PAVERCOAT 43/100 Low VOC Paints and Coatings

Paints are a versatile and affordable decorating option, but they come with a drawback: chemical content and odour. This is because paint components contain volatile organic chemicals. We refer to these briefly as VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Paints with high VOC content can cause various medical problems such as eye irritation, nose and throat irritation, headaches, loss of coordination and nausea. They can even damage your liver, kidneys and central nervous system. Some of these compounds are known to cause cancer in humans. In recent years, the paint industry has responded to criticism from environmental protection organizations by launching low VOC and VOC-free paints to market, prompted by increased consumer awareness and the known high VOC content of conventional paints. This has begun to raise public consciousness that the production and widespread adoption of low VOC or VOC-free paints is indisputable for the health of society and the environment. VOCs consist of organic chemicals containing hydrogen and carbon that evaporate easily. According to current EPA regulations, conventional paint standards are 250 g of VOC per litre for interior paints and 380 grams per litre for exterior surfaces. Low VOC primers and topcoats are below 50 grams per litre for both interior and exterior areas. Primers and topcoats containing less than 5 grams of VOC per litre are classified as zero VOC.

Paints and coatings manufacturers regard low VOC and zero VOC products as the main drivers of demand in the near future. Global Industry Analysts (GIA) recently published a trend report on latex coatings.

According to the report, increasing demand for low VOC paints and coatings is also driving demand for latex-based resins. Growing awareness of health hazards from high VOC paints and increasing demand for environmentally friendly paints are showing strong growth that will significantly expand the latex-based paints and coatings market. Latex paints and coatings, or water-based emulsion coatings, contain various thermoplastic resin particles coated with an emulsifier to keep particles separate in the liquid phase. Increasing demand for paints and coatings containing low VOCs and the implementation of strict environmental and health safety regulations related to VOCs are expected to drive market growth.

Properties such as low odour and zero VOC content make latex paints and coatings particularly advantageous for industrial applications.

UNİCA has shown significant development in low VOC paints and coatings over the past two years and has initiated work within a programme framework to transform its product range to low VOC and VOC-free products. Alongside the low VOC products it currently produces, it aims to convert a large proportion of its industrial, sports and special-purpose paint production to water-based, solvent-free, low VOC and zero VOC products within the next 2-3 years. In this context, we would like to mention our low VOC product PAVERCOAT 43/100, an epoxy-modified acrylic latex-based product, which we completed R&D work on at the end of 2016 and launched to the market in early 2017. PAVERCOAT 43/100 is a new two-component technology, a water-based epoxy-modified acrylic coating developed specifically for application on printed or unprinted asphalt/concrete surfaces. The system demonstrates significantly better properties than conventional latex coatings in terms of both low VOC and chemical and mechanical performance for industrial and sports floor coatings.

Furthermore, its high SRI (Solar Reflective Index) value, which is an important criterion nowadays, is an important measure in terms of compliance with LEED criteria.

A feature that sets PAVERCOAT 43/100 apart from other standard water-based coatings is the product's high durability even in wet environments. It is a flexible coating with excellent adhesion performance and elongation properties that conform to asphalt and concrete surfaces without cracking. It protects asphalt from harmful UV oxidation caused by atmospheric and climatic conditions, extending the service life of the asphalt. The product has low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) values that meet EPA criteria, and this value is 47 g/litre. For this reason, no unpleasant odour is created either during or after application. It is an acrylic latex-based product suitable for human and vehicle traffic and has high abrasion resistance as a coating. The system is rapidly becoming an alternative system worldwide, both in terms of application difficulty and high costs of commonly used acrylic or rubber coatings. Nowadays, particularly in the United States, Australia and Canada, it is used as a next-generation coating and paint system in asphalt vehicle parking areas, pedestrian crossings, kerbs, pedestrian walkways, parkours, bicycle paths, plazas, entrance and directional markings, and asphalt protection applications.   Ayhan Doruk General Manager Unica Boya