Recent Developments in SMA: Bring 'Smell' of Success to Coatings Manufacturers
Leveling agents in floor polishes. Embrittling/anti-resoil agents in rug shampoos. Pigment dispersants in ink, paint and plastics. Coatings for paper and plastics. For years, low-molecular-weight styrene/maleic anhydride (SMA) resins satisfied an increased demand for materials that offer low solution viscosity, high functionality, light color, and water solubility. From carpets and floor care to paper and coatings to leather retanning and textiles, SMA resins have a history of improving performance.
Though they are typically low-level additives, SMA resins are used as matting agents to reduce gloss for epoxy powder coating applications. They provide properties such as heat resistance and leveling for traditional coatings or overprint varnish (OPV) systems. However, SMA resins normally are associated with a distinct odor. A result of the manufacturing process, the odor often eliminates the resins as viable alternatives to competitive additives for a range of applications — until now.