ABOUT US
Company Introduction
Eco Quality Solutions LLC (EQS), a Midwest-based start-up company, offers a new coating technology, an epoxidized allyl soyate (EAS) coating, which will be used to replace Bisphenol A (BPA) in a wide variety of applications. EQS-EAS Coating is compatible with cross-linkers and capable of forming coatings that match the performance of BPA-based coatings. With a strong technology position in BPA-NI coatings, EQS is positioning itself to become a market leader in bio-based resin coatings. EQS-EAS Coating has been successfully tested by large global packaging manufacturers and food and beverage companies, and has attracted worldwide interest in licensing the technology. EQS holds exclusive global IP rights to the soy-based epoxy resin alternative, a proprietary technology developed at Missouri University Science and Technology (MS&T).
EQS-EAS Coating Brewery Test
EQS has demonstrated the potential application of the EAS resin for coating food and beverage containers. In a test conducted for a top brewery company, the EAS coatings were assessed for their compatibility with food and beverages (beer and carbonated soft drinks). In addition mechanical, thermal, electrical properties and environmental stability of the epoxy composites were evaluated. The test containers with EAS and commercial epoxy coated coupons were delivered to the Brewery. Test results show that EAS promises to be a very versatile epoxy resins with a wide ranging applications in the composite material industry where it should be able to replace traditional BPA epoxy resins.
EQS-EAS Coating: Performance & Safety
In short, the EAS coating shows comparable performance to that of epoxy coatings derived from BPA. The same study demonstrated this new resin is a drop-in replacement for BPA-containing epoxy resins in beverage and food can coating applications. R&D on the soy-based resin has shown its ability to provide excellent corrosion resistance for aluminum and steel cans which is a key attribute when packaging highly-acidic food and beverages. The EAS coating also dries quickly, which allows production facilities to maintain line speeds when spraying or applying the coating to food or beverage containers. Its ability to crosslink will further provide a myriad of opportunities to formulators and products based on renewable sources. Toxicity studies suggest it does not have adverse health and environmental effects, as illustrated by no detectable anti-estrogenic and estrogenic activity.
EQS-EAS Coating Technology Features
1. Heat Curing: Synthesized as a high-solids spray replacement for inside liners of metal containers and cured at around 200 degrees C/392 degrees F in less than 90 seconds.
2. Thickness: Tested as spray coating with a film thickness of 5 microns, and shows uniform particle shape and narrow particle size distribution. In a test with pressurized beverage cans, EQS-EAS thin coating has better strength. The formulation will work for very thin flexible films.
3. Excellent Shelf -Life: Coating has a stability of 6 months. There is minimal viscosity shift over time, around 5%.
4. Glass Transition Temperature (Tg) of EAS system: Reference: Flanigan / Kapila 2004 EAS Paper entitled “DYNAMIC MECHANICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF SOY BASED EPOXY RESIN SYSTEM”. Summary of data: “The glass transition temperature of soy resins is shown in fig.3. For 30% EMS in pure epoxy results in lowest Tg, which varies from ~45 C to ~40 C with10% EMS to 30% EMS weight. The loss tangent peaks in fig. 4 correspond to the Tg=values. While the definition of Tg for polymers varies, it seems that we may use different % EMS for cold beverage and for cans in which food may be cooked at high temperature. There is no Tg Effects on the Following Properties of EAS Coating: Blocking, adhesion, flexibility, flow and leveling, viscosity, tackiness, impact resistance, hardness.
EQS-EAS / Bis-A Comparison:
The process development and scale up, and industry regimes completed with EAS coating:
1. Adhesion (ASTM D 3359) - Coating exhibited excellent adhesion and fell under the category 5B with zero percent coating removal
2. Impact Resistance (ASTM D 2994) - Coating exhibited better impact resistance than the commercially BPA-based epoxy coating
3. Abrasion Resistance (ASTM D 4060) - Average wear index for EAS coating was determined to be 0.033 which compared favorably to the wear index of commercial BPA coating (0.038)
4. Flexibility (ASTM D 522) - ESA coating exhibited no crack propagation EQS-EAS Recent Tests
Blind Organoleptic evaluation of beer by expert panel - No off flavor or taste
Assessment of Flavor Scalping and/or Alterations of Flavor by Cured EAS-Based Can Coating - Results clearly show that EAS coating does not cause any flavor scalping. [FYI – EQS has not begun the FCN approval process.]
Assessment of EAS-Based coating for indirect food contact use - Results clearly show that EAS coating can be used as a laminating adhesive for indirect food contact use (e.g., wrapping for candy)
EQS-EAS as a water-borne, spray-applied replacement for epoxy coating systems
EAS can be easily dispersed in epoxy, phenolic, acrylic, polyester formulations. The materials can be used in water-based powder and as 100% solid UV/EB curable formulations.
EAS can be reformulated as a water-based spray by making a colloidal suspension in water. For a 100% solid-UV/EB curable formula, we would need to change the initiator.
In terms of commercial potential, it is worth comparing the EAS technology to similar competing products in the BPA-NI market today:
Looking at the value stream, EAS is an epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) as 3 fatty glycerol ester groups. The product compares favorably to the one that Arkema makes under Vikoflex brand CAS number 8013-07- 8, as well as half a dozen other epoxied oils (linseed,castor , etc). From discussions with potential commercialization partners, it is clear that the EAS high- solids based spray can be reconfigured as a water-based spray solution and at a market price between $1.15-1.5/lb, which would compete with the water based coatings that exist in the marketplace.
Dow-Corning is offering a water-based coating for the can-coating market. Heat curing tests completed by EQS show that the EAS resin can compete with the Dow Product Dow Provides Next Generation BPA-free Can Coatings: http://coatings.specialchem.com/news/industry-news/dow-alternatives- to-bpa- coatings-0001867
Management Team
The expertise and experience of the EQS team guarantees that this product meets a growing global market demand for safe coatings. The Company goal is to move towards larger scale conversion, while at the same time meeting the performance, cost availability and safety requirements of food and beverage companies for coatings and adhesives.
Partnership and Collaboration: Licensing, co-investment & contract models are available.
Specific Application Optimization: Testing of customized coatings; FDA/Taste studies
Scale-up & Evaluation: Extensive testing & field validation; Product/Process economics; Supply chain; Field trials for feedback.
Markets:
Contact:
Gus Pappas
CEO / Manager
Eco Quality Solutions, LLC
Eco Quality Solutions LLC (EQS), a Midwest-based start-up company, offers a new coating technology, an epoxidized allyl soyate (EAS) coating, which will be used to replace Bisphenol A (BPA) in a wide variety of applications. EQS-EAS Coating is compatible with cross-linkers and capable of forming coatings that match the performance of BPA-based coatings. With a strong technology position in BPA-NI coatings, EQS is positioning itself to become a market leader in bio-based resin coatings. EQS-EAS Coating has been successfully tested by large global packaging manufacturers and food and beverage companies, and has attracted worldwide interest in licensing the technology. EQS holds exclusive global IP rights to the soy-based epoxy resin alternative, a proprietary technology developed at Missouri University Science and Technology (MS&T).
EQS-EAS Coating Brewery Test
EQS has demonstrated the potential application of the EAS resin for coating food and beverage containers. In a test conducted for a top brewery company, the EAS coatings were assessed for their compatibility with food and beverages (beer and carbonated soft drinks). In addition mechanical, thermal, electrical properties and environmental stability of the epoxy composites were evaluated. The test containers with EAS and commercial epoxy coated coupons were delivered to the Brewery. Test results show that EAS promises to be a very versatile epoxy resins with a wide ranging applications in the composite material industry where it should be able to replace traditional BPA epoxy resins.
EQS-EAS Coating: Performance & Safety
In short, the EAS coating shows comparable performance to that of epoxy coatings derived from BPA. The same study demonstrated this new resin is a drop-in replacement for BPA-containing epoxy resins in beverage and food can coating applications. R&D on the soy-based resin has shown its ability to provide excellent corrosion resistance for aluminum and steel cans which is a key attribute when packaging highly-acidic food and beverages. The EAS coating also dries quickly, which allows production facilities to maintain line speeds when spraying or applying the coating to food or beverage containers. Its ability to crosslink will further provide a myriad of opportunities to formulators and products based on renewable sources. Toxicity studies suggest it does not have adverse health and environmental effects, as illustrated by no detectable anti-estrogenic and estrogenic activity.
EQS-EAS Coating Technology Features
1. Heat Curing: Synthesized as a high-solids spray replacement for inside liners of metal containers and cured at around 200 degrees C/392 degrees F in less than 90 seconds.
2. Thickness: Tested as spray coating with a film thickness of 5 microns, and shows uniform particle shape and narrow particle size distribution. In a test with pressurized beverage cans, EQS-EAS thin coating has better strength. The formulation will work for very thin flexible films.
3. Excellent Shelf -Life: Coating has a stability of 6 months. There is minimal viscosity shift over time, around 5%.
4. Glass Transition Temperature (Tg) of EAS system: Reference: Flanigan / Kapila 2004 EAS Paper entitled “DYNAMIC MECHANICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF SOY BASED EPOXY RESIN SYSTEM”. Summary of data: “The glass transition temperature of soy resins is shown in fig.3. For 30% EMS in pure epoxy results in lowest Tg, which varies from ~45 C to ~40 C with10% EMS to 30% EMS weight. The loss tangent peaks in fig. 4 correspond to the Tg=values. While the definition of Tg for polymers varies, it seems that we may use different % EMS for cold beverage and for cans in which food may be cooked at high temperature. There is no Tg Effects on the Following Properties of EAS Coating: Blocking, adhesion, flexibility, flow and leveling, viscosity, tackiness, impact resistance, hardness.
EQS-EAS / Bis-A Comparison:
The process development and scale up, and industry regimes completed with EAS coating:
1. Adhesion (ASTM D 3359) - Coating exhibited excellent adhesion and fell under the category 5B with zero percent coating removal
2. Impact Resistance (ASTM D 2994) - Coating exhibited better impact resistance than the commercially BPA-based epoxy coating
3. Abrasion Resistance (ASTM D 4060) - Average wear index for EAS coating was determined to be 0.033 which compared favorably to the wear index of commercial BPA coating (0.038)
4. Flexibility (ASTM D 522) - ESA coating exhibited no crack propagation EQS-EAS Recent Tests
Blind Organoleptic evaluation of beer by expert panel - No off flavor or taste
Assessment of Flavor Scalping and/or Alterations of Flavor by Cured EAS-Based Can Coating - Results clearly show that EAS coating does not cause any flavor scalping. [FYI – EQS has not begun the FCN approval process.]
Assessment of EAS-Based coating for indirect food contact use - Results clearly show that EAS coating can be used as a laminating adhesive for indirect food contact use (e.g., wrapping for candy)
EQS-EAS as a water-borne, spray-applied replacement for epoxy coating systems
EAS can be easily dispersed in epoxy, phenolic, acrylic, polyester formulations. The materials can be used in water-based powder and as 100% solid UV/EB curable formulations.
EAS can be reformulated as a water-based spray by making a colloidal suspension in water. For a 100% solid-UV/EB curable formula, we would need to change the initiator.
In terms of commercial potential, it is worth comparing the EAS technology to similar competing products in the BPA-NI market today:
Looking at the value stream, EAS is an epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) as 3 fatty glycerol ester groups. The product compares favorably to the one that Arkema makes under Vikoflex brand CAS number 8013-07- 8, as well as half a dozen other epoxied oils (linseed,castor , etc). From discussions with potential commercialization partners, it is clear that the EAS high- solids based spray can be reconfigured as a water-based spray solution and at a market price between $1.15-1.5/lb, which would compete with the water based coatings that exist in the marketplace.
Dow-Corning is offering a water-based coating for the can-coating market. Heat curing tests completed by EQS show that the EAS resin can compete with the Dow Product Dow Provides Next Generation BPA-free Can Coatings: http://coatings.specialchem.com/news/industry-news/dow-alternatives- to-bpa- coatings-0001867
Management Team
The expertise and experience of the EQS team guarantees that this product meets a growing global market demand for safe coatings. The Company goal is to move towards larger scale conversion, while at the same time meeting the performance, cost availability and safety requirements of food and beverage companies for coatings and adhesives.
Partnership and Collaboration: Licensing, co-investment & contract models are available.
Specific Application Optimization: Testing of customized coatings; FDA/Taste studies
Scale-up & Evaluation: Extensive testing & field validation; Product/Process economics; Supply chain; Field trials for feedback.
Markets:
- Food Can Coatings
- Beverage can coatings
- Food packaging
- Beverage packaging
- Footwear
- Toners for printing, copying
- Coatings for electronic devices
- Coatings for tennis rackets and fishing rods
Contact:
Gus Pappas
CEO / Manager
Eco Quality Solutions, LLC