Polyester Replaces Solvent-Based Paints.

A new coating material that emits virtually no volatile organic compounds (VOC) during application could replace conventional solvent-based paints and anti-corrosion coatings in a wide range of uses. Derived from a durable polyester material, it can be tailored to provide the specific properties required by different applications.

Developed by a research team at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, the ultra-low VOC coating would meet new environmental regulations expected to limit severely VOC emission from paints and other coatings. "The potential applications are enormous," says Robert E. Schwerzel, a principal research scientist at the Georgia Tech Research Institute. "These coatings could, in principle, replace many of the solvent-based paints, enamels, and varnishes that are currently used to coat everything from stoves and refrigerators to aircraft."

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