Archroma Introduces New Class of Appretan® NTR Water-Based Polymeric Binders

Archroma announced the launch of Appretan® NTR6304, a water-based polymeric binder based on renewable natural content. The new product in the Appretan® NTR series offers a soft-touch option and demonstrates even higher content based on natural, renewable raw materials. Governments are encouraging the production of environmentally friendly alternatives to polymers made from fossil sources such as oil and natural gas, and the bio-based polymer dispersions market is growing, particularly for coating applications in the US and Europe. Additionally, with increasing environmental regulations on volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and rising crude oil prices, manufacturers have begun research into developing emulsion polymers from biological sources.   Appretan® NTR6553, the first product in the Appretan® NTR series, was launched in 2019, offering manufacturers and brands choosing to reduce fossil fuel-based sources without compromising performance a binder option. More than 30% of the active content of Appretan® NTR6553 is based on a polysaccharide derived from renewable raw materials, and Appretan® NTR6304 raises this level higher with 40% of its active content. [caption id="attachment_125527" align="aligncenter"] (Photo: Archroma)[/caption] The new grade offers an option for textiles and paper-based products requiring soft touch, such as nonwoven cleaning wipes, while Appretan® NTR6553 is designed for food filtration products where a hard element with good boiling water resistance is required, such as coffee filters or tea bags. Of course, the two grades can be blended together to provide customized hand feel effects.

Originally developed for chemical bonding of nonwoven fabrics and coating of textiles, the Appretan® NTR series exhibits excellent film-forming properties and highly hydrophobic behavior. Additionally, the unique chemistry of these binders makes them resistant to water and light solvents alike, and also provides an increase in dry and wet tensile strength.

Products can be applied through impregnation or different coating techniques, whether as paste or foam. Due to the bio-polymer content providing exceptionally high cross-linking functionality, they can also be applied in combination with other cross-linking agents. The series has been developed in accordance with "The Archroma Way: safe, efficient, enhanced, it's our nature" principles: For this reason, Appretan® NTR products are designed so that optimum properties can be achieved without an additional high-temperature curing step compared to industry standard processes, thus helping to achieve significant energy savings for manufacturers and the planet. The series is biocide- and alkylphenol ethoxylate (APEO)-free and does not release formaldehyde. They have biodegradability exceeding 80% and are truly compostable, unlike most competing products on the market.   Using Archroma's best-in-class knowledge of food contact regulations, Appretan® NTR grades are specifically designed for customers operating in the highly regulated, growing hot liquid filtration market. Appretan® NTR complies with global food contact standards such as FDA 176.170, BfR XXXVI and BfR XXXVI/1, confirming suitability of the final product even under conditions such as hot water immersion. Appretan® NTR grades are Bluesign® certified and comply with GOTS 6.0 requirements and Oekotex Standard 100. To enable customers and brands to achieve the full performance and sustainable potential of Appretan® NTR grades, Archroma has created two new compostable binder systems, designed specifically for nonwoven cleaning wipes and food filters.

The two systems, named NATURE BOUND and RAG N' ROLL, can be found in the online Archroma System Selector: www.archroma.com/systems.

Paul Cowell, Head of Brand and Performance Textile Specialties Competence Centers at Archroma, states: "Like our EarthColors® dyes and Appretan® NTR6553, the new Appretan® NTR6304 grade contributes to our growing innovation portfolio based on natural and renewable plants. It helps us and our partners in the textile, fashion and paper markets to minimize our dependence on oil and fossil fuel products. Because this is our nature."