Deformulation of Coatings & Paints

Deformulation, or reverse engineering, is the breaking down of a formulation into its basic components, usually finding ingredients that are present down to the 1% level. It involves the separation of the coating components and then identification of these components through analytical chemistry.

These investigations can answer such questions as:

• What's in my competitor's product?
• Why is the new supplier's coating different?
• What is causing the batch-to-batch variations?

A client may be looking for a specific component in a paint formula or may need a full product deformulation.

Paint and coating reverse engineering usually starts with solvent analysis using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) to identify and quantify solvents. Dried coating samples can then be extracted with proprietary solvent combinations to isolate materials based on solubility. Once materials are isolated, they can be identified using a number of analytical techniques such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (SEM/EDS). Other methods can be used to quantify such as Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Karl Fisher titration.

Following deformulation, CAS-MI's reformulation experts can help recreate the formula. For more information about product development, visit our Innovation Center division at www.Innovation-CAS-MI.com.

Click to read "The Art & Science of Paint Deformulation"
An Article by: By Michele L. Bruck, M.S., Analytical Section Manager, and G. Fred Willard, Ph.D., Vice President, Technology, CAS-MI Laboratories, Ypsilanti, MI