Environmentally Friendly Surface Coatings from Renewable Fats and Oils.

Fats and oils have long been used in the surface coating industry. However, problems with extended drying times, large amounts of metals to induce drying, high use of volatile organic solvents and inherent lack of durability leading yellowing and embitterment have reduced their popularity. Over the past 40 years water based acrylate paints have taken over and dominated the market. Now health hazards and environmental concerns regarding the use of acrylates are the subject of increasing legislative pressure. In addition the acrylates are derived from non-renewable feedstocks. This poster summarises the joint efforts of Monash University and the DuluxGroup to produce new improved surface coatings from vegetable oils in an environmentally acceptable manner. Attention is being focussed on investigating microwave heating as a more efficient means of small scale resin synthesis. Cross-linking of these resins can then be screened under a range of conditions using various metathesis catalysts.