Silicones are typically used in flow, leveling, and defoaming agents for coatings. These solutions help reduce surface tension and reduce foam, which in turn decreases surface defects.
Without a flow and leveling agent, defects that can occur in coatings include:
However, popular silicones for coatings are now facing regulatory concerns particularly in the European Union (EU). These regulations target cyclosiloxane levels in products.
This blog will break down upcoming cyclosiloxane regulations and highlight high-performing surface modifier additive alternatives.
Cyclosiloxanes facing regulatory scrutiny include:
While commonly used to improve flow and leveling in coatings, cyclosiloxanes are often low concentration impurities that are found in polydimethylsiloxane-based additives. They are volatile, and release into the air during the drying/curing process.
The cyclosiloxanes listed above have been identified as very persistent and very bioaccumulative under ECHA’s evaluation. Furthermore, D4 in particular may impact fertility and be toxic to aquatic life.
The EU Regulation 2024/1328 severely restricts the usage and marketability of substances and products containing 0.1% or more of the mentioned cyclosiloxanes. This requirement will go into effect by June 6, 2026.
Additionally, with Regulation (EU) 2023/707, the European Union is introducing new Hazard Classes for Substances and Mixtures with PBT (persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic) and vPvB (very persistent, very bioaccumulative) properties.
The Canadian government is assessing D4 risk management measures based on their conclusion of its potential toxicity toward the environment.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency has also been conducting a risk assessment of D4.
With these regulatory concerns in mind, now is the time for formulators in the global coating market to seek additive alternatives that are designed to be compliant with the new regulation while still offering high performance.
Borchers’ wide range of coating additives include high-performing flow, leveling, and defoaming agents with less than 0.1% cyclosiloxane content. These low cyclosiloxane levels can help prevent the labeling that will be required in the European Union.
Borchers’ low-cyclosiloxane additive options include:
More Low-Cyclosiloxane Additives
Our list below features additional low-cyclosiloxane additive options found in our portfolio along with their performance benefits:
With popular coating additives becoming more scrutinized for their cyclosiloxane content, now is the time to seek alternative solutions for improved substrate appearance.
Borchers low-cyclosiloxane (<0.1%) additive options provide excellent substrate wetting, defoaming, leveling, and slip resistance while reducing impact from upcoming D4, D5, and D6 labeling requirements.
For more information, please download our low-cyclosiloxane product breakdown or contact us here.
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