|
|
 |
|
May 23, 2006
Breakthrough Method with 2-Ethylhexanoic Acid
We have succeeded in innovating a breakthrough method of using 2-EHA to produce stable transparent liquid calcium octoate for paint driers. A year's worth of research lies behind this success that achieves nearly 10% metal content, as opposed to the mere 5% of existing products, securing considerable cost savings for our customers.
The latest innovation from our R&D team is a method for producing high metal content paint driers with our well-known product, 2-EHA. This method is expected have a great impact on the market thanks to the resulting high metal content in the final product allowing our customers to achieve considerable cost savings in their metal carboxylate applications.
"Our 2-EHA delivers great advantages when compared to results with competitive acid products," reports Robert Jansson, Senior R&D Associate, who led the research team in Porvoo, Finland.
Isooctanoic and isononanoic acid are the workhorses of this application but due to their decreasing availability and high prices, customers have been calling for an alternative. We responded to that need by immediately starting up a research project on the feasibility of 2-EHA as that replacement. The possibility of using 2-EHA for the preparation of high metal content calcium octoates has been ruled out by some industry publications. That conclusion seems to have been generally accepted by the industry but Jansson and his team were not convinced. "The reasons why 2-EHA would not work in this application were not stated so clearly so we did a study and to our great satisfaction it turned out to be possible." Jansson explains.
"This is a perfect example of our company responding to the needs of the market and we are very happy with the results," observes Tomas Eriksson, Product Manager for 2-EHA.
The main customer groups that stand to gain are producers of alkyd paint driers for decorative and high gloss indoor and outdoor house paints but the product can also be used in PVC flooring as a heat stabilizer. This innovation is expected to increase market share in an entirely new arena for us. Eriksson is pleased with the initial response from our customers who have begun to use the new method. Besides the release of a technical information leaflet describing the process, we are also able to offer technical support to our customers.
|
|
|
|
