that its new natural-based solvent Galasolv NF has been proven
effective in dissolving phenoxy, a versatile resin manufactured
exclusively by InChem Corp. of Rock Hill, S.C.
"We are very pleased that for the first time there is a natural-based
non-toxic solvent for phenoxy," said Steve Crownshaw, President of
InChem. "Until now only strong petroleum-based chemicals could serve
as effective solvents. This new solution opens the door to many
applications such as safer forms of paints, coatings, inks and
varnishes that will be environmentally friendly."
"Galasolv NF is a new biosolvent blend that has been developed to
offer better safety, especially in term of storage and
transportation," said Guy Bauts, Market Development Manager – Industry
for Galactic. "All our products are derived from lactic acid, produced
by natural fermentation of sugar and corn glucose. 'NF' stands for non-
flammable. This enables our clients to reduce their storage and
handling costs significantly with no impact on high product
performance."
"Phenoxy resins are tough, clear and flexible thermoplastic chemicals
with high cohesive strength and good impact resistance," Crownshaw
explained. "Phenoxy resins are used to enhance the performance of
coatings, inks, adhesives, composites, tires, carbon fibers and many
other products. New uses are being discovered all the time, and the
Galasolv NF solvent is an excellent example."
As a solvent for phenoxy, Galasolv NF has four main benefits, Bauts
explained:
"(1) It is safe - totally safe for end-users and for workers.
"(2) It is green - made from renewable sources (corn and sugar) and
bio-degradable.
"(3) It is high performing - the performance of Galasolv NF is in line
or better than its alternatives.
"(4) It is cost effective - the costs of our solutions are in line
with the conventional crude-oil based alternatives. And when
considering total cost of usage (including recycling, storage and
handling), then it is even more cost-effective."
Example of solvents that can be easily replaced with Galasolv NF
include:
-Glycol ethers, glycol ether acetates
-Cresols
-Cyclohexanone
"Too many solvents today are hazardous and a threat to our
environments," Bauts said. "By using Galasolv NF, industries can
benefit from the latest innovations from the green chemicals research
field."
InChem Corporation is one of America's largest privately-owned
chemical companies, with annual sales over $150 million. It is the
sole authorized manufacturer of phenoxy resin. Its other custom and
standard chemical formulating and processing services are provided to
the world's largest chemical companies and other manufacturers. For
more information, visit www.inchemcorp.com or www.phenoxy.com.
Galactic is a leading producer of lactic acid and lactates serving the
food, feed, cosmetic, pharmaceutical and industrial markets. With
headquarters in Belgium and production facilities in Europe (Belgium),
Asia (China) and America (USA), Galactic is commercially active in
more than 65 countries. Galactic offers innovative solutions in a wide
range of applications, with a focus on natural food ingredients, green
chemistry and PLA through Futerro, a joint-venture with Total
Petrochemicals. For more information, visit www.lactic.com.
