The increasing pressure put on paints and varnishes producers to propose products with low volatile organic compounds (VOC) content has pushed them to start reformulating existing systems, which often has resulted in the requirement of new binders. Epoxy resins and curing agents manufacturers have therefore had and still have to design new products in order to face the double challenge of low VOC content and performance. Three approaches can be followed in view of producing epoxy systems for low VOC ambient-curing protective coatings. The first, obvious, option is the use of existing solvent-free epoxy resins containing zero VOC. They are well-known, easy to formulate and exist in a wide range of viscosities, thanks to the various reactive diluents used to make them. Their disadvantage, though, next to a short pot-life, is their lower performances, in particular when it comes to protective properties such as resistance to chemicals and to corrosion.
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