Tagua Powder as a Bio-Based Filler for Waterborne Acrylic Coatings: Enhancing Performances and Sustainability

The increasing demand for sustainable materials in the coatings industry is driving the replacement of synthetic components with bio-based alternatives. In this study, Tagua powder, derived from the seeds of <i>Phytelephas macrocarpa</i>, was incorporated as a filler in a waterborne acry...

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Main Authors: Andrea Cristoforetti, Luca Donati, Stefano Rossi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Surfaces
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9637/8/1/20
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author Andrea Cristoforetti
Luca Donati
Stefano Rossi
author_facet Andrea Cristoforetti
Luca Donati
Stefano Rossi
author_sort Andrea Cristoforetti
collection DOAJ
description The increasing demand for sustainable materials in the coatings industry is driving the replacement of synthetic components with bio-based alternatives. In this study, Tagua powder, derived from the seeds of <i>Phytelephas macrocarpa</i>, was incorporated as a filler in a waterborne acrylic-based coating to evaluate its effects on abrasion and protective properties. Two different particle size ranges (40–63 µm and ≤40 µm) and concentrations (1 wt% and 3 wt%) were tested. Morphological analyses confirmed a homogeneous dispersion of the filler within the coating matrix, with larger particles inducing surface roughness. The results demonstrated that the addition of Tagua powder significantly improved abrasion resistance, with the coating containing 3 wt% of larger particles (40–63 µm), reducing mass loss by 24.5% after 1000 Taber abrasion cycles compared to the reference coating. However, due to its lignocellulosic nature, the filler increased water uptake, leading to a decrease in barrier properties. Coatings with 3 wt% filler exhibited a reduction in electrochemical impedance modulus by approximately one order of magnitude after 670 h of immersion in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution, indicating lower corrosion protection. Despite this, the performance in filiform corrosion resistance remained comparable to the reference, suggesting that Tagua powder does not critically affect adhesion properties. These findings highlight the potential of Tagua powder as a functional bio-based filler, offering enhanced mechanical durability while requiring a strategic coating design, such as a multilayer system, to mitigate moisture sensitivity. This study provides valuable insights into the development of environmentally friendly coatings with improved wear resistance.
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spelling doaj-art-3d82d8be11684aca8e1ff9e5a1ff83652025-08-20T03:43:57ZengMDPI AGSurfaces2571-96372025-03-01812010.3390/surfaces8010020Tagua Powder as a Bio-Based Filler for Waterborne Acrylic Coatings: Enhancing Performances and SustainabilityAndrea Cristoforetti0Luca Donati1Stefano Rossi2Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, via Sommarive n. 9, 38123 Trento, ItalyDepartment of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, via Sommarive n. 9, 38123 Trento, ItalyDepartment of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, via Sommarive n. 9, 38123 Trento, ItalyThe increasing demand for sustainable materials in the coatings industry is driving the replacement of synthetic components with bio-based alternatives. In this study, Tagua powder, derived from the seeds of <i>Phytelephas macrocarpa</i>, was incorporated as a filler in a waterborne acrylic-based coating to evaluate its effects on abrasion and protective properties. Two different particle size ranges (40–63 µm and ≤40 µm) and concentrations (1 wt% and 3 wt%) were tested. Morphological analyses confirmed a homogeneous dispersion of the filler within the coating matrix, with larger particles inducing surface roughness. The results demonstrated that the addition of Tagua powder significantly improved abrasion resistance, with the coating containing 3 wt% of larger particles (40–63 µm), reducing mass loss by 24.5% after 1000 Taber abrasion cycles compared to the reference coating. However, due to its lignocellulosic nature, the filler increased water uptake, leading to a decrease in barrier properties. Coatings with 3 wt% filler exhibited a reduction in electrochemical impedance modulus by approximately one order of magnitude after 670 h of immersion in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution, indicating lower corrosion protection. Despite this, the performance in filiform corrosion resistance remained comparable to the reference, suggesting that Tagua powder does not critically affect adhesion properties. These findings highlight the potential of Tagua powder as a functional bio-based filler, offering enhanced mechanical durability while requiring a strategic coating design, such as a multilayer system, to mitigate moisture sensitivity. This study provides valuable insights into the development of environmentally friendly coatings with improved wear resistance.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9637/8/1/20organic coatingswaterborne paintbio-based fillertagua powdernatural pigment
spellingShingle Andrea Cristoforetti
Luca Donati
Stefano Rossi
Tagua Powder as a Bio-Based Filler for Waterborne Acrylic Coatings: Enhancing Performances and Sustainability
Surfaces
organic coatings
waterborne paint
bio-based filler
tagua powder
natural pigment
title Tagua Powder as a Bio-Based Filler for Waterborne Acrylic Coatings: Enhancing Performances and Sustainability
title_full Tagua Powder as a Bio-Based Filler for Waterborne Acrylic Coatings: Enhancing Performances and Sustainability
title_fullStr Tagua Powder as a Bio-Based Filler for Waterborne Acrylic Coatings: Enhancing Performances and Sustainability
title_full_unstemmed Tagua Powder as a Bio-Based Filler for Waterborne Acrylic Coatings: Enhancing Performances and Sustainability
title_short Tagua Powder as a Bio-Based Filler for Waterborne Acrylic Coatings: Enhancing Performances and Sustainability
title_sort tagua powder as a bio based filler for waterborne acrylic coatings enhancing performances and sustainability
topic organic coatings
waterborne paint
bio-based filler
tagua powder
natural pigment
url https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9637/8/1/20
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AT stefanorossi taguapowderasabiobasedfillerforwaterborneacryliccoatingsenhancingperformancesandsustainability