Nov 2 2006
Air Products (NYSE: APD) today introduced Airflex EF833 emulsion, a vinyl acetate-ethylene (VAE) copolymer for architectural coatings from flat through gloss applications, which offers good block resistance, scrub resistance and wet adhesion while also possessing the ability to be formulated at VOCs <50g/l. Airflex EF833 emulsion was developed as a higher performance, cost-competitive replacement for vinyl acrylic/acrylic blends, vinyl acrylics with wet adhesion and pure acrylics.
"As the restrictions on the permissible level of VOCs in coatings continue to increase, it is growing more important that the polymers used in formulations can be used at lower solvent levels without sacrificing performance," said Diane Terry, coatings market manager for Air Products Polymers. "Airflex EF833 only requires a minimal amount of coalescing solvent which allows formulators to develop coatings with significantly lower levels of VOCs."
Typically, low VOC capable binders do not exhibit good block resistance because they are softer than traditional polymers. However, Airflex EF833 emulsion offers the ability to be formulated at low VOCs while providing block resistance similar to that of much harder vinyl acrylic and pure acrylic copolymers. In the case of wet adhesion, Airflex EF833 emulsion provides results similar to many commercially available acrylics. Aside from block resistance and wet adhesion, Airflex EF833 emulsion also offers improved scrub resistance which results in a more durable coating.
Air Products (NYSE: APD) serves customers in technology, energy, healthcare and industrial markets worldwide with a unique portfolio of products, services and solutions, providing atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials and chemical intermediates. Founded in 1940, Air Products has built leading positions in key growth markets such as semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, home healthcare services, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. The company is recognized for its innovative culture, operational excellence and commitment to safety and the environment and is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability and FTSE4Good Indices. The company has annual revenues of $9 billion, operations in over 30 countries, and over 20,000 employees around the globe.