Crosslinkers with top-class performance and a lower environmental impact

Crosslinking is widely practiced in the coating industry as a means to improve coating performance on wear, abrasion, chemical & stain resistance, toughness and blocking properties. As an addition to coating formulations, they provide a wide range of additional possibilities. Our carbodiimide crosslinkers (CDI) provide a sustainable, yet high-performance alternative for formulators in the paint and coating industry, looking to reduce their environmental footprint with full performance qualities. 

Carbodiimide Crosslinkers environmentally-friendly enhancer for coating qualities

Crosslinking works by connecting the polymers through reactive chemistry, thus strengthening the network of a specific coating. But stabilizing the polymer strains has disadvantages when it comes to flexible substrates, as coating properties then may be reduced in elongation, strength and flexibility. A high level of crosslinking is suitable for rigid substrates, but flexible substrates require a level of malleability suited for waterborne systems to maintain their desired properties. Compared to traditional crosslinkers, such as aziridine, isocyanates, and melamines, polycarbodiimide crosslinkers have a number of advantages. Polycarbodiimides are much less sensitive to the presence of water and able to achieve long pot-life. Due to the high reactivity, curing with CDI type crosslinkers can be done at room temperature and under typical oven conditions used for drying of applied coatings. 

 Suitable for 2K Coating systems

In addition to standard CDI crosslinker chemistry, we offer a range of crosslinkers with 2-stage reactivity. A second type of reactive group is attached to the polycarbodiimide in this range, so upon curing this crosslinker not only reacts to the -COOH groups in the polymer chains. These reactive groups react to form an even denser network structure. To further build on the success of our polycarbodiimide crosslinkers, we have upgraded our technologies to provided VOC-free new CDI versions with extreme long pot-life.

Key Benefits of Carbodiimide Crosslinkers

Carbodiimide crosslinkers offer various advantages for production of coatings for both flexible and hard substrates.

Key benefits:

• Friendly labeled
• Improved pot life
• Not moisture sensitive
• Fast curing speed upon drying
• Improved chemical & stain resistance
• Low viscosity & easy to use
• VOC-free
• Improved adhesion and chemical resistance
• Increased abrasion resistance, strength and hardness

Carbodiimide crosslinkers potfolio overview

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Product name	Type	Solids (%)	Viscosity (cP)	Solvent system	VOC (%)	Swiss Ordinance comptiant*	Label on product**
Picassian® XL-701	Multifunctional	50	25 - 300	MPA	49.9	Yes
Picassian® XL-702	Standard	40	25 - 300	H2O	0	Yes	-
Picassian® XL-725	Multifunctional	100	500 - 2,000	-	0.5	No
Picassian® XL-732	Standard	40	0 - 500	H2O	0	Yes	-
Picassian® XL-755	Multifunctional	100	6,000 - 12,000	-	0	Yes	-
Picassian® XL-762	Standard	100	15,000 - 20,000	-	0	No	-

* For indirect food contact
** Labeling due to solvent or additive, not because of CDI polymer