ADVANCES IN ENVIRONMENTALLY BENIGN COATINGS AND ADHESIVES

There is an increased need to develop environmentally benign (no pollu tion or release of hazardous materials into the air, water or soil fro m a coating or adhesive either during their manufacture, use and dispo sal or recycle lifetimes), coatings and adhesives that have equivalent or superior properties to their conventional (non-environmentally ben ign) counterparts. This paper discusses some of the new concepts or te chnologies associated with environmentally benign barrier coatings for packaging, abrasion resistant coatings for plastic substrates, new de velopments in wood finishes, antifouling coatings and new chemistry as sociated with the design of advanced coating systems. This paper also discusses how Battelle is helping the US Air Force to eliminate hazard ous waste associated with structural adhesive technology through the i dentification of equivalent adhesive systems reducing the number of ad hesives used to repair current aircraft and missile equipment. This pa per also discusses advances in the area of repulpable/recyclable press ure sensitive adhesives and silicone release coatings used in a variet y of commercial applications.