With rising pressure on VOC emission control along with fast-growing construction market, it has become even more challenging for formulators to find the balance between meeting quality standards and complying with legislature restrictions. It is now difficult for traditional ingredients such as Nitrocellulose to meet the regulatory requirements without compromising quality. Eastman Cellulose Esters are engineered solutions to ensure that quality will never be compromised. Stay ahead of the competition and bring innovation to your formulations.
Eastman Cellulose Esters, a family of polymers, offers performance-enhancing properties for coatings. They are supplied as free-flowing powders that can be dissolved in various solvents.
Nitrocellulose's high flammability caused some of the worst industrial accidents in history. It also exhibits high solvent demand, especially in wood coatings. The high solvent demand translates to a high VOC level putting your products subject to rising restrictions on VOC emission.
| Properties | Cellulose Esters & Solus™ | Nitrocellulose |
|---|---|---|
Product form |
White Powder |
Flakes (damped) |
Hazard rating |
Low ✔ |
Highly flammable ⇩ |
Solvent demand |
Lower ✔ |
Higher ⇩ |
Film former |
Excellent ✔ |
Excellent ✔ |
Coating clarity |
Excellent ✔ |
Excellent ✔ |
UV resistance |
Excellent ✔ |
Poor - strong yellowing ⇩ |
Pigment dispersion |
Excellent ✔ |
Moderate ⇩ |
Regulatory |
No restrictions ✔ |
Not allowed in Canadian coatings ⇩ |
| Problem/Difficulty | Benefit of using cellulose esters |
|---|---|
Yellowing lacquers |
Non-yellowing under influence of UV light, Improved weatherability resistance |
Poor adhesion |
High butyryl CABs can be used to improve intercoat adhesion in UV systems |
High drying time |
Faster hardness development, improve dry-to-touch time allowing early stacking and processing of coated products, increase production speed and packaging time |
Low viscosity control |
Help to achieve the optimum viscosity and solids content balance which allows excellent wetting and definition. Enables thinner film formulations |
Finishing defects |
Excellent flow and leveling properties resulting in finishing defects reduction, consistent gloss, and excellent quality appearance |
| Key Attribute | Grade Selection | Grade Examples |
|---|---|---|
Compatibility |
Higher butyryl content |
CAB 551-0.2, 553-0.4 |
Solubility |
High butyryl or hydroxyl content |
CAB 551-0.2, 553-0.4 |
Reactivity |
Higher hydroxyl content |
CAB 553-0.4 |
Toughness |
Higher viscosity |
CAB 381-0.5, 553-0.4 |
Hardness |
Lower butyryl or hydroxyl content |
CAB 381-0.5, 553-0.4 |
Chemical resistance |
Lower butyryl content |
CAB 381-0.5, 381-0.1 |
Moisture resistance |
Lower hydroxyl content |
CAB 550-5, 551-0.2 |
Adhesion |
Higher butyryl and hydroxyl content |
CAB 553-0.4 |
Eastman Solus™ performance additives are the newest Cellulose Esters designed for high-solids solvent-borne systems to meet lower VOC levels with lower solvent demand. Eastman Solus™ grades are engineered with improved compatibility towards alkyd resins commonly used in wood coating formulations. They outperform nitrocellulose in providing excellent yellowing and weathering resistance under UV light. They also provide excellent gloss, hardness development and significantly improved dry-to touch time.
Eastman Solus™ 2100 is designed with significantly lower solvent demand than nitrocellulose formulations. Nitrocellulose binders also undergoes excessive yellowing under UV light even higher than alkyd oils and isocyanates co-binders. Eastman Solus™ 2100 provides improved compatibility to alkyd resins where yellowing resistance is required. It provides faster drying time, improved gloss and excellent chemical resistance then Nitrocellulose binders.
Click here to learn more about Eastman Solus™ 2100
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