Breakthrough from Perstorp enables top-performance outdoor UV/EB cured coatings

The new application is a significant breakthrough for formulators who are now finally able to secure excellent UV and chemical resistance, hydrolytic stability and outdoor weatherability of UV/EB cured coatings with Oxymer polycarbonate diols for producing urethane acrylate oligomers.  


The Oxymer® range, an extension of their already substantial contribution to UV/EB cured coatings, will help formulators finally secure outstanding outdoor durability in UV/EB cured coatings and meet the growing demands for tougher, longer-lasting end products.


“Our Oxymer® range is already helping formulators achieve outstanding outdoor durability and chemical resistance in polyurethane dispersions and we expect to see similar interest from producers of urethane acrylate oligomers for UV/EB curing,” explains Perstorp Market Development Manager David James.


“Polycarbonate diols represent a winning technology that is growing very quickly and taking market shares from other macrodiols,” Perstorp Business Development Director Håkan Björnberg adds.


The carbonate linkage of polycarbonate macrodiols gives them several attractive properties such as resistance to UV and chemical damage as well as protection against acids and alkalis. Formulators value these properties that now also enhance UV/EB cured coatings and keep high performing end products like automotive coatings and outdoor protective coatings from wearing, even when exposed to direct sunlight, chemical attack, high temperatures and other harsh conditions.


Formulators often face a dilemma when balancing demands on performance and properties of various end products. For elasticity and hydrolytic stability, formulators often rely on polyether polyols, while chemical resistance and outdoor durability require the use of polyester polyols. These polyester polyols, however, inhibit the elasticity and hydrolytic stability of the formulation, creating a troublesome no-win situation. The solution to securing all of those valuable properties at once is Perstorp’s new Oxymer® range.


“We expect to have a competitive advantage in the market since the Oxymer® range is produced based on our own polyols,” Björnberg adds. “This means we can guarantee secure availability, ensure the highest product quality and use our polyol expertise to tailor precise performance properties.”


“We intend to develop the Oxymer® range with new products based on market response,” Björnberg confirms. “Our customers have been very positive to the Oxymer® range since the early stages of our development process and we believe that the Oxymer® products show great potential for success.”


Large-scale production of Perstorp’s Oxymer® polycarbonate diols is up and running as a result of their largest development project in recent years.