additives: good things come in small packages

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Additives: Good things comein small packages

BYK. Competencies. 2

Contents:3 The Company4 Our Additives6 Wetting and Dispersing Additives8 Rheological Additives10 Defoamers and Air Release Agents12 Surface Additives14 Substrate Wetting Agents16 Our Service 18 Environment: Greenability at BYK20 The Group22 From Wesel to the World

Who is BYK?


Paints or coatings, polishes or adhesives, plastic composites or compounds – the quality of these products depends on the interplay of the forces acting at the interfaces between liquid and solid or gaseous materials. This interplay can be controlled and shaped.Our additives provide innovative solutions for this. They influence the behavior of the materials at the interface. This results in products that give our customers a competitive advantage.

Our strategyOur global success is based on our innovation strategy. A quarter of our staff is employed in the Research & Development area. We invest 7.5 percent of our turnover annually in the development of new products. That´s three times more than is standard for the sector.

The demands that are placed on us by the markets take center stage in our innovation strategy. It is our aim to offer our customers an advantage that will continue to pay off in the long term: Your products should be even better. This is why we incorporate our service and expertise that we have been continuously developing for decades.BYK additives are frequently the first of their kind. We always aim to develop groundbreaking new technologies. They enable us to tap into new markets and thereby continuously expand upon and grow our product range. The second business area of our company is instruments from BYK-Gardner. We use these to objectively measure the surface qualities, such as gloss. We have also developed a range of easy to use devices for measuring color and for physically testing coating properties.

Interfaces are our specialty.Success is based on a consistent strategy. To achieve this, BYK combines two concepts: On the one hand, the requirements of our customers are our benchmark. On the other, innovation is our driving force.

Company

We are a global leading manufacturer of innovative additives and instruments.


Good things come in small packages.It is a success story that starts with coatings. At the start of the 20th century the first BYK additives were already helping to produce luminous colors and ultimate gloss. Later we went on to protecting surfaces and improving plastics. Today, we support the most varied of sectors and applications with our additives. We consider it our duty to optimize our customers´ products and to simplify their processes (manufacture, application).

Our Additives

Sometimes it takes the smallest of doses to provide products with properties that will have a profound effect on customers or consumers. Often, it is precisely these properties that position the customer ahead of the competition.Our additives provide users with a multitude of possibilities for optimizing their products and positioning themselves more favorably in their markets.

Five functions, five groupsWe classify our additives into five groups, based on the functions that they fulfill. The nucleus of our product range is called AnTI-TERRA®. It forms the foundation for a whole series of additives which we refer to as wetting and dispersing additives. They serve to wet and stabilize solid particles in liquids.Rheological additives control the flow characteristics of diverse materials. They can be used in resins or coating binders.

Our defoamers and air release agents prevent the build-up of foam and trapped air. Among others, they are used for coatings, in adhesives, and in plastics.The fourth group includes additives which improve the properties of surfaces. They are frequently used to make materials scratchproof or water-repellent. Our substrate wetting agents ultimately reduce the surface tension, thereby improving the contact with liquids.

Finding that correct blendOur additives optimize coatings and printing inks, as well as plastics, adhesives, sealants, and construction chemicals. Even paper can be improved by using additives. The individual products from each of the five groups compliment each other, depending on the application. This makes them easy to combine with one another.

Each day, BYK sends more than 1,000 samples off to customers around the world.


What are additives?

Additives play a key role in improving the properties of products.


Take finely chopped herbs, oil and vinegar; mix them all together, et voilà! – you have a salad dressing. But it´s not long before the herbs clump together and sink to the bottom of the bowl. That´s why you have to shake the dressing prior to use.Many blends made up of solid and liquid components behave in this manner: The particles they contain clump together, which makes further processing difficult. Our wetting and dispersing additives can prevent this by encasing the particles which thwarts clumping, allowing the particles to evenly distribute and stabilize in the liquid.We originally developed the wetting and dispersing additives to be used in paints and coatings. They are used to evenly distribute pigments in the binder, resulting in radiant colors and high gloss. Over time, we have specifically advanced our knowledge on the topic of dispersing, and today we incorporate this knowledge in the most varied of applications.

From plastics to paperWe use our dispersing additives to evenly color the materials in plastics. They also help to improve the mechanical properties by consistently distributing the fillers in the polymers. In paper finishing, our additives are used to create surfaces which produce outstanding results when printed upon.The versatility of our dispersing additives is due to a number of factors. On one hand, it depends on the molecular structures of the particles which are to be stabilized. Pigments present different requirements than those of metal flakes or mineral fillers. On the other hand, our dispersing additives are tailored to the carrier materials, like binders or resins, in which they are being used.As we develop our range of products, we use innovative procedures in order to offer suitable solutions for new trends. For example, our DISPERBYK® series was developed using controlled polymerization technology (CPT). Our latest development from this series boasts virtually no volatile organic compounds which could cause odor annoyance.

Perfectly distributed and stabilized.Mixing means “to distribute and stabilize evenly.” It is a challenge to distribute the finest particles both in thin and viscous carrier media. This applies to pigments, metal flakes, and also to fillers. Our wetting and dispersing additives enable you to wet and stabilize these small particles.

Wetting and dispersing additives | Rheological additives | Defoamers and air release agents | Surface additives | Substrate wetting agents

Dispersing additives – a selection• DISPERBYK®-2000 was developed from controlled

polymerization technology (CPT). It is ideal for use with deep black automotive coatings.

• BYK®-9076 is a dispersing additive that can be used in a variety of plastics and coating systems. It is particularly suitable for stabilizing carbon blacks.

• DISPERBYK®-2163 is a wetting and dispersing additive for solvent-borne coatings and printing inks as well as pigment concentrates.

• BYKJET®-9170 fulfills the special requirements placed on dispersing agents in state-of-the-art inkjet and digital printing.

Poor dispersion without additive: milky film

Good dispersion with BYK additive: clear film


How do you add a solid to a liquid?

By using our dispersing additives, you can stabilize even the smallest of particles with outstanding results.


Can I influence the flow characteristics?

Yes, our rheological additives can do this.

Ketchup is a tricky material. Sometimes there is considerable delay before it flows out of the bottle, and other times you end up with more on the plate than you need. Why does it take so long for it to get moving, while water or oil flow immediately?The character of more viscous materials is dependant on the formulation. Ketchup flows differently than mayonnaise, and both behave differently than a gel or foam.The flow characteristics of all materials can be influenced by rheological additives – after all, their name originates from the ancient Greek verb “rhei”, which means “to flow”.

It all starts with the molecular structureOur rheological additives act at the molecular level. They generate an interaction between the molecules, specifically influencing the flow characteristics of the respective materials.This improves the properties of the respective product and considerably facilitates its processing.

The rheological series for coatings can, for example, ensure that they are not applied too thinly or too thickly. They are applied without forming droplets or bubbles. This way, they ensure a uniform coating with a thickness that suits the product; and prevent the sedimentation of solids.For decades we have continuously advanced our knowledge of rheology. We have also applied the expertise gathered in the field of coatings and paints to other applications. Today, we also support the plastics and construction sectors, as well as manufacturers of paper and adhesives, as well as formulators of care products. Our rheological additives can help to improve various products.

Let it flow …Consistency is critical. The more viscous a material, the more awkward it is to process. Very low viscosity materials present a challenge. Our rheological additives allow you to control the flow characteristics of your products.


Without treatment, metal pigments will settle. By adding a BYK additive, we can reduce the settling in the basic coating.

Rheological agents – a selection• BYK®-430 is a versatile liquid rheological additive for

medium-polarity systems. It can be incorporated with materials that come into contact with food.

• BYK®-R 605 is used as a thixotropy enhancing additive in unsaturated polyester resins, epoxy and polyurethane systems.

• BYK®-D 420 is a liquid rheological additive for aqueous or water-reducible systems and contains DMSO as a solvent.


How can you remove foam?

Why not try our defoamers?


Take hot water, add a touch of detergent, and the lather is complete. It can bind grease or oil, because the detergent, a surfactant, has changed the surface tension of the water. The dishes get clean but there is a side effect from the surfactant: It produces foam. The foam will eventually collapse, but precisely when this will be really depends on factors including the viscosity of the blend.It may not be a problem when washing the dishes, but it can be a disadvantage in other areas. Foam hampers the processing of coatings, polishes, and engine oils. In the production of resins, e.g. for plastics and sealants, it is possible that the foam will stick to parts of the system.This can be avoided by using our defoamers and air release agents. In theory, the two product groups are clearly distinguishable from each other. Air release agents ensure that air bubbles which have formed in a liquid will rise to the surface more quickly. Defoamers however, become active if foam is already present. They ensure that the bubbles collapse at the surface.

Varied application possibilitiesDepending on the nature of the formulation in which our additives are active, our defoamers and air release agents are based either on mineral oils and silicones, or on polymers which are free of silicones and mineral oils. Some are also free of volatile organic compounds (VOC).Our defoamers and air release agents can be used in solvent-borne and aqueous systems. Our users are not just coating and paint manufacturers. Our additives are used to optimize products and manufacturing processes in the plastics sector and other industrial areas too.

Air release agents and defoamers – a selection• BYK®-088 is a versatile silicone-based defoamer, suitable

for paints, coatings, and adhesives.

• BYK®-A 560 is a silicone-free air release agent for unsaturated polyester, epoxy, and polyurethane systems.

• BYK®-1710 is an emissions-free polymer defoamer that is free of silicones and mineral oils, and is universally used in aqueous coatings and adhesives.

And…out with the air.Foam occurs when stirring, pumping and processing liquid materials. Small, stirred-in air bubbles make further processing a challenge, but our defoamers can be used to rid the most varied of bubbles from liquids. Foam build-up can also be prevented at the mixing stage.


When used correctly, our defoamers prevent the undesirable bubbles that can form in the surfaces of coatings.


Wind and weather, scratching, general wear and tear: Depending on the product and the application, surfaces are subjected to varying forces. Each external influence has a different effect; sun is different than rain, heat is different than friction. Our surface additives allow us to design surfaces so that the product does justice to the required function.

Adjusting propertiesOur additives can make a surface scratchproof or UV-resistant. They can affect water repellency or abrasion resistance. Our surface additives are also often used for aesthetic purposes.They intensify the gloss or provide it with a matte appearance. This enables the combination of several effects.Coatings, for example, must combine gloss with properties like scratch resistance and UV resistance. Some coatings have the job of making the product repel water and simultaneously making it free-flowing. Other coatings generate surfaces that are pleasing to the touch but as little gloss as possible. And others are used to support industrial processes by acting as a release agent.

Three different groupsOur surface additives can be divided into three groups. The first includes our extensive range of wax-based additives, the second is based on silicones and acrylates, and the third is made up of nano additives.

Waxes incorporate protective functions (water-repelling, scratchproof) with aesthetic properties (gloss, matte) and haptic effects. They can be active on the most varied of materials; wood, steel, or plastic. They also serve as release agents in aluminum die casting enabling cast products to be easily released from the mold. In leather applications wax based additives influence the tactility of natural and synthetic leathers. Surface additives based on silicones and acrylates are primarily used in paints and coatings. They help to generate a particularly smooth and durable surface. Depending on the structure of the additive, the coating can benefit from additional properties: it could be water or oil-repellant, easy to clean, or particularly conductive. Our special graffiti protection ensures that surfaces can be very easily wiped clean.nanoparticles can optimize the characteristics of surfaces in a variety of ways. They could, for example, increase the UV stability and also improve the scratch resistance. If additives contain tiny carbon nanotubes (CnT), they can even make coating surfaces conductive.

Strong yet beautiful.They should look beautiful, but also be durable: Surfaces must fulfill various functions. You can use our additives to achieve the most varied combination of requirements.

Surface additives – a selection• AQUACER® D 272 is a wax-based performance additive

that is used to process paper surfaces.

• BYK®-SILCLEAN 3700 does not just generate exceptionally smooth surfaces, it also makes them dirt and oil-repellant, thereby much easier to clean.

• NANOBYK®-3605 is a nanoparticle dispersion for improving the scratch and abrasion resistance of radiation-curable coating systems.


SILCLEAn® prevents dirt from sticking to coated surfaces, making them very easy to clean.

How do I protect surfaces?

That depends on what they have to cope with. With our additives you can precisely adjust the protection.


Why does a droplet remain a droplet?

Because water has a high surface tension. Our substrate wetting agents can change this.


Why do raindrops drip off and not cover the pane as a film? Because a complex interaction takes place at the interface between the water and the window pane. This interaction decides whether or not the liquid will wet the solid body. Specialists refer to this as the surface tension. It differs from material to material.

Reducing tension - controlling interplayThe interplay can be controlled. We use our substrate wetting agents to reduce the surface tension of a liquid. For a coating to properly wet out the surface of a substrate, its surface tension must be lower than the surface tension of the substrate.

Smooth surface without cratersOur range of substrate wetting agents has differentiated over the years. A key factor in the differentiation is the solid body that is to be wet out. Examples include; pigments, packing, wood, steel, and glass fibers. Our additives take into consideration the molecular structure of the liquids.

We have developed different additives appropriate for the formulation in which they are to be active. Select substrate wetting agents can also be used in products that come into contact with food.In coatings or paints, our additives prevent the formation of craters and create a smooth surface. They can also ensure that old coatings can be easily painted over or recoated. When all is said and done, our substrate wetting agents facilitate the painting, spraying, or coating process.Plastics manufacturers also profit from our wetting additives. The producers of thermoplastics, for example, can work at lower temperatures and thus increase their throughput. The reason for this: Our additives are better at wetting the fillers.

Tension-reducing.Anyone processing a liquid would like for it to spread evenly on a substrate, and this process can be controlled. Our substrate wetting agents reduce the surface tension of the liquid, enabling optimum coating.

Substrate wetting agents – a selection• BYK®-333 is used in printing inks, in processing paper

surfaces, as well as in adhesives and sealants. It is permitted for use in the manufacture of products that come into direct food contact.

• BYK®-3455 is a fluorine-free, silicone-containing additive for improving substrate wetting.

• BYK®-3550 is a substrate wetting and leveling agent that is based on a silicone acrylate copolymer for solvent-borne coatings.

Poor surface wetting without additive

Perfect surface wetting with BYK additive



Customers can use our online Additive Guide to search for products by application fields, and obtain detailed information about each additive. Technical datasheets and MSDS´s as well as information on FDA status, REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals), or certifications can all be easily accessed in our online Additive Guide.Anyone can test a product by ordering a free sample via our website. Additive samples are shipped anywhere in the world. You´ll be amazed at how quick and easy it is to get a BYK sample. Our BYK App offers customers a mobile version of the Additive Guide. The App is continuously updated. All downloadable documents are also available offline, and can be mailed out by request.

Customer seminars – a forum for a personal exchangeOur complimentary customer seminars convey practical and theoretical expertise about our additives. Seminars create a unique and exclusive opportunity for exchange and networking. Participants obtain helpful application knowledge concerning the dosing and processing of our products.

Additionally, they learn a great deal about the selection, measuring, and testing methods with which the results can be controlled. Practical demonstrations enable the effects of our additives to be experienced up close.

Global service laboratoriesWorldwide, our service laboratories offer application technology and formulation optimization. Together with our regional experts, customers can modify applications for their system environments, test indigenous raw materials, or work on specific new solutions. In doing so, they can make use of first-rate technical equipment and regional expertise.This service combines numerous advantages for our customers. They do not have to invest in their own laboratory capacities, thereby relieving their budget. They can also access a personal contact working in the same time zone. This makes it easier to cooperate and communicate. At the same time our customers can rely on our experience as a market leader, and whenever required, our central laboratory in Wesel is always accessible.

Our expertise extends beyond our products.Our customers can expect more than just products. They obtain access to a comprehensive service and support package, based on the expertise that we have developed with our users over the years. The trust of our customers enables us to detect new trends and to continuously optimize our range.

Service

In our seminars, and service laboratories, you can discover a wealth of information about additives.

Service – the highlights• BYK App: See our entire product portfolio in mobile form.

• BYK seminars: Here you can obtain important application knowledge about our additives.

• BYK service laboratories: R&D in your region relieves your budget.


How does BYK support its customers?

With a comprehensive free-of-charge service. It starts with our app and doesn´t even stop with our seminars.


Environmentally friendly additives, is

that actually possible? Of course! Our ecological balance sheet has set new standards for the sector.


Innovation is what the market demands. Our innovations make our customers successful by allowing them to outshine their competition with new products and solutions. In light of the globally growing consciousness for ecological responsibility, the development of environmentally friendly products takes on considerable importance for BYK, and for our customers. This is what makes Greenability part of our innovative strength. So, what exactly is Greenability? At BYK we concentrate on three fields: Life cycle assessments, avoidance of odor pollution and the use of renewable raw materials.

Life cycle assessmentLife cycle assessments enable us to make a systematic analysis of all ingredients in a product and their effects on the environment. We focus on the carbon footprint. It gives us insight into the quantity of the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide (CO2), that is created directly or indirectly during the manufacturing of the product. With our life cycle assessments, as defined by ISO 14040 and 14044, we were the first additive manufacturer to create an ecological balance sheet for additives, and we update this continuously. In addition, we have analyzed selected defoamers, wetting and dispersing additives for aqueous systems, and viscosity depressants. TÜV Rheinland has confirmed and certified the results.

VOC-free additivesMany of our customers want their products to be free from the odor pollution that is often caused by volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Our response to this is an entire range of VOC-free additives. It includes products from all groups.

Additives for VOC reductionBYK has developed specialty additives for the plastics sector that reduce the VOC emissions of polypropylene. With these additives, products made of recycled polypropylenes show minimized odour and emissions.

Additives based on renewable raw materialsMineral oil-based raw materials are the traditional starting point for products in the coatings and plastics sector. In efforts to be environmentally friendly, it makes sense to look for alternatives. Our additives, that are based on renewable raw materials, have delivered success. They are entirely biodegradable and are in no way inferior in their performance compared with traditional products.

Strategies for the future.BYK is the first additives manufacturer to produce an ecological balance sheet. It represents the provisional highlight of our greenability strategy; we are able to produce “green” products for our customers. We use the word Greenability to define our dedication to environmentally friendly products.

Environment: Greenability at BYK

Greenability – a selection• BYK®-1740 is a defoamer that is based on vegetable oil, a

renewable raw material, and is biodegradable.

• DISPERBYK®-190 is a solvent-free and VOC-free wetting and dispersing additive for paints, coatings, and adhesives of all kinds.

• CERAFLOUR® 1000 is a biopolymer that supports matting, haptic effects, and the scratch resistance of wood coatings. It was developed by means of biotechnical procedures us-ing bacteria.


Is BYK part of other companies?

BYK belongs to the ALTANA Group. Its business is specialty chemicals.


BYK Additives & Instruments is part of the ALTAnA Group, a globally leading manufacturer of specialty chemicals. The Group comprises four divisions BYK, ECKART, ELAnTAS and ACTEGA. With innovative products aimed at sustainability, the Group contributes towards providing answers to the key challenges posed by the world of tomorrow. These are material and energy efficiency, urbanization and mobility, lifestyle and networking.

It is through our common understanding of specialty chemicals that we leverage the synergies within the Group, and in the interest of our customers, create platforms for innovation and cooperation. Together, we can generate added value for our customers, and optimize their applications. This ultimately produces competitive advantages for our clients.Our clients originate from the most varied of sectors. Paint manufacturers are included, as are plastics processors, the printing, and cosmetics industries, as well as the electrical sector.

With above-average annual growth, ALTAnA ranks among the most robust chemical companies in the world. Throughout the globe the group employs 5,400 staff, and operates 42 production sites and more than 50 service and research locations. The headquarters for the holding company is based in Wesel, while 85% of the turnover is generated from international business.

Synergies create benefits.

The Group

Facts & figures• Business areas: 4

• Global sites: 42 production plants, over 50 service and research laboratory sites

• Staff worldwide: 5,400

• Research: 5–6%


From Wesel to the WorldThe seat of the ALTAnA group and BYK-Chemie GmbH is Wesel on the Lower Rhine. It is here that our central research laboratory is located. It is here that BYK maintains one of nine production sites worldwide. And it is from here that we have built up our globally leading position as an additives manufacturer.

BYK-Chemie GmbHAbelstrasse 4546483 WeselGermany

Tel. +49 281 670-0Fax +49 281 657-35

[email protected]

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05/

2013

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additives: good things come in small packages

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