Case Study: Aqua~Clear helps significantly lower solvent emissions
DuPont supplies waterborne clearcoat in the world’s first plant that completely coats a car body with waterborne materials.
Application Description
Most automotive clearcoats today are still solvent-based and produce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions upon curing. This OEM facility was the first manufacturing plant to solely use waterborne coatings. This also included the first-time use of a waterborne clearcoat.
Aqua~Clear helps automakers meet future emissions-control regulations.
Materials Selected and Why
DuPont is meeting the emissions challenge with a one component (1K) clearcoat based on an emulsion of an acrylic copolymer crosslinked with a water-miscible melamine resin. The basic chemistry was well-known and proved and has been transferred to an aqueous system. Cured after electrostatic application, this material provides the same performance as a comparable solvent-borne material in typical tests such as acid-resistance, scratch-resistance, adhesion and weathering stability.
