Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, breaks new ground for the indoor paint and coatings segment with the launch of the industry’s first renewable-based, VOC/SVOC-free¹ and hazard label-free neutralizing agent: Genamin Gluco 50.

The new sugar-based additive innovation supports formulators in meeting consumer demand for low odor, healthier and easy to apply indoor paints and lacquers. Its introduction is also significant for ecolabel certified paints, where a reduction in additives can help to keep a formulation within low VOC/SVOC limits.

Genamin Gluco 50 combines an outstanding sustainable profile with performance-boosting properties that set it apart from existing neutralizing options for waterborne coatings. In contrast to standard neutralizers, such as ammonia or caustic soda, Genamin Gluco 50 does more than adjust the pH-value of a formulation to around 8-10 to create a stable paint system with minor interactions between the paint. It also enhances the performance and quality profile of the waterborne coating.

Genamin Gluco 50 acts as a 3-in-1 additive, being neutralizer, compatibilizer and stabilizer in one additive. The product achieves additional functionalities and proven advantages for the formulation, such as improving storage stability and pigment compatibility, and reducing flash-rust formation. In certain aspects, its performance is proven to be superior to that of alternative multifunctional additives such as aminomethyl propanol (AMP), currently under scrutiny and substance evaluation by the ECHA (European Chemicals Agency). Genamin Gluco 50 offers the following extensive benefits.

• Improves paint lifetime and storage stability even in colder regions. Gloss lacquers containing Genamin Gluco 50 show no syneresis, sedimentation or changes to pH-value or viscosity after storage at 50°C for 28 days. The lacquer also remains stable after 5 freeze-thaw cycles.
• Increases tinting strength thanks to better pigment compatibility. Waterborne paints and pigment dispersions neutralized with Genamin Gluco 50 show higher tinting strength.
• Enhances metal protection due to reduced flash rust formation. It also helps to protect the coating film against discoloration caused by rusting.
• Low-odor, easy to use paints: Genamin Gluco 50 is VOC/SVOC free and has a pleasant smell. It also helps to make paints and coatings easy to apply.
• No negative influence on paint properties, such as gloss or on drying or hardness behavior.

Extensive laboratory testing confirms that Genamin Gluco 50 outperforms AMP in the areas of storage stability, flash rust, pigment compatibility and odor.

Alexander Snell, Head of Sales Industrial Applications EMEA, Clariant Business Unit Industrial & Consumer Specialties, comments: “Achieving multifunctionality from a single VOC-free additive overcomes a major challenge for paint formulators faced, in particular, with the low VOC/SVOC limits of the ecolabels such as the German Blue Angel. Genamin Gluco 50 is the ideal component for the paints of today and tomorrow. It helps paint formulators to replace ingredients that are under scrutiny, offering a package of high performance and eco-related benefits that satisfy paint manufacturers, professional painters and consumers.”

Genamin Gluco 50 has been awarded the EcoTain® label for its outstanding sustainable profile. EcoTain® is Clariant’s label for sustainability excellence products and solutions that significantly exceed sustainability market standards, have best-in-class performance and contribute overall to sustainability efforts of the company and its customers.

Please visit Clariant at European Coatings Show, in Hall 7 on booth 7-123.