Lowering product carbon footprints through careful selection of raw materials
The coatings industry is increasingly focused on reducing the carbon footprint of decorative paint formulations. This work investigates how formulation adjustments can lower the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) while maintaining paint performance and cost efficiency.
A design of experiment (DoE) approach was employed to assess different strategies, including optimising raw materials, reducing titanium dioxide (TiO₂) content, and incorporating bio-based or recycled alternatives. Formulations were developed across multiple resin systems (vinyl acetate ethylene [VAE] and styrene-acrylic) and varying pigment volume concentrations (PVC 40% and 70%). Performance criteria such as opacity, gloss, viscosity, film formation, and carbon footprint impact were evaluated.
The formulations demonstrated that reductions in PCF can be achieved through careful selection of raw materials. TiO₂ optimisation, bio-based binders, and recycled fillers showed strong potential, making these alternatives viable for future coatings development.
Key Findings:
The key findings include:
- TiO₂ reduction: Up to 12.5% of TiO₂ content could be reduced through the use of optimised extenders while maintaining opacity and performance.
- Alternative binders: Bio-based dispersions and mass-balanced binders provided comparable performance to conventional binders.
- Recycled fillers: Upcycled materials, proved to be effective alternatives to conventional extenders, offering brightness and opacity benefits.
Key materials:
The materials used to achieve a carbon footprint reduction include:
- Bio-based and mass-balanced approach dispersions: including VAE and acrylic systems.
- TiO₂ Extenders: Functional fillers such as talc, kaolin, and calcium carbonate to enhance opacity.
- Recycled Fillers: Upcycled eggshell powder as a lower-carbon alternative.
- Additives: VOC-free, bio-based wetting, dispersing, and rheology-modifying agents for application optimisation.
Formulation support:
If you are interested in learning more, please get in touch. By adopting above strategies, you can achieve reductions in the carbon footprint of decorative paints while ensuring high performance and market viability.
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