The need to reduce volatile organic compounds (VOC) is undoubtedly the main driver for the growth of water-borne epoxy coatings. As these conventional, water-borne epoxy technologies are becoming standard practice around the world and allow formulated paints to meet today's stringent VOC regulations, there is a developing global trend to further reduce, or even completely eliminate VOC content in water-borne coatings. While in past decades the European market had been the main driver for VOC reduction [1, 2], the Chinese market is now taking a lead role, targeting a reduction of VOC emission by at least 10 % (and up ...