Mar 29 2011
Megatrends such as worlwide population growth and urbanization but also the individualization and aging of societies are manifestations of major global changes. All of them have an effect on the climate, power generation, mobility and technological developments. Last but not least, they play a part in shaping the world in which we live and work.
Concepts that could address the broad spectrum of these trends increasingly require sustainable product innovations for the development of material solutions that help to reduce energy consumption and improve the quality of life.
Innovative coatings and adhesives formulated with polyurethane raw materials from Bayer MaterialScience offer solutions for numerous challenges in these areas. They satisfy the requirements arising from the aspiration of a sustainable reduction of CO2 emissions and fossil fuel independence, as well as from increasingly urgent calls for "green" products in the widest sense of the word. Finally, they help to open up long-term growth opportunities in numerous industries.
Smart solutions for the challenges of today and the future
"Our industry harbors tremendous potential for future innovations, particularly when it comes to green and ‘smart’ solutions that could offer new functionalities," says Dr. Joachim Wolff, Member of the Executive Committee of Bayer MaterialScience and Head of the Coatings, Adhesives and Specialties segment. "Not only is there a clear trend toward solvent-free coating and adhesive systems, the primary focus is the development of coating technologies for all industries that are environmentally friendly in every respect.
At the 2011 European Coatings Show, Bayer MaterialScience is presenting an abundance of developments for very diverse applications and industries on 340 square meters at Stand No. 129 in Hall 7A. Theme islands provide information about the latest solutions for the coating of wood, metal, plastics, textiles and glass substrates as well as on adhesives and construction topics.
An interactive table enables vistors to experience Bayer MaterialScience’s innovative developments for global megatrends in an entirely new dimension. A simple navigation system links various topics together, showing how the company’s products shape our lives in a positive and sustainable way, now and in the future.
Innovative developments are the driving force for sustainability
Coating and adhesive developments today must not only be in harmony with societal needs and trends, they must also protect the environment. The reduction or even the total elimination of solvent emissions is the precondition for sustainable coatings developments at Bayer MaterialScience. The company offers multiple technologies for achieving this goal. The focal points here are waterborne dispersions and 100-percent solids solutions, such as those used in UV-curing coatings.
Modern polyurethane systems also help to conserve resources and energy during the coating process, for example, and enable the coated products to retain their value for years to come. Bayer MaterialScience also develops innovative solutions for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and not least for the protection of health.
The motto for many current developments is often "less is more." This applies, for instance, to waterborne systems, coatings with low solvent or high solids contents and systems with reduced residual monomer content. Other trends include reduced coat thicknesses, faster curing and innovative production and application technologies aimed at significantly reduced energy consumption. Besides the continuous efforts to optimize quality with respect to application, service life, brilliant appearance and high-quality haptics, it is these sustainability aspects that are largely driving current developments in the coatings and adhesives sector.
The company is also working within the framework of the Bayer Climate Program to continuously optimize its own production processes to better protect the climate. For example, the use of innovative technologies enabled carbon dioxide emissions from plants for the production of hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) and toluene diisocyanate (TDI) to be reduced by roughly one metric ton per metric ton of production capacity per year.
Creating and preserving value with polyurethane coatings and adhesives
When used in anti-corrosion applications, for example, polyurethane coatings also help the coated goods to retain value for an extended period. In the automotive industry, these coatings enable not only greater customization in the finishing of bodies and steel bodies, they also extend the service life of the bodies and thus help to conserve resources. In the construction industry, and particularly with steel structures such as bridges or facades, modern anti-corrosion systems contribute to the excellent weatherability and robustness of the components, leading to lower maintenance costs over the long term. Additional focal points of innovative raw material developments by Bayer MaterialScience are improving the appearance and the precise adjustment of the haptics of surfaces. Both enhance the value of the finished parts. One example are high-grade automotive topcoats, which in addition to providing high gloss also protect the coating system against the effects of weather and mechanical loads.
Polyurethane adhesives formulated with Bayer raw materials are often what makes it even possible to manufacture products from individual parts in addition to providing for a long service life. One example is athletic shoes, where high-performance and completely solvent-free adhesives are used for a strong and long-lasting bond between the sole and the upper.