SECONDARY RESOURCES UTILIZATION FOR SUSTAINABLE COATINGS TECHNOLOGIES

摘要

As "disposable, throw-away and non-recyclable" practices and strategies persist from commercial packaging and food-related industries, a massive amount of polystyrene plastic, polystyrene foam and other sources of polystyrene are being made available as "Secondary Resources". Polystyrene foam has been particulated and dissolved into a natural oil, d'limonene and utilized as the base binder matrix in combination with other flexibilizing polymers, plasticizers, and standard formulating ingredients. Ex-situ emulsification produces interior quality emulsion coatings or "Trade Sales" coating products. Exterior coating products have also been formulated and evaluated that have satisfactory durabilities, comparable to commercial products formulated with styrene acrylic resins. The utilization practice of these methodologies, as a novel recycling strategy, may allow coating manufacturers and/or ecoprenural enterprises to develop and use secondary resources from recycling efforts via conversion and manufacturing of simple, non-toxic and competitive interior/exterior architectural paints and coatings. Thus, diverting and reducing the volume of the disposable polystyrene land-fillable waste stream. Innovative approaches such as these may allow the Coatings Industry to become a part of the solution to an ever-expanding landfill problem, yet, promoting the merits of modern day coatings technology. This is a "Sustainable Practice".