2K waterborne polyurethane wood coatings: As fast as solventborne?

 
Around 40% of the global, industrial, wood coatings market is based on traditional solventborne PU technology - predominantly on aromatic polyisocyanates. Waterborne polyurethane systems are the technology of choice when high-performance but environmentally-friendly solutions are required. The inherently slower drying of waterborne PU solutions, however, has limited the market shift towards this low emission alternative so far. To overcome this hurdle, we have developed a novel, hybrid hydrophilic polyisocyanate. The special product design has created a new milestone in PU chemistry: the introduction of an aromatic crosslinker building block without spoiling the compatibility with water and with a pot-life comparable to standard waterborne 2 component systems. This new hydrophilic PU crosslinker is the first of its kind in the market, which allows waterborne PU to be as fast-drying as well-known solventborne systems. This novel, hydrophilic polyisocyanate will facilitate the transition towards more environmentally-friendly solutions for wood coatings, without any negative impact on productivity.