Multifunctional Biobased Waterborne Binder for Coating Applications

For the requirement of innovative bio-based adhesives and binders, this project will target the waterborne coating industry which uses binders as their major component with the requirement of biocides as an antimicrobial agent in the paint formulations for long shelf life. The scope of this project is to eliminate these toxic biocides by replacing the binders with bio-based polymers inherently containing antimicrobial properties. In this scope, acrylic monomers grafted quaternized chitosan, which has antimicrobial property, is considered as a bio-based solution.

Incorporation of the quaternized chitosan into biobased acrylic emulsion used as the binder in the paint industry is targeted to obtain antibacterial and antifungal activity inherently coming from quaternized chitosan to eliminate the use of toxic biocides in paint formulation. So, the shelf life of paint will be prolonged without using toxic chemicals. Also, eliminating biocides from paints will lead to a decrease in environmental and health hazards due to the emission of these toxic chemicals.