BioPowder.com Launches Hydrophobic Matting Agents For Paints And Coatings

Kathrin Schilling

Published: 29 January 2020

After a series of tests and industrial trials, the BioPowder.com team proudly presents a new line of functional powders: hydrophobic matting agents. The product, marketed under the trade name BioPowder.com FP (Functional Powder) H50 and H100 is an olive stone powder in the respective micron ranges of 0-50 and 0-100 with fully hydrophobic properties.

This hydrophobicity was achieved through innovative surface treatment with an alkyl silane. Advantageously, only a very minor quantity of this bonding agent was needed to create a fully hydrophobic powder. The silane was applied homogeneously to the particle surface where it is firmly bonded, i.e. not free.

As a consequence, H50 and H100 are natural products with versatile fields of application - especially as a matting agent for paints and floor coatings. Besides, they are intended as hydrophobic bio-fillers for epoxy resins, polyurethanes (PU), alkyd resins and melamine.

Our study produced the following results:

Hydrophobic Matting Agents For Paints And Coatings

A percentage of 10% of H50 and H100 respectively was added to a paint formulation. The first of the four blocks of columns (Standard 0%) represents a standard paint without matting agent, hence a shiny/glossy paint. Its mattedness is low: at different incident angles (20, 60 and 85°), between 50% and 90% of the incident light are reflected.

The second and third block of columns are the result for paint formulations containing 10% of either H50 or H100. H100 has proven slightly more effective - i.e. with stronger matting capacities - at all three incident angles. All three angles have produced a mattedness level of at least 50%.

The fourth block of columns stands for a paint containing 10% of a conventional matting agent (polyethylene powder) with an average micron range of 12-22.

Mattedness is generally measured at an incident angle of 60°: the lower the resulting value, the higher the mattedness or satin effect. In our test environment, H100 produced a mattedness value of 44, compared to a value of 45 when PE is used. In conclusion, BioPowder.com FP H100 and the synthetic polyethylene produce a nearly identical result with H100 being slightly more effective.

The obtained results prove the aptitude of H100 as a bio-based alternative for the conventionally used polyethylene (PE) powder. While polyethylene is a microplastic, H100 is fully plant-based, biodegradable and recyclable. These environmental benefits are paired with an at least equal level of efficiency and a lower density. The latter facilitates lightweight applications, for example coatings in the automotive, aviation and nautical industry.

Advantages at a glance:

  • Fully natural matting agent
  • Proven efficiency at incident angles of 20, 60 and 85°
  • Low density of approx. 0.55kg per l
  • Zero-waste products obtained from circular economy raw materials
  • Excellent dispersability
  • Increases scratch-resistance of diverse coating formulations

The team at BioPowder.com aims at helping paint and coating manufacturers improve their formulations, above all by phasing out microplastic powders. We look forward to providing formulation advice and to be our clients' innovation partner for new developments. Contact us now for more information!

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