Team Develops Automotive Clearcoat with Biobased Hardener
LEVERKUSEN, Germany - In the automotive industry, manufacturers and suppliers are working constantly to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions in production. A project team consisting of employees of the car maker Audi, BASF´s Coatings division and materials company Covestro has now passed a new milestone: for the first time, a clearcoat containing a biobased hardener was applied to test bodies of the Audi Q2 under near-series conditions at the Audi plant in Ingolstadt, Germany.
BASF developed the clearcoat using the biobased hardener Desmodur® eco N 7300 from Covestro. A total of 70% of the hardener’s carbon content is sourced from renewable raw materials. This innovation reduces the consumption of fossil resources. The clearcoat forms the top layer of the coating system, lending it scratch resistance, a glossy appearance, and protection against sunlight and other weather effects.