Encapsulation technologies are at the heart of some of today’s most exciting consumer and industrial products, from self-healing paints and coatings to targeted-release agrochemicals. But many of these miracle products are hiding a dirty little secret: formaldehyde.
For most of these products, there is no hard evidence that the levels of formaldehyde they contain present a risk to human health or the environment. However, consumer concerns and regulatory scrutiny are pushing many manufacturers to look for safer alternatives to formaldehyde-based encapsulation technologies. The challenge? Finding replacement encapsulation materials that match the properties that have made formaldehyde resins so popular. Battelle is working to develop formaldehyde-free alternatives using a process we call “Encapsulation by Design.”