At this year's European Coatings Show (ECS), to be held on March 29 to 31 in Nuremberg, Germany, BASF will present its wide-ranging expertise in the field of formulation additives. The company will showcase its innovative solutions in the areas of dispersing agents, defoamers, rheology modifiers and slip & leveling agents, featuring the combined product portfolio of BASF and recently acquired Cognis. The company's expertise in formulation additives will be the focus of a special section at the BASF booth (No. 421, Hall 7A).
Efficient high-performance solutions
Among the dispersing agents to be presented will be the new Efka series of premium dispersants for inkjet and energy-curable inks. Efka 7701, Efka 7731 and Efka 7732 provide superior rheological properties, higher millbase pigment loading and good pigment dispersion stability. The new series facilitates the development of best-in-class printing inks that set new performance benchmarks for the whole industry.
Another new formulation additive that will be introduced at the ECS is Foamstar A 38, a defoamer for high-quality water-based architectural and industrial applications. It provides efficient defoaming performance in glossy paints for industrial maintenance, OPVs (printing inks) and parquet lacquers. In addition, it delivers excellent foam knock-down, thanks to its synergistic combination of hyper-branched polymers and organo-modified silicones.
BASF will also feature Dehydran SE 2, a high-performance silicone-polymer emulsion defoamer for premium water-based paints and clear coats. It offers good foam suppression and long-term persistency, is highly compatible and easy to handle, and minimizes gloss reduction. As Dehydran SE 2 is VOC-free and has an ultra-low SVOC content, it also helps manufacturers to formulate paints and clear coats that meet the requirements of environmental standards and safety certifications, such as the German TÜV, Green Seal GS‑11, the EU Ecolabel and the Blue Angel.
Strong portfolio
In the range of rheology modifiers, BASF will launch DSX 3801, a new VOC-free mid-shear rheology modifier with excellent ICI thickening. The ICI build of the thickener clearly exceeds that of benchmark water-based products, even at lower dosages. Due to the high efficiency and improved performance of DSX 3801, a smaller amount of it is needed in formulations - a "do more with less" approach that delivers sustainability benefits. Rheovis 162, meanwhile, is a rheology modifier of outstanding efficiency, with a genuine thixotropic effect that makes it ideally suited to non-dripping stains and paints.
BASF's experts will also provide information about the wide range of slip & leveling agents available to improve the performance of customers' products. Well-established brands such as the Efka 3000 series increase slip and surface smoothness, and can provide a "soft-touch" effect. Due to their broad compatibility, Efka slip & leveling agents are suitable for use in high-gloss clear coatings without causing haze.
"Thanks to our comprehensive expertise we can provide our customers with a broad range of tailor-made solutions," says Mark Dorn, Head of BASF's Global Business Management for Formulation Additives. "The portfolios of formulation additives complement each other very well. We are very much looking forward to exhibiting at this year's European Coatings Show."