TOKYO, June 8, 2015 _ Ube Industries, Ltd. announced today that it has received a 4th Green & Sustainable Chemistry (GSC) Encouragement Award for the development of durable water-borne polyurethane coating materials.
The GSC Encouragement Awards are organized by the Green & Sustainable Chemistry Network (GSCN) Council of the Japan Association for Chemical Innovation (JACI). The awards were started in fiscal 2011 to recognize business achievements in Japan that promote chemicals and chemical technology that are friendly to people and the environment, and contribute to a sustainable society.
The 4th GSC Encouragement Award was bestowed upon Ube Industries for the development of Eternacoll® UW Series water-borne polyurethane dispersion (PUD) coating materials. Compared with solvent-borne coating materials, water-borne PUD coating materials significantly reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during coating application. These VOCs cause air and soil pollution.
Water-borne PUD materials have received increasing interest in recent years for their environmentally-friendly performance. However, adoption of water-borne coating materials has been delayed until now by their inferior durability compared with solvent-borne coating materials, trailing in weather, abrasion, impact, and chemical resistance.
Ube Industries succeeded in developing water-borne PUD coating materials that offer durability comparable to solvent-borne coating materials, while emitting 80 to 90% fewer VOCs.
Ube Industries' water-borne PUD coating materials offer high durability, low viscosity at room temperature, and fast drying, enabling manufacturers to reduce the size of their production lines and emit less carbon dioxide. These benefits are being acknowledged by customers, who are increasingly using the materials for applications such as flooring products, rubber coatings, and automotive interior and exterior materials.
Ube Industries is the world's largest manufacturer of polycarbonate diol (PCD), the main ingredient of PUD and contributes improving PUD's performance. The company is strengthening the level of technology including development power for PCD new grades and cooperating between its three global production bases in Japan, Spain, and Thailand to develop new grades that meet the needs of customers, while also directing its efforts on customer support.
Ube Industries is committed to furthering green and sustainable chemistry through the increased adoption of water-borne PUD coating materials to expand the market for water-borne coating materials.
