In recent years, the growth of VOC-compliant coatings has increased dramatically due to requirements designed to reduce the amount of ozone formed in the lower atmosphere through solvent emissions. One of the predominant approaches in achieving VOC compliance has been through the use of high-solids polymers. As a result, there are many types of high-solids polymer technologies designed to assist formulators in producing low-VOC coating formulations to meet these impending regulations.
However, all formulators must now cope with the primary question of how to reformulate their conventional solids technologies, or perhaps to lower the VOC of an existing high-solids product, without imparting undesirable compromises in coating performance. In addition to higher cost, the high-solids alternatives to conventional solids polymers often exhibit performance and/or application problems due to necessary changes in polymer composition imparted to achieve lower solvent content. Typically such changes result in lower molecular weight, lower glass-transition temperatures, and a higher degree of functionality. Thus, the task of reformulation begins.