Green Chemistry and the
Automotive Supply Chain
Green Chemistry Institute
February 2, 2005
www.acs.org/greenchemistryinstitute
202-872-6102
Green Chemistry
 Green
Chemistry develops products and
processes that enhance performance and
profitability while minimizing impacts on
human health and the environment.
 Green Chemistry has demonstrated
achievements across industrial sectors
including petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals,
agriculture, electronics, aerospace, and
defense.
Green Chemistry Institute
 Founded
in 1997 as an independent,
nonprofit organization to promote green
chemistry through research, education,
information dissemination, industrial
implementation, conferences and symposia
 Formed an alliance with the American
Chemical Society in 2001
 Headquarters staff located in Washington
D.C.
 Worldwide network of technical expertise
Green Chemistry and
Automotive Applications
Plastics and polymers
 Foam
 Adhesives and sealants
 Fabrics and textiles
 Paints and coatings
 Refrigerants
 Semiconductors and electronics
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Plastics and polymers
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Green Chemistry designs next
generation polymers to minimize
toxic additives (i.e., flame
retardants, plasticizers, and thermal
stabilizers).
These polymers can be made from
biobased, renewable materials and
controlled to be durable for reuse,
developed to be self-healing, or
degradable for beneficial disposition.
Foams
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Foams developed using
Green Chemistry principles
can not only be generated
from non-toxic materials
and reduce or eliminate
hazardous blowing agent
but also provide superior
performance measures.
Adhesives and sealants
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The concerns for human
health and the related
to many traditional
adhesives and sealants
are well documents.
New Green Chemistry
technologies are
developing multifunctional and
“obedient” sealants and
adhesives for higher
quality and reduced
health impacts.
Fabrics and textiles
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The fibers, dyes and colorants,
surfactants, etc., that are used
in textiles all play a role in
determining the sustainability
of the material.
By generating fabric and textile
“systems”, issues of reuse,
reclamation, toxicity and
durability are being addressed
by green chemistry
practitioners.
Paints and coatings
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One of the most active
areas of development in
green chemistry is in the
paint and coatings field.
Through the use of
nanoscience, biomimicry
and cutting edge polymers,
green chemistry designers
are creating safer and more
durable coating and paints.
Refrigerants

The historic challenges of
refrigerants, toxicity,
explosiveness, ozone
depleting potential and
global warming potential are
all do to the molecular
physical/chemical
properties. Green Chemistry
is developing new small
molecule systems for safer
and more effective
refrigerants.
Semiconductors and
electronics

In order to maximize
performance while ensuring
sustainability in the wide array
of electronics used in
automotive applications –
green chemistry is allowing
the use of new substances
(including bird feathers), and
materials integration that
allows for disassembly and
reuse.
Neutral Cleaners that Reduce
Environmental and Health Impacts
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Cleaning plays a significant role in metal part quality for
processes like coating, plating, and bonding
ESS biodegradable, neutral pH aqueous cleaners have replaced
the environmental and safety hazards of solvent and aqueous
alkaline cleaners
Alkaline cleaners are composed mostly of high pH inorganic
ingredients; ESS cleaners are completely organic and noncorrosive, which enhances worker safety and reduces
mechanical wear
Elimination of these alkaline cleaners has a secondary impact
of reducing waste, emissions, and regulatory management
By replacing alkaline and solvent cleaners in the last five
years, ESS neutral cleaners have eliminated over 80 million
pounds of hazardous materials from the environment
Environmentally Sensitive Solutions, Inc.
PreKote Surface
Pretreatment (SP)
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Hexavalent chromium (Cr+6), a known human
carcinogen, has been a standard for corrosion
protection on aluminum substrates prior to painting
PreKote SP is a proven replacement for Cr+6:
significantly decreases operational costs; eliminates
heavy metal waste streams; replaces toxic acids and
solvents; improves worker safety and health,
environmentally compliant
PreKote cleans the surface to be painted while
simultaneously depositing a molecular layer that
bonds to the surface of the metal
The United States Air Force’s total savings to date
exceed $7.2 Million since PreKote’s commercial
release in 2000
Pantheon Chemical
Evapo-Rust™ Iron Oxide Specific, pH
Neutral, Chelation
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Use of corrosion removal solvents, limited to
strong acids and caustics, is generally destructive
to the material being treated and strips paints,
plastic, and plating
This chemistry provides an industrial replacement
product for corrosion control and iron preparation
Removes iron oxide without having any affect on
plastic, acrylic and poly paint, rubber, aluminum,
copper and other materials
One gallon of the product will de-rust roughly
300 pounds of steel at a cost of 4 to 6 cents per
pound
Harris Labs
Alternative for Corrosion
Protection of Metal Parts
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Molyphos technology is an alternative to the use of
hexavalent chromium for the corrosion protection of
metal parts
Molyphos, a molybdenum-phosphate based conversion
coating, replaces the principal reagents used in
chromate conversion coatings: sodium chromate and
sulfuric acid with sodium molybdate and phosphoric acid
Molyphos technology provides a significant reduction in
toxicity – toxicity of chemicals used in manufacture,
manufacturing waste, and treated metal parts
A significant source of chromium waste generation is
metal finishing for corrosion resistance: the Toxic
Release Inventory reported over 2 million pounds (1000
tons) generated or released from metal finishing
facilities; Molyphos totally eliminates this hazard
Nortel Technology
Reducing VOC Emissions with New
Color Laser Marking System
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Marking or coding plastic parts is a challenge since many
plastics require surface treatments before paint adheres
Printed marks and self-adhesive labels lack durability, have
high scrap rates, and are environmentally unfavorable
(involves use of aqueous-, UV-, or solvent-based inks and
primers)
A relatively new option for decorating plastic parts is the
use of industrial lasers to char a mark into the wallstock of
a part
Laser marking avoids many of the environmental issues
associated with printing and labeling: VOC release; special
waste disposal; reduction in recyclability of scrapped parts
Estimates show that within first 2 years of use, the new
color laser marking technology will replace approx. 10% of
decorating processes, which would eliminate approx. 1,120
tons (2,240,000 pounds) of VOC emissions
M.A. Hanna Color
Environmentally Friendly
Refrigerants
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Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were the most widely
used refrigerant working fluids for several decades;
their production worldwide stopped at the end of 1995
after being implicated in stratospheric ozone depletion
Ikon refrigerants is a family of nonflammable, low
toxicity, environmentally safe, medium-pressure
refrigerant blends with zero ozone-depletion potential
Ikon refrigerants have been shown to have good
compatibility with materials used in refrigeration
systems; can be used in existing systems and designs
without costly and expensive parts replacement or
redesign
Ikon refrigerants significantly reduce emissions of CO2
(greenhouse gas) and NOX and SOX (pollutants)
Ikon, Inc.
RPS Technology for Water-Based Paints,
Coatings, Adhesives, and Sealants
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Reversibly Protected Silanol Technology produces
ready-to-use, water-based paints, coatings,
adhesives, and sealants that match the
performance of solvent-based products
Reduces or eliminates the need for VOCs in many
coating and adhesive applications; improves health
and safety of workers regularly exposed to solventbased products
RPS technology used alkoxysilanes that are
designed to be inert during long-term storage and
rapidly hydrolyze after application; this significantly
reduces the amount of waste generated because of
its excellent storage stability
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
Solvent-Less Manufacture of High
Performance Dry Powder Coatings
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The overall reduction of solvent use in manufacturing
industries is contributed to the use of powder coatings
rather than solvent-based paints and coatings
This technology produces dry powder coating products
that can be applied to uncoated surfaces without the
use of a solvent
High performance characteristics achieved by the use
of crosslinkable acrylics in solventless systems by melt
processing
Environmental impact: reduces levels of VOC
emissions, use of naturally occurring raw materials,
and energy in processing and recovery of solvents
Polymer Processing Institute, New Jersey Institute of
Technology
NALMET Heavy Metal Removal
Technology
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Strict National Pollution Discharge Elimination
System (NPDE) limits on metal concentrations in
plant effluents impact both metal and non-metal
industries
This technology consists of a liquid polymer
containing a metal chelating functional group that
precipitates metals and clarifies the waste stream
simultaneously
Benefits of NALMET include a 25-90% reduction in
sludge volumes, product overfeed is reduced,
customers meet the extremely low (parts-perbillion) NPDES metals discharge limits
There are currently over 50 NALMET applications in
the US and 25 globally
Nalco Chemical Company
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The end.
Looking ahead…
Applications to Automotive
Industry
Cleaners
 Pretreatments
 Rust Removal
 Corrosion Protection
 Plastic Parts Marking
 Refrigerants
 Paints
 Coatings
 Heavy Metal Removal
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