DSM develops breakthrough low-toxicity crosslinkers to drive sustainability

Royal DSM, a global science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living, has launched a new, highly innovative crosslinker portfolio, NeoAdd™ PAX, with an unparalleled combination of low-toxicity and high-performance profile.

The new, patent pending DSM polymeric aziridine crosslinker products will drive safety across a wide range of industries and exemplifies DSM’s commitment to using science to develop sustainable solutions that outperform conventional market alternatives.

Around the world, end consumers and regulatory bodies are increasingly concerned by the potential toxicity of crosslinking solutions.

Currently available carbodiimide crosslinkers typically offer lower toxicity but compromise functional performance, while traditional aziridine crosslinkers will deliver higher levels of performance but potentially impact the health of people and planet.

In line with its ambitious commitment to phase out all Chemicals of High Concern from its final products by 2025, DSM has developed a novel polymeric aziridine technology to deliver high levels of processability and functional performance, as well as very low toxicity.

In particular, thanks to its unique chemical design and high molecular weight, the product family NeoAdd™ PAX delivers outstanding chemical and water resistance plus excellent adhesion to a wide range of substrates and requires no stoving or heating after application.

It offers key functional performance advantages compared to most carbodiimide-based waterborne coating systems, as higher chemical resistance can be achieved at lower dosing levels.

What’s more, NeoAdd™ PAX is fully REACH compliant and, because of its low toxicity profile, dramatically decreases the labeling requirements compared with conventional aziridine crosslinkers.

As such, NeoAdd™ PAX will open new possibilities to a diverse set of markets, including industrial, architectural, packaging, ink, adhesives and leather coatings.

The first two products are NeoAdd™ PAX-523, specially designed for use in waterborne industrial and architectural coating systems where superior performance is required and NeoAdd™ PAX-521 for usage in waterborne primers, inks and coatings for packaging applications.

Jon Cronin, Global Innovation Growth Leader DSM Coating Resins, said: "The new NeoAdd™ PAX crosslinker family aligns perfectly with our purpose-led, performance-driven strategy; this is a sustainable solution that works for both people and planet.

"Our new crosslinker is a breakthrough innovation in that it competes with traditional aziridines on functional performance but offers significant safety and sustainability benefits to many different industries and markets.

"I’m very proud that, more than ever, our bright science is being used to enable brighter living!”