ROMP Insulative Coating Composition for Sprayability and Low VOCs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high solids coating systems face challenges in balancing cure properties with potlife, work time, and viscosity, leading to issues such as unreacted byproducts, VOCs, and toxicity, while ROMP systems have not been widely used due to catalyst selection and sprayability problems.
Innovation Solution
A coating composition utilizing a ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) component with cyclic olefins, metal carbene catalysts, and thermal insulative fillers, allowing for a sprayable, fast-curing, high solids coating system with optimal performance characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If high solids coating systems use low molecular weight resins and lower Tg resins to achieve low viscosity, then sprayability and application are improved, but larger amounts of crosslinker are required leading to unreacted byproducts, increased VOC, and coating toxicity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the resin system by using ROMP polymers with specific molecular weights and glass transition temperatures (Tg between -50°C to 150°C). This allows achieving low viscosity without requiring excessive crosslinker, thereby reducing unreacted byproducts and VOC content while maintaining sprayability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite coating system combining ROMP polymer base resins with specific crosslinkers and optional fillers. This composite approach allows optimization of viscosity and cure properties separately, enabling low viscosity for sprayability while using controlled amounts of crosslinker to minimize harmful byproducts.
2Ease of operation
If high solids coating systems use low molecular weight resins to achieve low viscosity, then sprayability is improved, but potlife is reduced due to faster curing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the glass transition temperature parameter of the ROMP polymer to fall within -50°C to 150°C, and selects molecular weights that provide low viscosity. This parameter optimization allows the coating to remain sprayable while controlling the cure rate to maintain adequate potlife for application.
3Quantity of substance
If ROMP systems use multi-unsaturated cyclic olefins to achieve low viscosity base for 100% solids coating, then sprayability and solids content are improved, but catalyst selection and sprayability problems have impeded widespread use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent selects specific multi-unsaturated cyclic olefins and controls their molecular weight and Tg parameters to achieve low viscosity despite high solids content (100% solids). This parameter control resolves the contradiction between high solids content and sprayability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses carefully selected catalyst systems as intermediaries that enable the ROMP reaction to proceed at controlled rates. The catalyst selection addresses previous sprayability issues by allowing the coating to be applied before catalyst activation, ensuring proper sprayability while achieving complete cure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The ROMP-based coating achieves longer potlife, faster cure times, and lower VOCs, with improved sprayability and performance, suitable for protective and insulative applications on various substrates, including metals.
Implementation Method 1
a ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) component that includes a combination of cyclic olefins having one or more multi-unsaturated groups and cyclic olefins having at least one mono-unsaturated group
Implementation Method 2
at least one metal carbene ROMP catalyst that is a transition metal complex
Implementation Method 3
a thermal insulative filler dispersed within the ROMP component
Data Source
AI summary
An insulative coating system is described herein. The coating system includes a ring-opening metathesis polymer (ROMP) component and fillers selected to provide sufficient to provide a thermal insulative Monomers of the ROMP component are selected to provide optimal Tg, insulative properties, and performance characteristics. Methods to make and apply the insulative coating system to a substrate are also described.