New technology from the LIFE-WB BioPaint project yields water-borne biorenewable short oil alkyd resins for wood coatings

 
The development of water-borne wood coatings is still hampered by a limited set of resin technologies, smaller than for solventborne products. In the EU-funded LIFE-WB BioPaint project, IVM Chemicals is piloting a new production technology that will make available as water-borne resins the same or better biorenewable short oil alkyd resins used in the best solventborne polyurethane paints and varnishes. Such process is being implemented in the existing integrated resin and coating production plant of IVM Chemicals in Parona, Italy. The use of such novel binders is demonstrated in a variety of clear and pigmented coatings for interior or exterior use. Moreover, the same process innovation also enables superior air-drying water-borne alkyds and new resins for water-borne UV formulations. In all these cases, the binders and the coatings using them have a significant and increasing biorenewable content, contributing to the ongoing rapid improvement in sustainability of wood coatings in general.