Best in class
As a high performance all-acrylic architectural binder, ACRONAL EDGE 4141 lives up to its name of being on the leading edge of technology.
"These products are usually very binder-rich and, especially in deep and neutral bases, can require quite a bit of colorant to build up opacity," says Jack Johnson, Market Segment Manager, Exterior Architectural Coatings.
"What this ends up doing is softening the film to the point where it can't perform for things like block resistance and print resistance, which is where this polymer is designed to shine. It's going to offer everything in a trim and paint enamel for interior and exterior use that you could want."
Johnson explains that its use of morphology and monomer composition has been harnessed to develop hardness while retaining the flexibility you would need for exterior products to reduce problems like cracking.
"It's very easy to drive just hardness, but to get that weatherability you need from an interior and exterior polymer, you need to balance it with flexibility. That's the traditional challenge for this type of coating."
Taking all of this into account, there are several applications in which ACRONAL EDGE 4141 could be used. Interior and exterior trim, cabinets, and doors are just some examples, along with high frequency surfaces and high traffic areas that encounter lots of wear and tear.
"Think about doors," Johnson continues. "You need to be able to close them without the paint peeling when you open them. That's where block and print resistance become very important. Painted furniture is another. If you want to put a magazine down, you don't want the print to stick to it when you pick it up."
Pushing the envelope
Beyond application in architectural coatings, the product is showing potential with impressive performance in other markets.
Take industrial coatings as an example.
"We are looking to bridge the gap between architectural and industrial coatings, enabling high-performance latexes that allow for reduced VOCs," says Shelby Kellogg, Technical Specialist and Team Leader, Dispersions & Resins North America, referring to the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by common formulation components such as solvents and coalescents. "ACRONAL EDGE 4141 was evaluated, and the industrial group saw good gloss development potential and corrosion resistance."
Another area that's being explored is the porch and floor sector. "We recently tried to apply it to a porch and floor coating, and it performed well," Yasmin Akoum, BASF Chemist, Paint Applications, says. "It's not finalized yet but compared to a lot of commercial resins on the market, this really stood out."
We are looking to bridge the gap between architectural and industrial coatings, enabling high-performance latexes that allow for reduced VOCs.
Shelby Kellogg
Technical Specialist and Team Leader, Dispersions & Resins North America
Kellogg shares that concrete sealer and stain, bonding primer for masonry and wood substrates, and deck stains are other future projects being explored.
There's also an environmental benefit. Akoum explains how it's targeted for low to ultra-low VOC applications, with less than 50 grams per liter used in the final product. Plus, thanks to its high weatherability, the product promotes sustainability through color and gloss retention, requiring less recoats and maintenance.
A call for customers
As BASF dives deeper into this unique chemistry, the boundaries for performance and application are only going to be pushed further.
Kellogg notes how this positions the product excellently for customers, allowing them to consolidate multiple products in their plants.
"This helps with their supply chain and the overall value proposition of the product," she says. "It's better for us, our customers, and the consumer who ends up with products that perform well."
For more information on ACRONAL EDGE 4141, click here.