SUSTAINABILITY
Uralac® Ultra Technology: A Better Solution for Coating Heat-Sensitive Substrates Sjoerd de Jong DSM Coating Resins, Waalwijk, The Netherlands
uralac.ultra@dsm.com
R
oyalbDSM is a globalbscience-
performance, environmentally friendly
based company active in health,
alternative to traditional solvent-borne paints.
The evolution of powder coatings for heat-sensitive substrates
nutrition and materials with
These attributes, together with the unique
From the first commercial attempts in the
solutions that nourish, protect and
aesthetic options that are available with
early 1990s until only a few years ago, powder
improve performance in a wide range of
powder, have made it the preferred coating
coatings available for heat-sensitive substrates
end markets. Fortune Magazine recently
have provided a viable solution to drive a shift
ranked DSM number two in its 2017
away from liquid coatings. However, the new
‘Change the World’ list of 50 companies that are making an important social or environmental impact through their profit-making strategy and operations. Additionally, DSM has consistently been recognized by the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for integrating sustainability into its business, having been named among the global leaders in each of the last 13 years, and holding the number one position in the sector seven times. One of its business units in particular, DSM Coating Resins, has made a significant contribution to the transformation to sustainable technologies in the field of paints and
technology came with a significant degree of uncertainty about the results that this shift For metalwould yield. based products, powder In terms of thermally-cured technologies, coating is well established as a several factors hindered the widespread high-performance, environmentally adoption of powder coatings; most friendly alternative to traditional prominently, limitations associated with solvent-borne paints. These attributes, together with the unique aesthetic options cure temperature/duration imposed by the poor chemical storage stability that are available with powder, have of catalyzed systems. With regard to made it the preferred coating technology UV-cured powders, the inability to cure for many products. With the launch of complex shapes, difficulty curing some Uralac® Ultra technology by DSM, the colors, limitations on coating thickness benefits of powder coating are now (including poor intercoat adhesion when available for products made with applied in multiple coating layers), have heat-sensitive materials such made the technology unsuitable for many as engineered and natural applications. Aesthetic properties also imposed woods as well.”
coatings. Specifically, the business has
limits, as the available technologies struggled
promoted the shift away from traditional
to achieve the smoothness and gloss versatility
solvent-based coating technologies by
technology for many products. With the launch
requirements of several market spaces.
providing the propositions necessary
of Uralac® Ultra technology by DSM, the
In addition to the limitations imposed by the
for the segment to evolve towards a
benefits of powder coating are now available
available material technologies, advancements
sustainable future.
for products made with heat-sensitive materials
in application and curing process technologies
For metal-based products, powder
such as engineered and natural woods as well
were necessary for powder coatings to gain
coating is well established as a high-
(Fig. 1).
extensive acceptance. The electrostatic
Figure 1: With the launch of Uralac® Ultra technology by DSM, the benefits of powder coating are now available
for products made with heat-sensitive materials.
international PAINT&COATING magazine - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 - N. 53
145