Biocide-free architectural coatings: How to use the right additives to formulate silicate-based systems with dispersion paint properties

 
Increasing regulatory pressure and more stringent ecolabel requirements towards in-can and dry-film preservation of architectural coatings represents a big challenge for European and global paint formulators. Together with a growing consumer awareness for a healthier living environment, architectural coatings containing biocides must evolve in order to stay within these boundary conditions. Keeping with the times, the European paint industry has already made some tremendous steps to face this market demand. Examples are additivated dispersion paint formulations to reduce overall biocide content, together with a more stringent focus on production hygiene, finally resulting in a lower microbial load and improved shelf-life. Also, more disruptive approaches are discussed and have already been developed such as powder-based or water-free technologies. Apart from these concepts and very often neglected in the discussion about how to adapt to the market demand for biocide-free paints are silicate and organo-silicate architectural paint systems. These technologies are by definition - and due to their unique chemical profile - free of biocides. One of the reasons though, why these paint technologies have not yet made it to fully compete with biocide containing dispersion paints, especially for indoor applications, are their physical parameters and the resulting poorer handling properties for applicators. During this presentation we discuss our findings on how the right additives for silicate paint systems will help to achieve dispersion paint performance and handling, and therefore represent a biocide-free alternative to current technologies.