Seeking Hydrophobic Technologies For Organic-Based Material

• A manufacturing process
• A material
• A technology
• A partner

Organic materials can be used for their structural properties: they are highly recyclable, relatively easy to process, and resources are abundant. But in contact with wetting agents (liquids and solids), their properties can be altered.

To preserve their integrity and structural performance, the SpecialChem Client adds hydrophobic properties to their organic material. This hydrophobic treatment of fibers is done today during the manufacturing of the fiber. But whilst applying hydrophobicity either before or during the manufacturing steps, it has to sustain the remaining manufacturing steps. This makes the process difficult to improve and optimize.

The SpecialChem Client is looking for new techniques and/or chemistries for hydrophobation of organic fibers.

The SpecialChem Client is looking at a following solution:

• Hydrophobic technologies, applied to cellulose, providing an hydrophobicity and penetration of water and other liquids
• Substrate made up of Cellulose, Chemical - , chemomechanical -,  mechanical or deinked pulp
• Solution should be economic to apply and use compared to current methods.
• Recyclability of pulp fiber (re-pulpability) and converting of the hydrophobic fibre must be possible
• A biobased solution would be preferable, but is not a necessity

Hydrophobic additives or surface treatments (coatings).

The SpecialChem Client is not interested in solutions that

• Consist solely on conventionally used hydrophobation agents: Rosin, AKD (alkyl ketene dimer), ASA (alkenyl succinic anhydride), SAE (styrene acrylate emulsions), or blends of them are not of interest
  • Solutions without detailed evidence
  • Solutions that can’t be utilized in industrial scale even after further development (e.g. due to very high cost or limited availability of the raw material)
  • Fluorobased chemicals and polystyrene acrylates are not of interest
  • Reactive fiber modification are not of interest

• Further questions and direct negotiations
• Testing the solution in small scale
• Economical calculations of the solution

• Technology concept
• Proven Concepts
• Ready-to-be-used solutions

• Licensing
• Contractual partnership (R&D, marketing…)
• Joint-venture
• Technology / product acquisition