- Email: [email protected]
Lowering VOCs
Lowering VOCs Environmental legislation continues to drive composites manufacturers towards the use of products which emit low HAPs. Here are just a few examples found at last month’s American Composite Manufacturers Association (ACMA) trade show.
U
S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) legislation requires boatbuilders to lower emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) by using Maximum Achievable Control Technologies (MACT). To become MACTcompliant powerboat manufacturer Chapparal Boats, based in Nashville, Georgia, USA, turned to low-HAP resins and technical support from its resin supplier AOC. Chapparal manufactures 5.5-11.3 m (18-37 ft) boats in open moulds using low-pressure resin flowcoaters. The
company’s compliance strategy included using AOC resins made with lower amounts of styrene (an EPA-classified HAP).
Styrene is an EPA-classified HAP. Chapparal uses AOC’s Hydropel® H034A MACT-compliant vinyl ester resin as a skin coat to provide resistance to osmotic blistering. The boatbuilder says there
have been no resin hull blister issues since moving to Hydropel H034-A, while AOC reports that the resin’s high strength and toughness means the skin coat resin also strengthens the overall laminate’s resistance to cracking. Behind the skin coat, Chapparal applies a laminate of glass fibre in Altek® H834-R MACT-compliant low profile resin. Although it has reduced styrene levels, this resin has been engineered to provide fast and complete fibre wet-out. Altek H834-R is said to combine a fast cure rate, reduced post-cure, and a high
The Chapparal 256SSi. Chapparal has switched over to low-HAP resins to be MACT-compliant.
28
REINFORCEDplastics
November 2004
0034-3617/04 ©2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Lowering VOCs
heat deflection temperature, to deliver higher production rates with an improved surface profile.
Underground tanks Ashland Composite Polymers is introducing a new low-styrene polyester resin which lowers HAP emissions. It has less than 35% styrene, and is reported to provide corrosion resistance to petroleum products, alcohols and alcohol/gasoline mixtures. The AROPOL™ Q7022 T-08 resin is said to be ideal for production of underground storage tanks needing Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 1746 and 1316 certification. “This resin is suitable for any open moulding application and can be customised to meet fabrication needs,” claims Carl Gleditsch, technical service chemical, Ashland Global Technology. “Q7022 offers an economical alternative to other low-HAP resins targeted for UL 1316 and UL 1746 regulated applications. The product provides excellent wet-out of glass fibres, tailored room temperature cure properties, and demonstrated corrosion resistance as measured in the relevant UL test protocols.” According to Gleditsch’s Composites 2004 presentation, the underground petroleum storage market can greatly benefit from this technology. The tanks are usually made using a spray-up technique on a mandrel or over an existing steel tank, and are subject to strict MACT standards.
The underground petroleum storage market can greatly benefit from this technology. UL 1746 covers tanks that are of steel construction with a composite shell on the outside. The shell acts as a barrier to outside corrosion of the steel tank, and as a secondary means of containment. A mesh with a film cover or paper is placed
over the steel tank and the composite is sprayed on. The mesh or paper is used to separate the composite from the tank to provide a space that can be monitored for organics. This construction gives the owner an early warning system for leaks in the tank. UL-1316 covers composite tanks which have a single or double walled construction. These tanks Comparison of styrene emissions using Norpol SVG and a are also equipped with an standard gel-coat. (Source: Reichhold.) early warning system for leak detection. The process for achieving UL versions of the Norpol SVG gel-coats approval involves making laminate sam- contain 30% volatiles while the brushples that represent the thickness and applied versions contain only 25% in the glass content of the tanks to be built. white colour product. These samples are subjected to corrosion Reichhold reports that the gel-coats testing to see if the resin will withstand can also provide good mechanical propthe environments involved. A tank is erties and improved surface aesthetics. then built and physical testing per- They have good film flexibility which formed to assure its structural integrity. helps make them resistant to microAshland low-HAP resin has been test- cracking in composite products, and ed and is ready for commercial use under good resistance to weathering. The comthe UL-1746 guidelines. A UL-1316 test pany adds that colour retention is better tank needs to be built and tested before than conventional ISO/NPG gel-coats, the resin can be used for UL-1316 speci- while gloss retention is comparable. ■ fied tanks.
Gel-coats Reichhold has introduced a new series of low-VOC gel-coats under the NORPOL SVG brand for composite products in Europe. They can be used for applications such as sanitary components, boats and cladding panels, and are approved by Lloyds of London (UK) and Det Norske Veritas (DnV) of Norway for boatbuilding applications. The company says that the styrene emissions of Norpol SVG products are approximately 50% lower than those of conventional gel-coat, and styrene is the only monomer used. The low-VOC content of the gel-coats can help improve working environments, especially as gelcoats continue to be applied to an open mould, adds Reichhold. The spray
AOC; website; www.aoc-resins.com. Ashland Composite Polymers; website: www.ashspec.com. Reichhold; e-mail: [email protected]; website: www.reichhold.com. Chapparal; website: www.chapparalboats.com. Underwriters Laboratories Inc; website: www.ul.com. More developments from ACMA’s Composites 2004 show will be published in the December issue of Reinforced Plastics.
November 2004
REINFORCEDplastics
29
U
S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) legislation requires boatbuilders to lower emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) by using Maximum Achievable Control Technologies (MACT). To become MACTcompliant powerboat manufacturer Chapparal Boats, based in Nashville, Georgia, USA, turned to low-HAP resins and technical support from its resin supplier AOC. Chapparal manufactures 5.5-11.3 m (18-37 ft) boats in open moulds using low-pressure resin flowcoaters. The
company’s compliance strategy included using AOC resins made with lower amounts of styrene (an EPA-classified HAP).
Styrene is an EPA-classified HAP. Chapparal uses AOC’s Hydropel® H034A MACT-compliant vinyl ester resin as a skin coat to provide resistance to osmotic blistering. The boatbuilder says there
have been no resin hull blister issues since moving to Hydropel H034-A, while AOC reports that the resin’s high strength and toughness means the skin coat resin also strengthens the overall laminate’s resistance to cracking. Behind the skin coat, Chapparal applies a laminate of glass fibre in Altek® H834-R MACT-compliant low profile resin. Although it has reduced styrene levels, this resin has been engineered to provide fast and complete fibre wet-out. Altek H834-R is said to combine a fast cure rate, reduced post-cure, and a high
The Chapparal 256SSi. Chapparal has switched over to low-HAP resins to be MACT-compliant.
28
REINFORCEDplastics
November 2004
0034-3617/04 ©2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Lowering VOCs
heat deflection temperature, to deliver higher production rates with an improved surface profile.
Underground tanks Ashland Composite Polymers is introducing a new low-styrene polyester resin which lowers HAP emissions. It has less than 35% styrene, and is reported to provide corrosion resistance to petroleum products, alcohols and alcohol/gasoline mixtures. The AROPOL™ Q7022 T-08 resin is said to be ideal for production of underground storage tanks needing Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 1746 and 1316 certification. “This resin is suitable for any open moulding application and can be customised to meet fabrication needs,” claims Carl Gleditsch, technical service chemical, Ashland Global Technology. “Q7022 offers an economical alternative to other low-HAP resins targeted for UL 1316 and UL 1746 regulated applications. The product provides excellent wet-out of glass fibres, tailored room temperature cure properties, and demonstrated corrosion resistance as measured in the relevant UL test protocols.” According to Gleditsch’s Composites 2004 presentation, the underground petroleum storage market can greatly benefit from this technology. The tanks are usually made using a spray-up technique on a mandrel or over an existing steel tank, and are subject to strict MACT standards.
The underground petroleum storage market can greatly benefit from this technology. UL 1746 covers tanks that are of steel construction with a composite shell on the outside. The shell acts as a barrier to outside corrosion of the steel tank, and as a secondary means of containment. A mesh with a film cover or paper is placed
over the steel tank and the composite is sprayed on. The mesh or paper is used to separate the composite from the tank to provide a space that can be monitored for organics. This construction gives the owner an early warning system for leaks in the tank. UL-1316 covers composite tanks which have a single or double walled construction. These tanks Comparison of styrene emissions using Norpol SVG and a are also equipped with an standard gel-coat. (Source: Reichhold.) early warning system for leak detection. The process for achieving UL versions of the Norpol SVG gel-coats approval involves making laminate sam- contain 30% volatiles while the brushples that represent the thickness and applied versions contain only 25% in the glass content of the tanks to be built. white colour product. These samples are subjected to corrosion Reichhold reports that the gel-coats testing to see if the resin will withstand can also provide good mechanical propthe environments involved. A tank is erties and improved surface aesthetics. then built and physical testing per- They have good film flexibility which formed to assure its structural integrity. helps make them resistant to microAshland low-HAP resin has been test- cracking in composite products, and ed and is ready for commercial use under good resistance to weathering. The comthe UL-1746 guidelines. A UL-1316 test pany adds that colour retention is better tank needs to be built and tested before than conventional ISO/NPG gel-coats, the resin can be used for UL-1316 speci- while gloss retention is comparable. ■ fied tanks.
Gel-coats Reichhold has introduced a new series of low-VOC gel-coats under the NORPOL SVG brand for composite products in Europe. They can be used for applications such as sanitary components, boats and cladding panels, and are approved by Lloyds of London (UK) and Det Norske Veritas (DnV) of Norway for boatbuilding applications. The company says that the styrene emissions of Norpol SVG products are approximately 50% lower than those of conventional gel-coat, and styrene is the only monomer used. The low-VOC content of the gel-coats can help improve working environments, especially as gelcoats continue to be applied to an open mould, adds Reichhold. The spray
AOC; website; www.aoc-resins.com. Ashland Composite Polymers; website: www.ashspec.com. Reichhold; e-mail: [email protected]; website: www.reichhold.com. Chapparal; website: www.chapparalboats.com. Underwriters Laboratories Inc; website: www.ul.com. More developments from ACMA’s Composites 2004 show will be published in the December issue of Reinforced Plastics.
November 2004
REINFORCEDplastics
29