A Brief Discussion on the Odor and VOCs of Waterborne Eco-Friendly Coatings (Part Two)
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Time：2023-05-22 16:44
Last time, we introduced the odor of water-based coatings; this time, we'll focus on VOCs in water-based coatings.
VOC (VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS) is the abbreviation for volatile organic compounds, one of the most common air pollutants in non-industrial environments. The main components of VOCs include hydrocarbons and halogenated hydrocarbons. The materials used in interior decoration, which we interact with most in our daily lives, are the main source of indoor VOCs. Common sources of indoor volatile organic compounds include building materials, carpets, furniture, paint thinners, adhesives, and plastic products.
Generally speaking, the less VOC a material contains, the less harmful it is to the human body. Various countries have also imposed restrictions on the VOC content of coatings and other decorative materials. This article briefly introduces VOCs related to coatings.
Definition of VOC
Table 1 lists the VOC terminology according to the national standards GB/T 5206-2015 "Terminology and Definitions of Paints and Varnishes" and GB/T 35602-2017 "Green Product Evaluation Coatings".
Table 1: Relevant VOC Definitions from National Standards
| Chinese Name | English Abbreviation | Definition |
|
Volatile Organic Compound |
VOC (volatile organic compound) |
At normal temperature and pressure in the surrounding atmospheric environment, Any organic liquid and/or solid that can evaporate naturally. |
However, VOCs have different definitions in different international organizations. One category is the general definition of VOCs, i.e., volatile organic matter, or volatile organic matter under certain specific conditions.
Another category is the definition in terms of environmental protection, i.e., the type of volatile organic matter that causes harm (volatilization and participation in atmospheric photochemical reactions). See Table 2 below for details:
Table 2: VOC Definitions from Different International Organizations
| American ASTM D3960-98 | Any organic compound that can participate in atmospheric photochemical reactions |
| United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) | Except for CO, CO2, H2CO3, metal carbides, metal carbonates, and ammonium carbonate, any carbon compound that participates in atmospheric photochemical reactions. |
| International Standard ISO 4618/1-1998 | At normal temperature and pressure, any organic liquid and/or solid that can spontaneously evaporate. When determining the VOC content, any organic compound with a boiling point or initial boiling point below or equal to 250℃ under normal pressure conditions is specified. |
| German DIN55649-2000 | |
| World Health Organization (WHO, 1989) | A general term for volatile organic compounds with a melting point below room temperature and a boiling point between 50 and 260℃. |
Main Sources of VOCs in Water-Based Coatings
⚪ Residual monomers of film-forming substance emulsion
⚪ Film-forming auxiliaries
⚪ Freeze-thaw stabilizer
⚪ Preservatives
Impact of VOCs
⚪ Participate in photochemical reactions, forming photochemical smog
⚪ Some halogenated hydrocarbons volatilized into the atmosphere can damage the ozone layer, leading to excessive high-energy ultraviolet radiation
⚪ Irritate the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, etc., causing discomfort to human organs
⚪ Genotoxicity and carcinogenicity
With the development of China's coating technology and the increasingly sound environmental protection regulations, more and more environmentally friendly coating products are emerging, and the VOC content in coatings will inevitably become lower and lower. Haochang Chemical selects well-known brands that lead the development of the water-based industry as suppliers. With the aim of human health, environmental protection, and sustainable development, we provide water-based resins, emulsions, color pastes, and various auxiliaries (antifoaming agents, leveling agents, wetting dispersants, film-forming auxiliaries, rheological agents, bactericides, freeze-thaw stabilizers, matting agents, etc.) to meet the ever-increasing demand for low-odor, low-VOC green environmental protection.
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