Green coatings and light stabilizers

Green coatings can be as diversified as high-solids, powder, waterborne and UV curable coatings and so on. They are designed to eliminate the release of VOCs from conventional solvent-based coatings.

The cause of coating degradation such as discoloration, delamination, loss of gloss, cracking and chalking is due to the chromophores, or impurity content, found in the material triggered by UV light, which is damaging. Therefore, UV absorbers and light stabilizers are both recommended in order to prevent coating decomposition.

Light stabilizers can be divided into two groups: UV absorbers (UVA) and the hinder amine light stabilizers (HALS). UVA’s function is to absorb UV light and transform it into heat; HALS is best known to capture free radicals and prevent material degradation.