80 Products
Replacement of Critical Substances
In the year under review, ALTANA succeeded in replacing
further critical substances. An example are chromium com-
pounds that are used, among other things, as corrosion
protection in galvanized and hot-zinc dipped connecting
elements such as screws, bolts, and other fastening com-
ponents, say, in the automotive industry. Since chromium
compounds are suspected of posing hazards to human
health, chemical regulations such as REACH have recently
begun strongly restricting their use. The effect-pigment
specialist ECKART offers an alternative to the aforementioned
methods, namely, special, completely chromium-free zinc
flakes. They ensure lasting corrosion protection in the corre-
sponding paint and coating systems with lower material
consumption, as thinner layers are needed. The zinc flakes
are also used in mounting components for wind turbines.
Further advantages for users: Processing primers using zinc
flakes requires less energy compared to galvanized coat-
ings. In addition, no wastewater is produced in the coating
process.