Acure
—
Speed and Control
for Coatings
Nuplex
Delivering the
Right Chemistry
—
From the specific combination of compounds
that form a resin, to the chemistry between our
clients and ourselves, chemistry is at the very
core of who we are.
Our global network of experts deliver the right
chemistry in the development and manufacture
of coating resins for a wide range of applications.
With ever-increasing end-use demands,
our team strives to maintain a curious mindset,
searching for answers in creating the chemistry
of the future.
The right chemistry is what binds Nuplex
together, and ensures we meet our customers’
needs and solve their challenges.
Our innovative products are delivered through
on-going technical support and personal service.
Page — 3
Partners With
The Right Chemistry
—
Right across our global R&D, sales and production
network, our teams are focused on finding ways to help
our partners improve performance and productivity,
enter new markets, refine applications and deliver
advanced products to meet evolving needs and
environmental regulations.
As a leading chemicals company, Nuplex serves
a wide range of coatings markets and applications,
including automotive OEM, vehicle refinish, high-end
metal, building and construction, architectural, general
industrial, wood and flooring, marine, decorative paint,
plastics, adhesives, inks, and textiles.
As a global organisation, our customers benefit
from world class standards, together with the flexibility
and knowledge of a specialist local provider. Nuplex
Nuplex
Acure
—
The birth of an innovative,
new, coating technology
Nuplex is dedicated to creating innovative
solutions for the Coatings Industry. The Acure
system was invented in Nuplex’s Innovation Centre
in The Netherlands and refined in our regional R&D
laboratories in Europe and the US.
Acure is built on two key technical innovations.
The first is a unique blocked catalyst which controls
Acure’s reaction speed yet unblocks on demand,
releasing small amounts of an alcohol and CO2. This
unique feature which effectively de-couples dry time
and pot life is at the heart of Acure.
Acure is base catalysed and built on Michael
Addition chemistry which up until now has been too
reactive to be manageable in a coatings context.
Acure is a 2k system which harnesses Michael
Addition’s reactivity, giving paint formulators the ability
to dial in fast dry times with remarkably long pot lives.
The second innovation is a kinetic additive
package which gives formulators full control of open
time and through dry windows.
Incredible dry speed with full control of pot life,
through dry and open time is what we call “Speed and
Control”. We also call it Acure.
Page — 6
Page — 7
Nuplex
Nuplex
Acure is ready for your next challenge
—
Acure Features
Customer Benefits
Very fast dry time
Faster return to service
Extremely long pot life
Reduced paint waste
Cures at low temperature
Reduced energy cost
High film build capabilities
Increased paint line productivity
Isocyanate, organo-tin, BPA and formaldehyde free
Peace of mind
Low VOC
Easier on the environment
Target Markets and End Uses
Due to it’s unique product attributes, the possible
markets and end uses for Acure are extensive. Acure
has already been found to have exciting performance
benefits for a range of markets including:
Additional Acure Features
— Marine and Protective Markets
Acure is well positioned to replace 2k urethane
and aspartate based systems over epoxy primers.
Key benefits include faster return to service,
extended painting seasons and reduced waste
from longer pot lives.
— Agricultural and Construction Markets
Acure is well positioned to replace 2k urethane
and aspartate systems over epoxy primer or in
direct to metal systems over pre-treatments
including Aminosilane and Bonder®.
Key benefits in these markets are found on the
paint application line and include reduced energy
costs, increased paint line productivity and
reduced capital costs for your customers.
The non-isocyanate aspect of Acure is also
expected to be attractive.
— Rail, Aerospace and High End Metal Coatings
Here Acure systems are also expected to
challenge traditional urethane coatings. Key
benefits in these markets include faster return to
service and reduced energy and paint waste costs.
Page — 8
Page — 9
— Early property development
Acure systems provide remarkable ambient
cure performance. Through dry times may be
dialled down to between 20 to 40 minutes. After
this point Acure paint films typically have better
mar and scratch resistance than force dried or
baked 2k urethane systems.
— Excellent chemical resistance
As Acure systems have very high cross-link
densities, exceptional chemical resistance
properties are easily realised. For example, our
starting point formula has hundreds of MEK
double rubs and is highly resistant to a variety
of other chemicals including acids, bases and
hydraulic fluid. This chemical resistance develops
as soon as the paint through dries. Full Acure
properties are typically seen in hours not days
or weeks.
— Worker friendly
Acure systems may be formulated without skin
sensitising ingredients.
Speed and Control
Nuplex
Nuplex
Exceptional Hardness
Persoz hardness development of an ambient cured
Acure system vs a 2k urethane (4% OH) cured for
30 minutes at 60°C.
of dry time. Both cure speed and pot life are now
completely in the hands of the paint formulator.
Thanks to Acure’s novel blocked catalyst, which
unblocks with the evolution of small amounts an
alcohol and CO2, these two parameters have been
completely de-coupled. Compromise no more on
dry time and pot life. Acure puts you in control.
In typical 2k urethane systems, dry times and
pot lives are normally quite similar. Remarkably,
Acure pot lives are many multiples greater than that
2k PUR-30 min @ 60°C
200
High Film Builds
Acure breaks through another performance
barrier when used in thick film applications.
In typical 2k urethane systems, in particular when
curing at elevated temperatures, it’s difficult to
realise good appearance and film properties at layer
thicknesses above 100 microns. This difficulty arises
from solvent entrapment, pin holing and CO2 evolution.
As a result of the tune-ability of the open time in Acure
systems, excellent appearance is easily realised at film
builds exceeding 200 microns.
The Lightning Fast Cure Rates of Acure
Acure’s remarkably fast cure rates are derived
from the lightning fast kinetics, afforded by Michael
Addition chemistry, found at the heart of Acure.
2k Urethane systems are no match for Acure’s dry
time, hardness and early property development.
Acure-Ambient
Persoz hardness
Speed and Control
—
Acure’s Exceptional Hardness Development
160
120
80
40
0
0.5
1.0
1.5
Time (days)
Low VOC Capability
Acure systems outperform typical industrial
coatings in terms of VOC compliance levels. Composed
of low molecular weight, low polarity resins, Acure
systems give you the ability to formulate very low VOC
systems with ease. Typical Acure formulas have VOC
levels below 250 g/l with spray viscosities low enough
(30” DIN 4 or 100 cP) to easily be used in pneumatic
spray equipment.
The De-Coupling of Dry Time and Pot Life
Acure Systems
NCO/OH Systems
8
7
Pot life (hours)
6
5
230 microns
4
3
Acure paint pneumatically spray applied to a dry film
thickness of 230 microns confirming Acure’s excellent
appearance properties at high film builds.
2
1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Dry time (tack free – hours)
Acure systems feature “A class” dry times and
through cure rates
Acure’s dry speed and pot life performance vs an
array of 2k systems (urethanes and aspartates)
Page — 12
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2.0
Nuplex
Nuplex
Acure provides the durability you expect
from premium 2k urethane systems
Tested and
Ready to Go
—
Acure systems weather as well or better than
typical high end (4% OH) 2k acrylic urethane systems.
5° South Florida Exposure
QUV–B Performance
100
120
90
100
% Gloss Retention 60˚
80
Gloss 60˚
70
Acure Adheres to Epoxy Primers and
Common Metal Pre-treatments
60
50
40
30
20
80
60
40
20
10
Acure’s adhesion was tested on an industry cross
section of 12 different commercial epoxy primers
commonly used in the Marine and Protective and
Agriculture and Construction Equipment (ACE) Markets.
Acure performed extremely well in cross hatch and tape
pull testing across the vast majority of these primers.
A sample of the testing results is outlined below.
On common metal pre-treatments including those
containing Aminosilane and Bonder®, Acure’s adhesion
has been thoroughly tested and excellent results
observed. Acure systems have also been found to
adhere to 2k urethane primers and it’s clear that
Acure systems will ultimately be formulated to adhere
to other substrates in various primer, topcoat and
mono-coat layer configurations.
0
0
5
10
15
20
25
Exposure Time (Months)
4 Hours
1 Day
1 Week
2 Weeks
3 Weeks
4 Weeks
% Adhesion of Acure on an ACE Primer
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
% Adhesion of Acure on a zinc rich primer
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
Acure
WB 2K
Acure w/o HALS
HS APO 2K
MS APO 2K
Variety of Urethanes w/o UVA
The above times refer to the time from when the
epoxy primer was applied to the time the Acure
topcoat was applied.
Acure paint being spray applied to Aminosilane
pre-treated panels
Page — 14
1000
1500
Exposure Time (Hours)
The Relevant Adhesion Performance of Acure
Acure Adhesion Testing
500
Page — 15
Acure with HALS
2000
Nuplex
Nuplex
This new family of products from Nuplex is
designed specifically for use with Acure systems. It
provides all that you’ll need to begin formulating Acure
based paints. This product line goes beyond Nuplex’s
historic scope of traditional coating resins so that you’ll
be able to acquire all your main Acure ingredients with
one phone call. In offering these materials Nuplex has
taken measures to ensure they will behave predictably
in the Acure systems you’ll be formulating. We refer to
these products as being Acure Certified.
Peace of Mind with Acure
—
GHS Coatings System Comparison – Nuplex Interpretation
Acure diMTPA
Acure TMPTA
Product Number Description
Function
Technology
Key Parameters (typical)
Acure 500
Catalyst
The Acure
Catalyst
Proprietary Nuplex Catalyst
29.5% NV; EW 1078 g/eq
Acure 510-100
Polyester Resin
The Primary
Acure Binder
Malonate Functional Polyester
85% NV in Butyl Acetate;
EW 210 g/eq
Acure 510–079
Solid
Succinimide
Kinetic Additive
Acure Certified Succinimide
Succinimide which is Reach
approved for use a Substance
Acure 510–170
Succinimide in
Resin
Co-binder with
kinetic additive
Succinimide dissolved in Resin
1.4% Succinimide (Reach approved)
on resin NV; EW212 g/eq
Acure 510-190
Possible allergic reaction
“sensitization” (H317)
SCA modified
Resin
Stir in Rheological Patented new SCA crystal
Agent
dispersed in Resin
74% NV; 2.0% SCA crystal on resin
solids; EW 245 g/eq
Acure 550-100
Acrylate
Secondary
Binder
Acure Certified TMPTA
Proprietary Specifications;
EW 99 g/eq
Eye irritant (H319)
Acure 550-105
Acrylate
Secondary
Binder
Acure Certified diTMPTA
Proprietary Specifications;
EW 116.5 g/eq
Hazard Statements
Epoxy
2k PUR
Worker Exposure
Skin Irritant (H315)
Note: EW's reported on an "as supplied" basis
Possible respiratory irritant
(H335)
Skin burns and eye damage
(H314)
Employee protection required
(not including solvent)
Additional employee protection
required (including solvents)
One might expect, with all the performance
advantages of Acure, that compromises would need
to be made in the areas of health and safety and
worker exposure. Acure systems provide you and
your customers with peace of mind in knowing that
your coatings won’t contain isocyanate, organo-tin
compounds, BPA or formaldehyde. Acure also gives
you the ability to formulate coatings without skin
sensitising ingredients.
Page — 16
Page — 17
Nuplex
Formulating with Acure
Acure’s chemistry is catalysed by a strong base,
consequently acidic substrates, pigments and additives
should be avoided. Nuplex has found suitable low acid
containing paint ingredients to support formulating
Acure systems across a broad spectrum of topcoats.
Additional information may be found in our latest Acure
Paint Formulating Guide.
Acure and the Future
Based on Acure’s truly unique performance
profile, Acure systems have the potential to not only
outperform traditional 2k urethane systems but many
other binder systems across a variety of markets.
Going forward Nuplex will continue to invest in Acure
systems first focusing on supporting customers
dedicated to success in premium 2k finishes markets.
With time, Nuplex will deliver a number of innovative,
new, Acure systems for a much broader array of
markets and end uses.
Nuplex
Partners with the Right Chemistry
Nuplex is a leading global manufacturer of resins
to the paint and coatings industry. From its operations
in Australia & New Zealand, Asia, Europe and North
America, Nuplex serves customers in over 80 countries.
With over US$1bn in sales world-wide, Nuplex
is a trusted solution provider with a leading product
portfolio offering a wide range of innovative solvent,
water borne and powder technologies.
Nuplex EMEA’s sales network is supported
by sites in The Netherlands, Germany and the UK.
Headquartered in Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands,
each site has its own on-site R&D facilities which
work in conjunction with Nuplex’s Innovation Centre
located on campus at the University of Wageningen in
The Netherlands. Product development is customer
focussed and we greatly value our customer
relationships and technical discussions. This ensures
we give individual support to each customer and deliver
the best solutions for their individual needs.
For further information please contact your local
Nuplex area sales manager or Nuplex representative.
All information, recommendations and suggestions, concerning the product and its use, are believed to be reliable. However, Nuplex gives no
assurance as to the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy for a particular purpose. It is the users responsibility to determine the suitability for
its own use of the products. No guarantee (whether expressed or implied) is made by Nuplex as to the results to be obtained from using the
described products, nor shall Nuplex be liable for any use by others of the described products. Users are responsible for ensuring compliance
with local legislation and for obtaining the necessary certifications and authorizations. All orders are subject to Nuplex’s conditions of
sale applicable to the products referred to in this brochure, copies of which are available on request or may be posted from time to time to
Nuplex’s website www.nuplexresins.com. Nuplex owns all copyrights and other intellectual property rights in the contents of this document.
Reproduction or redistribution in any form is not allowed. Nuplex Resins bv, P.O. Box 79, 4600 AB Bergen op Zoom,
The Netherlands. Tel. +31 164 276 911, fax +31 164 276 258
Page — 18
Page — 19
Regional Head Office
Production Site
Sales Office Only
Europe
—
The Netherlands
Synthesebaan 1, 4612 RB
Bergen op Zoom
T +31 164 276 406
F +31 164 276 446
—
France
833, Rue du Fort, 59680
Ferriere La Grande
T +33 685 437 672
F +33 327 651 789
—
Germany
Salegaster Chaussee 1
Ortsteil Greppin, 06803
Bitterfeld-Wolfen
T +49 349 335 8123
F +49 349 335 8111
—
Italy
Via del Polaresco 38A
24129 Bergamo
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F +31 164 276 446
—
Poland
Oddział w Polsce ul. Sienkiewicza
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F +48 426 550 335
—
Spain
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—
Russia
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—
United Kingdom
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—
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—
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—
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—
Asia
—
Singapore
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—
China — Suzhou
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—
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Industrial Zone
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F +86 757 2552 6368
—
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—
India
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—
Indonesia
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—
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—
Malaysia — Melaka
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T +60 6 3517 888
F +60 6 3517 878
—
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T +60 6 3517 888
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—
Taiwan
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—
Thailand
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F +66 2 308 2967
—
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—
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Ho chi Minh City
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—
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Vietnam
T +84 4 3824 0659
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—
Australia & New Zealand
—
Australia
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(Locked Bag 6, Botany NSW 2019)
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F +61 2 9666 3368
—
New Zealand
Level 3 Millennium Centre
602C Great South Road,
Ellerslie, Auckland 1051
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F +64 9 571 0542
—
www.nuplex.com