Cross-linking agents from Maflon: What benefits do they bring?

Maflon’s wide range of cross-linking agents can improve your coating performance whilst also delivering a variety of benefits including:

• Environmentally friendly technology
• Great Reactivity with amine, hydroxyl and carboxyl groups
• Long pot-life
• Easy to use
• Stain & Chemical resistance
• Adhesion improvement
• Wear, tear & abrasion resistance

Stort are pleased to offer Maflon’s Aziridines, poly-isocyanates, blocked poly-isocyanates and poly-carbodiimides. The blocked isocyanates account for the most products in Maflon’s range, so what are their benefits?

Blocked poly-isocyanates

Cross-linking agents work by creating a continuous 3D network in the coating. However, the different types of products cross-link in different ways. Blocked poly-isocyanates require heat treatment to form isocyanates before they can cross-link with the polymer. This is a unique characteristic and means it can be added to the formula and stored as it will not react until the target temperature is reached.

Different blocking groups will give different properties. However, in general, blocked poly-isocyanates are low yellowing, with low moisturising sensitivity, no gas release and a pot-life of several weeks in 1K formulations. Blocking the poly-isocyanate limits premature reactivity with water or other nucleophiles. Although ε-caprolactam has the highest unblocking temperature which some may want to avoid, it does not volatise when it becomes unblocked, instead acting like a plasticiser. Blocking agents that become volatile when unblocked can cause foaming and lead to undesirable effects.

MEKO Blocked

Hydrosin NF-06:

• Textiles
• Free from PFC, PFOA, PFOS, APEO, NMP, Organotin & catalysts
• High Chemical & mechanical resistance
• Colour stability & resistance to yellowing
• Improves resistance to oil & water
• Fixing agent in pigment printing

DMP Blocked

Hydrosin NF-08:

• Textiles
• Booster for oil and water repellent products improving resistance to washing and dry cleaning

Hydrosin C-20:

• Textiles
• Improves strength, hardness, abrasion and chemical resistance of fabrics
• Soft touch

Hydrosin C-21:

• Textiles, metal coating, automotive, glass coating
• Designed for 1K water-borne coatings for cross-linking hydroxyl groups
• Can be used alone or in combination with melamines

DIPA Blocked

Hydrosin C-24:

• Textile
• Increased adhesion to substrates

ε-CL Blocked

Hydrosin C-31:

• Textile
• High resistance to yellowing
• Reduced toxicity

For further information, please contact our Industrial team!