Forty years of NAD microgels as rheology control agents

Today, the major environmental concern of the coating industry is the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). One of the main objectives of paint manufacturers is to reduce the level of VOCs in their products in order to comply with increasingly strict environmental legislation while improving the final coating properties. The preparation of solventborne coatings with High Solids is one of the approach to lower the VOC. Although High Solids coatings have lower levels of solvents than do conventional coatings, the final film after curing may have disadvantages in terms of appearance and performance. Rheological additives such as microgels are the key to overcome most of these disadvantages by insuring excellent flow and leveling while at the same time providing good sag resistance even during baking.