Advancing sustainability in crosslinkable polyurethane dispersions

 
Performance and sustainability aspects of novel crosslinkable polyurethane dispersions will be discussed by comparing the environmental impact of key resin and formulation components. Isocyanate-, aziridine- and hydrazide-based crosslinkers have the potential to significantly improve coating performance but are highly hazardous additives. In this paper less reactive alternatives of the commonly used external crosslinkers will be evaluated on novel resin compositions that were designed to work more efficiently with these environmentally friendly performance enhancer additives. The polymers were also developed with low VOC requirement (45%) to improve the formulation flexibility and productivity. The new resins could be utilized for exterior and interior protective applications due to their good weatherability, hydrolytic resistance, high gloss, hardness, and scratch resistance being on par with high performance 2K coatings.