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CRADLE-TO-GRAVE ENVIRONMENTALLY COMPLIANT, NO-VOC FURNITURE COATING - PHASE I
Description:
The cost to worker safety, the environment and industry of applying millions of gallons of solvent-based furniture coatings per year is staggering and potentially irreversible. Removal of furniture coatings via chemical stripping also introduces toxic, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that deplete the ozone layer. Under this SBIR project, Foster-Miller will develop an environmentally-compliant, durable protective coating for furniture that is 100% reactive and contains no VOCs. The coating will be designed with a "lock and key" selective degradation mechanism that allows it to be removed-upon- demand without the need for organic solvents. The No-VOC coating will be spray- applied and provide reliable protection during its long service lifetime. When removal is desired for restoration purposes, a non-hazardous, aqueous enzyme solution will be applied that rapidly removes only the coating, leaving the underlying wood untouched. Following removal, the coating will biodegrade into harmless products that can be reintroduced into the environment. This coating and its lock and key removal system provide a cost effective, "cradle-to-grave" environmental alternative to current furniture coatings that require the use of VOCs during both application and removal. The Foster- Miller team contains a furniture coating manufacturer as well as experts in No-VOC coatings, biodegradable polymers, and enzyme chemistry.