Better polymerization catalysts and micro-scale coating
characterization help to develop advanced coatings
GLEN MILLS, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Senior Chemist Dr. Andrew Lewis and Senior Scientist Dr. Kyle Price, of
Axalta Coating Systems (NYSE: AXTA), a leading global supplier of liquid
and powder coatings, each presented their developments in polymerization
catalysts and micro-scale coating characterization at the 252nd
American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meeting held in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania on August 21-25. The ACS National meeting draws researchers
and experts in multiple chemistry disciplines from academic and
industrial institutions worldwide.
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Axalta's Senior Chemist Dr. Andrew Lewis (Photo: Axalta)
Polymer resins help to achieve desired structural, performance and
visual aesthetic appearance properties in liquid and powder coatings.
Catalysts are essential for producing many polymer resins that are used
in a variety of coatings including automotive coatings.
“Some catalysts are used in very small amounts, such as at a few parts
per million (ppm) in polymerization processes,” said Dr. Lewis. “Even
low levels of impurities can significantly impact catalyst activity and
subsequently coating properties. We developed methods to identify and
characterize those impurities. These methods help enable us to optimize
catalyst performance to produce better polymers and advanced coatings.”
For many applications, coatings are designed to provide protection and
to enhance appearance. One challenge facing the coating industry is to
develop better coatings that are more scratch resistant.
“Damage to coatings in the form of scratches or marring results in the
deterioration of coating performance and appearance such as loss of
gloss,” said Dr. Price. “We developed micro-scale techniques to measure
and characterize coating defects, including scratches, more accurately
than traditional coating tests. These measurements can help us to better
understand the relationship between scratch resistance and other
coatings’ properties in order to continue to design advanced coatings
for our customers.”
“At Axalta, we uphold our 150-year commitment of producing quality
products for our customers by innovating new coating technologies,” said
Joanne Hardy, Axalta Global Research and Development Director. “With the
emergence of new materials and new processes; coatings are changing and
evolving, especially in the transportation industry. The technical
developments presented by Dr. Price and Dr. Lewis are examples of
Axalta’s commitment and focus on meeting customer needs.”
About Axalta Coating Systems – Celebrating 150 Years in the Coatings
Industry
Axalta is a leading global company focused solely on coatings and
providing customers with innovative, colorful, beautiful and sustainable
solutions. From light OEM vehicles, commercial vehicles and refinish
applications to electric motors, buildings and pipelines, our coatings
are designed to prevent corrosion, increase productivity and enable the
materials we coat to last longer. With 150 years of experience in the
coatings industry, the approximately 12,800 people of Axalta continue to
find ways to serve our more than 100,000 customers in 130 countries
better every day with the finest coatings, application systems and
technology. For more information visit axaltacoatingsystems.com
and follow us @axalta on Twitter and on LinkedIn.
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Source: Axalta Coating Systems