Career Seminar Series
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Mr. Stan Brownell is a GT alumnus and a Senior Research Scientist in the Synthesis of Dow Coating Materials. Before his research talk at noon in MoSE 1201A, he will be meeting with undergraduate students. Free pizza will be provided. Come and ask him any questions about life as an industrial chemist, his research, opportunities after graduation, and anything else!
Date: Tuesday 2/16/2016
Interaction with students (Free pizza!)
Time: 11am-12pm
Research talk: Coatings with Improved Eco-Footprint through the use of Polymer Pigment Composites
Time: 12:05pm - 12:55 pm
Location: MoSE 1201A
Abstract: In the United States, approximately 700 million gallons of house paint are produced each year. Practical adsorbing latex polymer technology is a new innovation in the coatings industry which offers the ability to improve the sustainability while lowering the cost of paint. This is accomplished by reducing dependence on TiO2, a key raw material with a large impact on the environmental footprint of white and pastel paint bases. This novel technology replaces the conventional paint binder with a smarter material which does everything the conventional binderdoes while additionally improving pigment efficiency. These polymeric pre-composite binder particles have been designed to interact with coatings grade TiO2particles. By employing pre-composite binders during the standard paint making process, pigment / polymer composites self assemble which result in a more ordered distribution of TiO2 in the paint film, improving not only hiding but barrier properties as well.
Pre-composite polymers offer a powerful advantage by combining improvements in sustainability, performance,and economics. This innovative technology provides cost-efficient improvements in key sustainability metrics as demonstrated by a third-party validated life cycle assessment. Production of this technology is measured by millions of pounds and was recently awarded a US EPA Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award.
