DESCRIPTION
Scientists at North Dakota State University have developed a polyfunctional waterborne Glycidyl Carbamate (GC) resin, comprising oligomers that provide polyurethane properties with epoxide reactivity. These compounds can be dispersed in water to form a dispersion containing no volatile organic solvent. The tough and flexible coatings produced using this material have high hardness and durability as well as high gloss. A particularly promising application is to use GC crosslinkers as a very minor ingredient in lubricious and other "fragile" coatings, where it provides substantially increased strength with minimal impact on other properties. A commercial advantage of this resin is not having isocyanate water reactions or isocyanate toxicity concerns, but having controlled and safer reactions with amines or other reactive functionality. The technology is a waterborne, solvent-free glycidyl carbamate resin. These resins are produced by reaction of an isocyanate functional resin with glycidol, resulting in a GC product that includes urethane and epoxy functional groups. Aliphatic polyisocyanate is made water dispersible by additions of mPEG, and end-capped with glycidol to produce glycidyl functionality that crosslinks. These may then be crosslinked by reaction with amines, or may self-crosslink at elevated temperature.
Benefits
- May be used as a resin or crosslinker
- Very small amounts dramatically increase hardness and durability without negatively impacting lubricity
- Excellent water resistance, solvent resistance, and flexibility
- Ambient cure temperature
- No VOCs
- Transparent, with no phase change or haziness
- High gloss
Patents
This technology is the subject of US Issued Patent No. 7,776,956, and is available for licensing/partnering opportunities.
