Chempol

Chempol is an alkyd resin sold by Cook Composites and Polymers (CCP). It was designed in a collaboration with Procter & Gamble for use as an alkyd coating alternative to reduce the need for petroleum-based solvents in high-performance coating applications, such as architectural finishes and industrial metal coating.

Description

Conventional alkyd resin paints and coatings, which are solvent borne, are in high demand because they are cost-effective and perform well in many ways. For example, they work well for architectural finishes, industrial metals, and equipment for agriculture and construction. Solvents are required to give the paints the viscosities they need to have desired qualities, such as fast-drying, high gloss and low odor.

Because they are solvent-borne the pain ts contain harmful chemicals. Solvents also contribute to ground level ozone and smog. Paints with low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are available, but they lack the desired traits that conventional alkyd resin paints have. They also tend to be expensive.

In response to this, Procter & Gamble and Cook Composites and Polymers (CCP) developed an alkyd resin technology that allows the formation of paints and coatings with less than half the VOCs of solvent borne paints and coatings. They were able to do this using Sefose sucrose esters. Sefose is prepared from vegetable- and sugar-based oils rather than petroleum-based oils and are less harmful to the environment. Sucrose esters are produced from fatty acids without using any harmful solvents. Sefose engages in cross-linking with other components in the paint and becomes an integral part in the film, helping its performance.

The new alkyd resin technology was named Chempol. Chempol alkyd resin paints and coatings have many performance advantages such as high gloss, fast drying, and film toughness. If all conventional alkyd resins were replaced by Chempol alkyd resins it could:

• Reduce VOCs equivalent to the emissions from 7,000,000 cars per year
• Reduce ground level ozone by 215,000 tons per year
• Save 900,000 barrels of crude oil per year

Chempol has become a competitive product with conventional alkyd resins because it is equally fast drying. Cook Composites and Polymers released Chempol and began testing in the coating industry in 2008. Procter & Gamble started testing Sefose oils as replacements for all kinds of petroleum-based products.

References

• "2009 Designing Greener Chemicals Award". US-EPA. http://www.epa.gov/greenchemistry/pubs/pgcc/winners/dgca09.html. Retrieved 8 Jan 2011. 
• "Chempol MPS: High Performing Alkyd Technology for Low VOC Paints and Coatings via Highly Functional Sucrose Esters". CCP, P&G. http://www.ccponline.com/pdfs/GrChemNomination09.pdf. Retrieved 8 Jan 2011.