide a coherent overview and analysis on how to achieve a robust formulation in low-cure powder coatings  from additive selection to mechanism of action in specific powder coatings systems. We further provide some unique headway into this new and emerging technology in powder coatings.

Speaker

Derick Forcha
End-Use Specialist Powder Coatings Additives NAFTA
BYK-USA

Derick obtained his BS & MS from North Carolina A & T State University and an MBA in Finance from Concordia University, Chicago, and is currently with BYK-USA as Powder Coatings End Use Specialist, for NAFTA. Derick Started his coatings career in 2004 with PPG, has worked for Sherwin Williams, Troy Corporation (now Arxada), and IFS Coatings, to name a few.

Innovative Calcium Carbonate for TiO₂ Extension

This presentation will discuss the use of calcium carbonate as a TiO₂ extender, where it can displace 10-15% by weight of TiO2 in a decorative architectural coating without negatively impacting performance. Lab data will be provided to show how partial displacement is possible, along with optical property comparisons in terms of gloss, contrast ratio, brightness, and tint strength. The influence of particle size distribution of calcium carbonate and its impact on performance when partially displacing TiO2 will be discussed. The challenges of creating such a technology and the means to overcome hurdles such as particle agglomeration upon storage due to moisture pickup will also be reviewed. Carbon footprint values of calcium carbonate will be discussed as well, and how the overall carbon footprint of a coating can be reduced when partially displacing titanium dioxide with calcium carbonate.

Speaker

Dino Papagianidis
Technical Service and Innovation Manager
Omya

Dino is the Technical Service Manager for Omya, where he works on technical service and innovation activities in the region. Dino has over 25 years of experience in the construction industry, and has held various roles in R&D, supply chain, project management, and technical service.

The Next Step in Production: Using AI to Achieve Better Results

There is a lot of talk and information about the possibilities of AI. But we need a discussion about how we can make this happen in the paint and coatings Industry. Our industry is unique, and that is why we cannot just adopt solutions from other industries. The presentation will describe the approach in paint production and point out prerequisites for making AI do its work in paint production and the lab, but also raw materials and paint applications.

The presenter has made hands-on experience on that topic and is one of the founders of the Smart Paint Factory Alliance, who is aiming to orchestrate a discussion about digitalization and AI in the industry.

Speaker

Ralph Woerheide
CEO
Metromation Inc.

Ralph is an Industrial Engineer in chemical engineering, founder of companies, and has more than 20 years of experience in the paint and coatings industry. He has invented and developed technologies, and frequently speaks at industry events.

The Scientific Balance - Bridging Fundamental Chemistry with Empirical Work for Optimized Coating Formulations

"The Scientific Balance" presentation explores the potential synergy between fundamental chemistry principles and empirical knowledge in the formulation of paints and coatings. In the coatings industry, empirical approaches often dominate formulation practices, relying on trial and error and historical experience. While effective, this approach may limit innovation and overlook underlying mechanisms that could enhance paint and coating formulations.

This presentation advocates for a holistic approach that integrates a deeper understanding of chemistry, physics, mathematics, mechanisms, and theories to potentially guide the formulator’s empirical work. By revisiting fundamental concepts (i.e. molecular interactions, material properties, etc.), formulators can gain insights into the underlying principles governing a coating’s performance. A few examples will be presented to demonstrate how "The Scientific Balance" can inform, complement, and enhance empirical practices. From a clearer understanding of various concepts including surface tension, rheology, pigment dispersion, and film formation, the presentation will highlight how chemistry, physics, and mathematics addresses common challenges most formulators experience.

Additionally, "The Scientific Balance" emphasizes the importance of ongoing education and professional development. By fostering a culture of scientific inquiry and continuous learning, practitioners can unlock new avenues for innovation and drive advancements in coatings technology. Embracing "The Scientific Balance" can empower formulators to create more effective, sustainable, and high-performance paints and coatings that meet the evolving needs of industry and society.

Speaker

Sam Morell
President
samMorell.com

Sam Morell is a Chemical Engineering graduate of New York University. With over 50 years in the Chemicals industry, his experience includes both technical and marketing positions at Rohm and Haas, BASF, and Air Products and Chemicals. Mr. Morell has authored numerous technical articles on additives, pigments, and resins in various publications including PCI Magazine, Modern Paint and Coatings, The American Ink Maker, and Adhesives Age. He has been invited by various domestic and international industry symposiums, as well as Fortune 500 companies, to present both technical papers and educational courses. These include The American Coatings Show, The Waterborne Symposium, The European Coatings Show, and Coatings Trends and Technologies.

Bio-Based, PFAS-Free Additive for Powder Coating Texturing

The use of powder additives based on PTFE is a well-established approach to imparting a range of texturing and tactile effects in powder coatings. With the current regulatory activity growing around the use of PFAS substances, which includes PTFE, there is a desire to find alternate approaches to texturize powder coatings. This presentation will introduce a new bio-based powder that can provide a range of texturing effects in powder coatings.

Speaker

Richard Czarnecki
Vice President
Micro Powders, Inc.

Rich joined Micro Powders in 2011 as Technical Director and is currently the Vice President. He has over 35 years of experience in the coatings and inks industries and has lead formulation and polymer synthesis teams at companies including Sun Chemical and Zeneca. Rich holds 10 US patents.

New Developments in Emulsion and Dispersion Stability Analysis

Dispersions are multi-phase mixtures consisting of substances that are insoluble in one another. One phase is the continuous phase in which small particles of the other phase are dispersed. A suspension consists of a liquid continuous phase and dispersed solid particles. In an emulsion the dispersed particles are small droplets of another liquid, and a foam consists of a liquid continuous phase and dispersed gas bubbles. Instruments using optical scanning methods for stability analysis of emulsions and dispersions have been available for the past 25 years but before today, were not capable of true particle size analysis since they generally operated with only a single-wavelength light source. This lecture will introduce a new optical scanning capability whereby the same sample can be tested with two different wavelengths of light, both near-infrared and near-ultraviolet. This is a significant development because comparing measurements made on the same sample at two distinctly separate wavelengths of light will be shown to give higher sensitivity to smaller particles. It therefore gives the opportunity to yield more accurate particle size distribution, a capability long-desired by the coatings industry. In addition, 'freeze and thaw' impact on the stability of coatings is becoming increasingly important as new coatings are being created, targeted for very specific extended temperature-range environments. This lecture will also introduce a new and unique capability for fully-automated freeze and thaw emulsion and dispersion stability analysis experiments.

Speaker

Hieu Ngo
Technical Sales Engineer
DataPhysics Instruments USA Corp.

Hieu Ngo has been with DataPhysics Instruments USA for over three years, serving as a Technical Sales Engineer. He is trained extensively in surface and interfacial science methods including surface tension, surface energy, emulsion and dispersion stability analysis, as well as zeta potential measurement. He supports DataPhysics customers through hands-on training, applications development, technical support, and is responsible for organizing onsite technical seminars. Hieu received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Prior to his role at DataPhysics Instruments, he worked at Specialty Product Technologies and also Pike Telecom.

Next-Generation Organic Rheology Modifiers

Conventional first- and second-generation organic rheology additives are finely micronized waxy powders based on castor oil derivatives and their combinations with fatty acids and/or amides. Such organic materials are used as thixotropic additives in solvent-based and solvent-free (100%) liquid coating and adhesive systems. They deliver specific storage stability and help to avoid settling and enable the application of the required layer thickness to vertical surfaces.

In addition to the rheological properties, sustainability and environmental compatibility, as well as the ease of handling, are ever more important. The new generation of organic rheology additives allows incorporation and reliable activation at significantly reduced temperatures compared to conventional rheology additives, which significantly reduces energy demand and increases process reliability.

This presentation shows how the latest-generation organic rheology additives meet the requirements for environmental friendliness, performance, and ease and safety of handling increasing overall effectiveness, while also being FDA-compliant.

Speaker

Marcelo Herszenhaut Commercial Manager, Surface Technology BU
Lehmann & Voss North America

Marcelo Herszenhaut received his B. Sc. in Chemical Engineering in 1984. He has worked in the petroleum and petrochemicals, polymers, coatings, and fiber industries in technical as well as in sales, marketing, and management positions. Marcelo is currently the Commercial Manager for Lehmann & Voss North America, responsible for the Surface Technology business unit, which includes rheology modifiers and functional fillers.

Waterborne Silicone Resin for High-Temperature-Resistant Coatings

Silicone-based polymers and additives are widely used for formulating highly durable coatings due to their inherent resistance to heat, UV, and chemicals. For automotive, industrial, and other specialty coating markets that require very high temperature resistance up to 600 C, cross-linked silicone resins with phenyl functionality are preferred to meet target performance and hardness. Such coatings are typically solvent-based, and one contributing factor is that suitable silicone resins are primarily available as solutions in solvents like xylene or toluene. These solvent-based silicone resins usually exceed volatile regulatory requirements, which are not sustainable solutions in today’s market. It is very challenging to produce silicone resins that are solvent-free due to their high viscosity and reactivity. Also, producing these as waterborne emulsions or dispersions pose challenges related to high reactivity in water and lack of shelf-life stability.

In this presentation, a new silicone resin emulsion will be introduced that overcomes these challenges and can be used to prepare waterborne and low-VOC coatings. Model formulations using this waterborne silicone resin were developed using multiple pigments like titanium dioxide, iron oxide, aluminum, etc. These formulations were easy to process, with excellent application profile, and became tack-free at room temperature in short time. After thermal curing above 150 C ,the resulting coatings demonstrated excellent performance like thermal resistance, hardness, adhesion, and corrosion resistance.

Speaker

Stephanie Yates
Advanced Application Development Engineer
Momentive Performance Materials

Stephanie Yates is an Advanced Application Development Engineer with Momentive Performance Materials in Pearl River, New York. With 24 years of formulation experience, her primary focus includes coatings for architectural and industrial applications. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a BS in Chemistry and holds an MBA from the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh.

Why Using Defoamers in Latex Paint Formulations Can Be Quite Troublesome

Defoamers in latex paints have the task of keeping bubbles down that appear both during the production process (grinding, let-down) as well as during packaging, mixing before application and the application itself using various techniques. The operation of defoamers is well known, however, the theory of defoaming still requires appropriate application knowledge regarding the selection of the type of defoamer, dose and method of incorporation, e.g. in the grinding, let-down stage or divided between these processes. The presentation will discuss issues related to solving problems and properly building recommendations for defoamers and their use in latex paint formulations for walls and wood, using research on the development of such formulations and defoamers dedicated to the U.S. market.

Speaker

Artur Palasz, Ph.D.
Technical Director
Spektrochem Technical Center of Raw Materials for Architectural Paints

Artur Palasz is a chemist specializing in architectural coatings, their formulating and testing. He is the R&D Director in the Spektrochem Technical Center and cooperates with leading manufacturers of raw materials for paints in the field of developing starting point formulations, investigating the effectiveness of raw materials, and testing of paint and coatings. He is the author of numerous technical articles in global coatings journals, as well as a speaker at many coatings conferences in the United States and Europe. He is passionate about traveling and the creator of electronic music.

Introduction to LED UV Curing Coating Applications  Customer Case Studies

North American manufacturing is a very competitive landscape, and LED UV-cured technology offers a low-energy consumption and sustainable coating solution. Customer case examples will be presented outlining the energy savings and VOC reductions based on several unique customer applications.

Speaker

Rich Leonard
Sales Director
Allied UV

Rich has 28 years of experience in industrial coatings. He has a BS in Applied Science from Eastern Michigan University.

Eliminating VOC Emissions in your Manufacturing Process and Much More with UV LED Coatings Technology

Imagine being able to eliminate all VOCs in your manufacturing process – thousands of pounds of VOCs per year, while producing faster, using a smaller physical footprint, and less overall energy costs.

Speaker

Michael Kelly
Chief Customer Officer
Allied UV

Mike has over 40 years of manufacturing experience. He received his BS in Industrial Engineering from Iowa State University, his MS in Management from Central Michigan University, and his MS in Finance from Walsh College.

New Generation of Sustainable Alternative Resin Systems for High-Performance Coatings

There has been increasing pressure on industries to develop and offer high-performance resin systems that are sustainable while maintaining or enhancing their performance benefits. Many of the incumbent resin systems are based on hazardous components that are challenging their future usage. For example, isocyanate compounds in polyurethanes, Bisphenol-A in epoxy resins, and the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in fluoropolymers make them targets for their replacement.

Building on our patented sol-gel coating technology and by harnessing developments in novel cross-linking chemistries, our research group at Coating Research Institute of Eastern Michigan University has developed sustainable alternative resin systems for high-performance coatings. This new generation of environmentally friendly resin system is meticulously designed with alkoxysilane (and optionally other types of) reactive functional groups onto a robust polymer backbone of varying chemical structures, morphology, and molecular weights. One of the most interesting attributes of this novel resin system is its capability to cure under ambient conditions, by UV exposure, or by thermal curing – significantly expanding its end-use application space. This presentation will highlight polymer design, cure-study, and some test results that demonstrate this technology’s potential for high-performance applications.

Speaker

Vijay Mannari
Director, Coatings Research Institute
Eastern Michigan University

Dr. Vijay Mannari is a Distinguished Professor and Director of Coatings Research Institute at Eastern Michigan University. He has more than 30 years of combined experience in the field of polymeric materials and coatings, in industrial R&D, technical consulting and in academia. Prof. Mannari, a gifted teacher and accomplished researcher, is recipient of number of awards and accomplishments, including Michigan Governor’s Green Chemistry Award in 2012, and very recently inducted to the National Academy of Inventors (RadTech). He is a co-author of more than 60 research papers, nine patents, one technical book, and five book chapters. His research interests include development of sustainable polymers and coating materials, sol-gel derived functional coatings, photo-curable coatings, non-isocyanate polyurethanes, and study of structure-property relationship in polymeric materials. Dr. Mannari is also very active in conducting professional development training, serving many professional organizations, and as member of technical advisory boards.

Using Temperature to Simulate Thixotropy in 100%-Solids Coatings

Thixotropy is a very valuable property widely exploited in modern coating formulations to control the flow out in the film. This is usually achieved with rheology modifiers that create this “shear-thinning” behavior.

In conventional solventborne and waterborne coatings, this is virtually the only way to achieve this behavior as temperature simultaneously affects both viscosity and solvent evaporation (including water). In 100%-solids coatings however, temperature can be used to simultaneously modify viscosity, reduce the need for monomer thinners, and control the flow out in the film.

In this presentation we will:

• define thixotropic behavior and why it is important in coating applications to achieve the desired surface finish;
• introduce the “temperature hierarchy” in a coating operation;
• compare and contrast key similarities and differences between conventional and energy cure coatings;
• identify the unique properties and behaviors of 100%-solid UV/EB coatings that allow temperature to generate “thixotropic-like behavior” in film formation;
• contrast the leveling times available in conventional and energy cure coatings and the influence of the shortened cure cycle.

Speaker

Michael Bonner
Vice President of Engineering & Technology
Saint Clair Systems, Inc.

Michael Bonner is the Vice President of Engineering & Technology for Saint Clair Systems, Inc., a leading supplier of process temperature and viscosity control equipment for industrial fluid dispensing systems. A degreed electrical engineer, over the years he has spent time in a wide variety of industries including audio systems, medical equipment, HVAC and appliance controls, metal stamping, even the manufacture of gasoline pumps. For the last 25+ years, however, he has focused on the science of point-of-use temperature and viscosity control in fluid dispensing processes.

Sustainable Technology Enhances the Future of Colorant Tinting Systems

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the architectural waterborne coatings industry, whether to meet regulatory requirements or growing customer and consumer demands. One of the primary issues facing traditional colorants is the ever-increasing pressure to provide products free of biocides, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other additives. Meeting these requirements without compromising coating performance is an ongoing challenge for colorant producers. VOC-free colorants, while more environmentally friendly, come with their own set of challenges, including mold and bacteria formation, sedimentation, extended colorant drying times and the necessity for additional thickening in the waterborne coatings system.

Various challenges of traditional VOC-free colorants can also extend to the point-of-sale equipment systems used for dosing. These systems can lead to extended downtimes due to colorant changes, increased colorant consumption driving up ownership costs, issues like mold formation, tube clogging and tip drying, as well as syneresis-related problems. These obstacles can cause significant and untimely delays for coatings companies, result in higher ownership costs, and ultimately increase the carbon footprint within the supply chain.

To address these challenges, Vibrantz Technologies developed a novel breakthrough technology, a high-performing and sustainable solution that revolutionizes the colorant tinting process. As the architectural waterborne coatings industry’s first and only volumetrically dosed tinting system of solid colorants designed for use in architectural and industrial waterborne paint applications, this technology offers several key sustainability benefits, many performance enhancements, and a decrease on the carbon footprint of traditional liquid colorants.

Speaker

Ramon Lozada
Global Product Manager, Architectural Coatings
Vibrantz Technologies

Ramon Lozada is the global product manager for architectural coatings at Vibrantz Technologies (formerly Chromaflo), the leading global supplier of colorants and tinting concepts for architectural and industrial coatings and plastics. With more than a decade of coatings experience, Lozada joined Vibrantz in 2018 as a color scientist, later incorporating his technical service expertise into product management. Prior to Vibrantz, Lozada has experience as a plant chemist at Sherwin Williams. He has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Toledo and a Master of Business Administration from Youngstown State University.

Improved Coating Performance with Gas Blacks

Carbon black is one of the earliest synthetic materials and certainly the oldest synthetic carbon modification. The colloidal properties and performance of carbon black pigments depend heavily on the manufacturing process. Gas black is a unique process developed to produce a deep, rich black color with special surface characteristics, leading to unique colloidal properties. As a highly engineered paracrystalline carbon material, dispersing and stabilizing carbon black can be challenging, especially high jetness pigment grades with blue undertone. Due to the unique surface chemistry and high area-to-volume ratio associated with the gas black process, grind time can be reduced with good dispersion properties, as well as outstanding weatherability. Additionally, higher gloss and improved color properties are enhanced with more finely controlled particle size distribution. This presentation will focus on new developments with the gas black process and their use as high performance pigments in coatings.

Speaker

Vy Vo
Technical Marketing Manager
Orion Engineered Carbons

Vy graduated with Biology and Chemistry degrees in Ohio, and is currently pursuing an MBA at Youngstown State University. Vy has been in the coatings industry for 10 years, and is now Technical Marketing Manager for Orion Engineered Carbons, a carbon black producer, having been with the company since 2022.

A Revolution in Color Management – Prediction of Color Stability

With color being a key criterion in the purchasing decision, color harmony and long-term color stability are a must. Long-term exposure to sunlight can fade a product’s color resulting in the decay of the fluorescent ingredients affecting the appearance of the product.

The outdoor durability of polymers is directly related to color fastness to light, which refers to a dyed polymer’s ability to resist fading when exposed to light. Many modern car interior parts are made with polymers, including lightweight seats, instrument panels, durable upholstery, sound control fabrics, the headliner, dash, and door panels. These parts are often manufactured in different locals and then assembled into one automobile. If over time, the customer’s vehicle interior does not match due to exposure, the customer satisfaction rating could plumet, causing the return of the vehicle. This is why the prediction of color stability is so important.

The combination of color, 60° gloss and fluorescence influence the entire color experience. The prediction of lightfastness, detection and quantification of fluorescence is the next step in the evolution of color measurement. The combination of a spectrophotometer and a fluorimeter in one instrument provides the technology to predict the degradation of fluorescence that affects color stability.

In this presentation we will cover:

• How to predict color stability with elimination of fluorescence over time;
• Different geometries used to measure color;
• Definition and principle of fluorescence;
• How to evaluate fluorescent energy;
• Explanation of stokes shift;
• Fluorescence indices ∆Fl and ∆Ezero;
• Quantitative examples of degradation of florescence over time and its effects on color harmony.

Speaker

Jim MacDonald
Business Line Manager
BYK-Gardner USA

Jim has been with BYK-Gardner USA, a division of Altana, for over 25 years. He is the business line manager for Industrial paint and coatings applications in the U.S. and Canada. Jim is an experienced sales leader supporting organizations with their color and appearance needs. He delivers solutions that enable his customers to bring quality products to market. Jim manages clients while also coaching and developing the skills of other sales people within the organization.

Polycaprolactone Polyols Designed for Polyurethane Dispersions

Polycaprolactone (PCL) polyols can also be used as building blocks in the manufacture of polyurethane dispersions (PUDs). A study will be presented that highlights the how the performance of a PUD can be improved with low-molecular-weight PCL polyols. The work shows that flexibility and toughness can be achieved with minimal effect on other important physical properties of the coating (such as hardness). This study will also demonstrate the performance benefits that can be obtained when using novel PCL diols to create high-performance PUDs developed to create more stain and chemically resistant waterborne coatings. This study will also focus on other additional properties that the novel PCL diols can help improve, such as early hardness development, early water resistance, and adhesion of the coating film.

Speaker

Chuck Jones
Business Development Manager – Advanced Polymer Technologies
Ingevity

Chuck Jones is a Market Segment Manger for Ingevity, and he is responsible for coatings globally. Prior to his current role, he was Technical Manager for Industrial Coatings at BASF Corporation. He has worked in the industry for more than 14 years and is currently located in Charlotte, NC. He earned his B.S. degree in Chemistry from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA and his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Pennsylvania State University.

2K Bio-Based Binders for Wood Floor Finishes

As two-component binders for coatings are continually pushed to be more environmentally friendly to meet increasing sustainability requirements, resin suppliers have responded with a variety of solutions. These efforts have resulted in a wide variety of new and innovative polymer designs to meet environmental compliance while maintaining performance. Increasing developments in renewable bio-based products have led to new and exciting possibilities in various market sectors including decorative, architectural, packaging, and automotive coatings. The scope of this presentation will focus on the application of floor finishing using resins derived, whole or in part, from bio-based sustainable sources. These two-component resins will allow the formulator the ability to make “greener” finishes than previously possible without compromising durability and high performance. A range of bio-based products will be discussed for two-component systems for interior flooring finishes, and performance benchmarked against traditional products made from petroleum-based raw materials.

Speaker

David Folkman
Senior Applications Chemist
Alberdingk Boley

David Folkman has been formulating paints and coatings for substrates ranging from bobby pins to bridges for over 40 years. He joined Alberdingk Boley, a global manufacturer of waterborne resins, including acrylic emulsions and polyurethane dispersions 13 years ago as a senior applications chemist. Prior to that, he worked for a variety of regional and national coatings manufacturers.

Crystal Glass Pigments Revolutionizing the Visibility of Colors

Up to now, increasing (LiDAR) visibility of traffic participants could not be achieved in industrial form-free application. Enter crystal glass pigments, the first in class of a new and innovative type of effect pigments. In a perfect symbiosis with existing metallics and pearlescents, these pigments open up a new color landscape and play with light, enabling stylists with a new design freedom to incorporate increased visibility for both humans and sensors (e.g. LiDAR) in any design. Setting the stage for the AIPOV (Angular Independent Point-of-View) Visibility Model.

By integrating crystal glass pigments in styling opportunities in cars, motorbikes, bicycles, and accessories, their current color perception is changed as the technology champions the way to a second paradigm shift beyond the existing effect pigments in the color and safety landscape, culminating in the tunable twin-flop aesthetic effect.

Speaker

Paul Mijen
CEO
Ink Invent B.V.

Education: Aerospace Engineering, Technical University Delft & MBA, TIAS-NIMBAS Career Experience: Business Consultancy, followed by Entrepreneurship. Built and sold several companies, the latter (prior to Ink Invent) being built around an innovative product in Medical Devices (Class III Medical Implants). Paul served as CFO/COO and Principal in negotiating the final exit deal to a global party. Role with Ink Invent: CEO, Management Team: Executive Decision Making, Strategic Marketing, Patent Generation & Filing, Financial Management, Leading R&D efforts as a key (analytical) driver of efforts and priorities in output, creative problem solver.

Advanced Polymer Strategies for Enhancing the Performance of Water-Based Exterior Coatings

Polymers used to formulate modern exterior decorative coatings must meet performance challenges that arise from exposure to a broad range of environmental conditions – temperature extremes, sunlight, wind, and air quality. Exterior paint must be hard yet flexible, give strong dirt pickup resistance, maintain color and gloss uniformity, and produce strong water barrier performance.

Modern polymer design techniques offer numerous approaches to meet the exposure challenges of water-based exterior coatings. Key emulsion polymer attributes include multi-phase polymers with hard and soft domains, nanoparticle size emulsions, incorporation of specialty monomers, and use of polymerizable surfactant technology. Polymer design considerations to optimize coating performance are discussed in the framework of low-VOC decorative exterior coating formulations. Featured characteristics, including water resistance, elongation, dirt pickup resistance, and accelerated weathering, demonstrate the capabilities of innovative emulsion polymer design techniques to achieve high-performance exterior coatings.

Speaker

Neal Rogers
Business Development Manager
Vinavil Americas

Neal Rogers is a coatings industry veteran with expertise in architectural coatings performance and durability testing techniques. He has served on ASTM technical committees developing testing standards for polymers and finished coatings. Through his career, Neal has presented many topics at coatings-related technical conferences and is a past recipient of a Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge award. Neal currently works as Business Development Manager for Vinavil Americas.

Enhancing White Pigments for Innovative Coatings

Coatings formulators are commercializing innovative white pigment “enhancers” into new growth applications like architectural decorative surfaces, advanced flooring covers, and cool roof coatings. Specifically, an ultra-pure and engineered silica is being adopted into existing industrial formulations in order to achieve titanium dioxide independence as well as improving the economics and the performance of final applications. This presentation shows the latest research into how these pigment enhancers are offering a unique aesthetic as well as thermal and durability advantages.

Important to all coatings formulators is understanding how they can apply new minerals into their specific formulations. Insights will be shared about how the high surface energy of these white pigments will promote particle dispersion and stabilization of formulations in both water- or solvent-based coatings.  In addition to this, updated research will be discussed around the durability performance, weathering, and stain resistance as compared to titanium dioxide and other white pigments. Finally, beyond these technical aspects, an overview on the economic impact of a reformulation will be considered.  

Speaker

Larry Gibson
Director of Research and Development
Us Silica

Dr. Larry Gibson is the Director of Research and Development for the Industrial and Specialty Products division at U.S. Silica. He has over ten years of experience in the building materials, mining, and chemicals industries, and currently leads a team of experienced scientists focused on developing novel performance-enhancing specialty products from a wide range of industrial minerals. Larry received a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from the University of Notre Dame, and a B.S. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from The Johns Hopkins University.