AkzoNobel Develops Coatings Technology for Eliminating Formaldehyde  

In late July 2008, the China Environmental United Certification Center of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China promulgated a set of recommended guidelines on the maximum levels of hazardous substances emission including formaldehyde that are allowed for interior refurbishing works. Compared with the previous standards promulgated in 2001, the maximum contents of hazardous substances in the new standards have been lowered substantially.
    Long-term exposure to formaldehyde in the air can surely cause problems to people. Nevertheless human cannot entirely get rid of formaldehyde.
    For coatings and some paints, formaldehyde is used as a preservative. It is very common that one find a new painted house has a strong smell which will linger a long time. Dulux of AkzoNobel has upgraded all key product lines of decorative paint to odorless formula in China in recent years. To build on the success of this series, it introduced a breakthrough new well-being product - anti-formaldehyde emulsion with innovative air-purification technology in early 2008 which has been well received by the local consumers.
   But AkzoNobel has already taking further actions to find ways to deal with formaldehyde even more effectively. This time it put its bets on a state-of-the-arts technology - Nanotechnology, leaving "No Way Out" for Formaldehyde.  
    AkzoNobel is working on a nanotechnology coating with barrier properties that significantly reduce emissions of formaldehyde. The objective is to create a nano-sized "maze", made up of smart nano-platelets, which is so long and complex that once the gas enters it becomes very difficult for it to escape. This coatings technology will reduce transmission levels down to these naturally occurring rates.