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Chemical companies to watch for 2008: PPG Industries
FOCUS coatings, and nano-sized titanium dioxide and nano silica have been shown to enhance coatings performance. The incorporation of metallic nano-sized particles into organic coatings is also of interest, particularly the addition of nano-sized titanium metallic particles, as a reinforcement to epoxy coatings applied to steel substrates, for enhancing corrosion protection. An article by Zhang and associates examines an epoxy coating, which has been modified with the addition of 5 wt%, 10 wt% and 20 wt% of nano-sized titanium powder. The corrosion performance was studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in a 3.5% aqueous salt solution. In these experiments, a commercially available epoxy resin modified with coat tar pitch was chosen and the various amounts of nano-sized titanium were incorporated by sand milling after the metallic additives were wetted with a mixture of surfactants. A control with no metal addition was included in the assessment. Steel panels were abraded and cleaned with solvents prior to coating with modified epoxy coatings to give a dry film of about 35 mm. The coatings were amine cured at room temperature. Coated panels were kept in a desiccator for one week before testing. The electrolyte was held on the surface of the panels by Perspex cylinder attached to the panel surface by a rubber seal. The panel was used as the working electrode. A saturated Ag/AgCl electrode was used as the reference electrode and platinum foil as the counter electrode. All tests were performed at room temperature. In addition a salt spray test to ASTM B117 was carried out for all samples over 2000 hours. The EIS tests are fully documented in the article and the following results are obtained: the epoxy coating with no added
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titanium exhibited poor corrosion resistance. At 5% addition the EIS spectra showed a noticeable improvement, but the best results were obtained in the 10% addition sample, which showed the lowest diffusion coefficient and the best resistance to corrosion in the salt spray tests. Work is continuing with an evaluation planned to compare the differences between nanosized titanium particles and the effect when micro-sized titanium particles are used as modifiers. Article entitled “Effect of Nano-sized Titanium Powder Addition on Corrosion Performance of Epoxy Coatings” by Xiuzhi Zhang and Associates at the Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China, published in Surface and Coatings Technology, May 2007, 201 (16-17), 72417245
INDUSTRY NEWS Historic coatings plant opened in Russia: Akzo Nobel Powder Coatings Akzo Nobel’s Powder Coatings business has officially opened its first production plant in Russia on a site, which offers ample capacity for future expansion. The facility is situated in the industrial belt surrounding Moscow at Orekhovo-Zuevo. The €13 M investment places the company at the heart of the Central and Eastern European market for industrial coatings, of which Russia has a 46% share. Akzo Nobel Powder Coatings has been very active in Central and Eastern Europe during the past few years, an area which has a GDP equal to that of China. As well as recently expanding its site at Opava in the Czech Republic, the first phase of a €5 M refurbishment, the business has also established a warehouse in Hungary and has a dedicated, state-of-the-art distribution
C OAT I N G S warehouse in Poland. Opening a production facility in Russia is perhaps the most significant development given that in 2006, 80% of the powder coatings used in the country was imported. Two production lines have been installed and are operating at the new facility, with another two scheduled to be up and running by mid 2008. Powder Coatings now operates 28 plants worldwide. Akzo Nobel Matters, 24 Sep 2007, (Sep 2007), 11 (Akzo Nobel nv, PO Box 75730, 1070 AS Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 20 502 7836, Fax: +31 20 205 7604, Website: http://www.akzonobel.com)
Chemical companies to watch for 2008: PPG Industries PPG Industries reported in Jul 2007 that it would acquire Dutchbased paints and coatings producer SigmaKalon for €2.2 bn ($3 bn). A successful deal would reportedly create the biggest coatings firm worldwide with more than $9 bn/y in sales, depending on when the $16 bn purchase of ICI by Akzo Nobel will close, which would render it the leader. In 2006, PPG posted coatings sales of $6.3 bn in 2006. The SigmaKalon acquisition will help PPG secure the top 2 spot in the architectural coatings sector in Europe. PPG would gain a more stable coating presence in Europe, roughly increasing sales twofold to the region and boost its worldwide coatings operations by over 40%. ICIS Chemical Business, 17 Sep 2007, (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
Jotun results May-Aug 2007 In May-August 2007 Jotun, Norway, recorded an operating income of NKR 6.1 bn, NKR 908 M higher than in May-Aug 2006. The figure for pre-tax results was up by NKR 198 M to NKR 687
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titanium exhibited poor corrosion resistance. At 5% addition the EIS spectra showed a noticeable improvement, but the best results were obtained in the 10% addition sample, which showed the lowest diffusion coefficient and the best resistance to corrosion in the salt spray tests. Work is continuing with an evaluation planned to compare the differences between nanosized titanium particles and the effect when micro-sized titanium particles are used as modifiers. Article entitled “Effect of Nano-sized Titanium Powder Addition on Corrosion Performance of Epoxy Coatings” by Xiuzhi Zhang and Associates at the Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China, published in Surface and Coatings Technology, May 2007, 201 (16-17), 72417245
INDUSTRY NEWS Historic coatings plant opened in Russia: Akzo Nobel Powder Coatings Akzo Nobel’s Powder Coatings business has officially opened its first production plant in Russia on a site, which offers ample capacity for future expansion. The facility is situated in the industrial belt surrounding Moscow at Orekhovo-Zuevo. The €13 M investment places the company at the heart of the Central and Eastern European market for industrial coatings, of which Russia has a 46% share. Akzo Nobel Powder Coatings has been very active in Central and Eastern Europe during the past few years, an area which has a GDP equal to that of China. As well as recently expanding its site at Opava in the Czech Republic, the first phase of a €5 M refurbishment, the business has also established a warehouse in Hungary and has a dedicated, state-of-the-art distribution
C OAT I N G S warehouse in Poland. Opening a production facility in Russia is perhaps the most significant development given that in 2006, 80% of the powder coatings used in the country was imported. Two production lines have been installed and are operating at the new facility, with another two scheduled to be up and running by mid 2008. Powder Coatings now operates 28 plants worldwide. Akzo Nobel Matters, 24 Sep 2007, (Sep 2007), 11 (Akzo Nobel nv, PO Box 75730, 1070 AS Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 20 502 7836, Fax: +31 20 205 7604, Website: http://www.akzonobel.com)
Chemical companies to watch for 2008: PPG Industries PPG Industries reported in Jul 2007 that it would acquire Dutchbased paints and coatings producer SigmaKalon for €2.2 bn ($3 bn). A successful deal would reportedly create the biggest coatings firm worldwide with more than $9 bn/y in sales, depending on when the $16 bn purchase of ICI by Akzo Nobel will close, which would render it the leader. In 2006, PPG posted coatings sales of $6.3 bn in 2006. The SigmaKalon acquisition will help PPG secure the top 2 spot in the architectural coatings sector in Europe. PPG would gain a more stable coating presence in Europe, roughly increasing sales twofold to the region and boost its worldwide coatings operations by over 40%. ICIS Chemical Business, 17 Sep 2007, (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
Jotun results May-Aug 2007 In May-August 2007 Jotun, Norway, recorded an operating income of NKR 6.1 bn, NKR 908 M higher than in May-Aug 2006. The figure for pre-tax results was up by NKR 198 M to NKR 687
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