Last year we published an article in this magazine on using polymeric hiding technologies as a means of reducing dependence on TiO2 in paint formulations.1 ROPAQUE™ opaque polymer and EVOQUE™ pre-composite polymer were shown as effective means to partially replace TiO2, reduce formulation cost, and maintain or improve performance properties in architectural coatings. ROPAQUE, a light-scattering pigment, has been a raw material in paints for the last 30 years and its use has steadily grown as the technology has advanced through several generations of development.
The recent price surge in TiO2 and high forecast price through 2015 (Figure 1) have sparked a renewed interest, and formulators are revisiting its use in a wider range of formulations as well as increasing its use in current opaque polymer-containing formulations. Last year, EVOQUE pre-composite polymer was a newly introduced technology for TiO2 reduction, which increased both the wet and dry light-scattering efficiency of TiO2. In this article we focus on the advances made in the past year with this exciting new technology from its initial launch in early 2011 to its full commercialization in 2012.