WACKER, the Munich-based chemical company, will be introducing its new NEXIVA® product line at this year’s European Coatings Show. Thanks to these dispersible polymer powders, manufacturers can now produce interior wall paints in powder form. The technology does not require the addition of biocides and offers key advantages when it comes to storing and transporting paints. The 2019 European Coatings Show will be held in Nuremberg, Germany, March 19 – 21.

A WACKER lab assistant checks the hiding power of paint. (Photo Wacker Chemie AG)

Paint containing NEXIVA® in powder form (left) and redispersed with water (right). (Photo Wacker Chemie AG)

A WACKER lab assistant adds pigments to a dispersible polymer powder. (Photo Wacker Chemie AG)

Most wall paints are produced using water-based binders or raw materials. When used in paints, however, water provides a favorable environment for microbes and bacteria. In order to kill these organisms, the paints are typically formulated with biocides to make them last longer. According to the German Paint and Printing Inks Industry Association, one in four buckets of paint will spoil unless preservatives are added. That translates to eleven million buckets per year, at a cost of €470 million. There is a problem with biocide use, however: once the paint has been applied to the wall and begins to dry, liquid components evaporate, allowing biocides to escape into the air. In some people, biocides can trigger allergic reactions upon inhalation or skin contact.

By developing NEXIVA®, WACKER has now created a technology for the production of biocide-free paints. At the 2019 European Coatings Show, the Munich chemical group will present a product line based on spray-dried polymeric binders suitable for producing interior wall paints in either liquid or powder form. Paint manufacturers can use NEXIVA® to create individual paint formulations, just as they can with traditional binders in dispersion form.

Powder paints remain stable, even without the addition of preservatives. Water for redispersing the paints is not added until just prior to application, thus eliminating the need for adding biocides during production. As the paint dries, all that evaporates is water. Thanks to the polymers, the paint adheres well and has good spreading properties. In addition, paints are easier to transport and store when they are in powder form, as they weigh less, for instance, and can be packaged differently from liquid paints. Unlike traditional wall paints, powdered versions do not freeze in the cold, nor do they thicken when exposed to heat.