Sustainable Development
of Nanotechnologies – The
BASF Approach
Dr. Carolin Kranz
Corporate and Governmental Relations
Cefic Stakeholder
Engagement Workshop
Brussels, June 24, 2008
1
BASF at a Glance
BASF – The Chemical Company
 The world’s leading chemical
company
 Sales 2007: € 57,951 millions
 Income from operations
(EBIT) 2007: € 7,316 millions
 Employees
at year-end 2007: 95,175
 Our portfolio ranges from
chemicals, plastics, performance
products, agricultural products
and fine chemicals to crude oil
and natural gas
2
Nanotechnolgy: Innovation Driver
for BASF
2006 – 2008: About 920 Mio. € research investments in focus areas:
Energy management
80
Plant biotechnology
100
Raw material change
400
180
White biotechnology
160
Nanotechnology
in Million €
Our goal is to provide nano-composites, nano-formulations and nanosystems as solutions for our customers in the automotive, the construction,
the electronic, the medical devices, the textile industry and other industries
as well as for the energy sector....
3
Sales Products: Nano Makes the
Difference
adhesion
dirt-resistance
eco-efficiency
bioavailability
self-cleaning
sun protection
4
COL.9 – Anti-Aging for Facades due
to Nanotechnology
COL. 9 = Colour + 10-9
5
What is the Innovation?
Paints have at least 3 components: water, pigment and a
binder
The binder upon drying bonds the paint with the substrate and
bonds the pigments together
Dispersion paints contain
hydrocarbon based organic
binders
Problem: Surfaces of
dispersion paints are not
scratch resistant and often
tacky, leading to a high dirt
pick up.
In silicate paints the binder
consists of a silicate, which
forms a cristalline structure
with the substrate
Problem: Silicate paints
can only be applied to
specific substrates and are
brittle
6
What is the Innovation?
Solution: Using nanocomposites (organic polymer and 10-20 nm
silica particles) as paint binder
soft polymer
matrix
hard particles
7
Improved Properties of Paints Based
on Nanocomposite Dispersion
COL.9 DS 1100
The Innovation for Waterborne Facade Paints with Outstanding Durability
Color Retention
Exterior paint based on
nanocomposites
(solvent free)
Exterior paint
based on
standard dispersions
Chalking Resistance
Dirt Pickup Resistance
Crack Resistance
8
Col.9 – Anti-Aging for facades due to
nanotechnology
http://www.cefic.org/Files/Downloads/col9_e.wmv
9
Nanocomposites –learning from
nature
Symbiosis of inorganic and organic world on nanometer scale:
Nature forms composites based on organic and inorganic material to
achieve unique properties only achieved by combination:
• hardness
• porosity
• mechanical properties
10
Responsibility: The BASF Code of
Conduct Nanotechnology
 The BASF Code of Conduct is a
voluntary commitment to responsible
action based on our Values & Principles:
 protection of employees, customers
and business partners
 protection of the environment
 participation in safety research
 commitment to open communication
and dialogue
The BASF Code of Conduct was agreed
upon by the Board. It describes the
framework for our activities and is published
on our website at: www.basf.de/dialoguenanotechnology
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Safety: Each Nanomaterial is
different
Nanomaterials
Nanoparticles
e.g. UV absorber in
sun screens
Nanostructured
Surfaces
e.g. lotus leaf
Nanostructured
Materials
e.g. mortars and
concrete
Components
e.g. Organic Light
Emitting Diodes
(OLEDs)
100-200 nm
12
Safety: Focus on free insoluble
Nanoparticles and Nanofibres
Nanoparticles and Nanofibres
Nanoparticles
fixed in matrix
e.g. Ultradur® High
Speed
Nanoparticles
fixed in
formulations
Free
Nanoparticles
Free
Nanofibres
e.g. Dispersion
Col.9
13
Safety COL.9 – Life Cycle
Assessment
Source: Internet
Production
of the Col.9
Dispersion at
BASF
Are BASF
employees
safe?
Manufacturing
of the facade
paintings at
BASF
customers
Are
employees
of BASF
customers
safe?
Source: Internet
Painting of
the facades
Are
painters
safe?
Weathering
during
usages
Is the
environment
safe?
14
Safety COL.9 – Toxicology
Beyond compliance with existing law, BASF conducted
the following tests with the particles or the Col.9
dispersion:
Mutagenicity
Skin irritation
Acute oral toxicity (rat)
Aquatic toxicity (daphnia)
Short-term inhalation test*
Result: The studies did not show
any hazard caused by the
nanomaterial used.
* Short-term inhalation test
developped by BASF to reduce costs
and animals
15
Safety COL.9 – Life Cycle
Assessment
Source: Internet
Production
of the Col.9
Dispersion at
BASF
Are BASF
employees
safe?
Manufacturing
of the facade
paintings at
BASF
customers
Are
employees
of BASF
customers
safe?
Source: Internet
Painting of
the facades
Are
painters
safe?
Weathering
during
usages
Is the
environment
safe?
16
Nanoparticle Measurements:
Challenge Background Contamination
Background Contamination
7000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
931
692
521
397
307
241
191
153
124
101
82,8
68,2
56,4
46,8
38,9
32,4
27
22,6
18,9
15,8
13,2
0
11,1
Number of Particles / cm3
6000
Particle Size
17
Nano Particle Concentrations in
different environments
Closed Rooms
(Source: measurement result of BASF)
Background burden at BASF Verbund-Site in Lu
(Source: measurement result of BASF)
At industrial workplaces
(Source: measurement result of BASF)
At the oven of a bakery
(Source: BGIA)
At a highly frequented street including street work
(Source: measurement result of BASF)
In cigarette smoke
(Source: measurement result of BASF)
During WIG-welding
(Source: measurement result of BASF)
In diesel exhaust fumes
(Source: Grimm Aerosol Technik)
103 to 104 P/cm3
up to 104 P/cm3
up to 105 P/cm3
up to 640,000 P/cm3
up to 106 P/cm3
up to 106 P/cm3
up to 107 P/cm3
up to 1010 P/cm3
18
Abrasion trials: Development of an
experimental setting to measure the
release of nanoparticles from a solid
matrix
1m3-clean room chamber and
SMPS-measuring equipment
Abrasion equipment in the open clean
room chamber
Goal: To reduce background contamination of natural and anthropogenic
nanoparticles to a minimum
19
Abrasion Trials COL.9
Background Contamination in the Clean Room Chamber
Comparison of number of particles between background contamination and dispersion HA 47/5 during rubbing
2000
2000
1800
1800
1600
Hintergrundbelastung
P ges= 3744 P/cm³
Number of Particles / cm³
1200
1000
800
1400
1000
800
600
600
400
400
200
200
0
HA 47/5
P ges.=2529 P/cm³
1200
52
1
69
2,
1
93
0,
5
24
1
30
7,
4
39
7,
4
82
,8
10
1,
1
12
4,
1
15
3,
4
19
1,
3
68
,2
56
,4
46
,8
38
,9
27
32
,4
22
,6
18
,9
15
,8
13
,2
52
1
69
2,
1
93
0,
5
24
1
30
7,
4
39
7,
4
82
,8
10
1,
1
12
4,
1
15
3,
4
19
1,
3
68
,2
56
,4
46
,8
38
,9
27
32
,4
22
,6
18
,9
15
,8
13
,2
0
Particle Size in nm
11
,1
Number of Particles / cm³
1400
11
,1
Background
Contamination
P ges.=3744 P/cm³
1600
Particle Size in nm
Comparison total number of Particles in P/cm³ of different Dispersion
4000
Hintergrundbelastung
HA 47/5
3500
Akzo Farbe
R 684 RV 436
3000
HA 50/13
Number of Particles in / cm³
Result: Abrasion trials did not
show any additional release
of nanoparticles into the
environment!
HA 51/1
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
1
20
Safety COL.9
Source: Internet
Production
of the Col.9
Dispersion at
BASF
Are BASF
employees
safe?
Manufacturing
of the facade
paintings at
BASF
customers
Are
employees
of BASF
customers
safe?
Source: Internet
Painting of
the facades
Are
painters
safe?
Weathering
during
usages
Is the
environment
safe?
21
Safety Research to further improve the
safety of our products (1)
 “NanoTox” and
method
development
 “Aerosol
Characterization”
NanoCare
HESI / ILSI
Nanomaterials
Program
ACC
Nanomaterials
Voluntary Program
NanoSafe 2
CellNanoTox
22
Safety Research to further improve the
safety of our products (2)
www. basf.de/dialogue-nanotechnology/safety_research
23
Umsetzung Verhaltenskodex:
Transparenz und Dialog
2006
First MultiStakeholder
Event in Berlin
jointly with
Siemens
2007
Booth and Panel
Discussion at
the
Evangelischen
Kirchentag in
Cologne
2008
Launch of the
BASF Dialog
Forum with
NGOs,
consumer
groups and
churches
2009
Employee
dialogue
together with the
BASF Workers
Council and the
Chemical
Industrial Union
24
Take Home Messages
 For BASF Nanotechnology is key technology for innovation and growth
 Besides the large potential for the future, BASF has a few nanomaterials
on the market. One example is our binder COL. 9
 The framework for our responsible development of nanotechnologies forms
our BASF Code of Conduct Nanotechnology
 Not every nanomaterial raises new risk questions- safety discussions
should be focused on free insoluble nanoparticles and nanofibres
 Beyond compliance with existing laws, BASF also conducts additional risk
assessments for its nanomaterials
 To further improve the risk management of our products we intensively
participate in the safety research for nanoparticles and nanofibres
 We are transparent and publish the findings of our research as well as
other informations on our website at www.basf.de/dialogue-nanotechnology
 We continously search dialogue in particular with critical stakeholders
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Thank you for your attention!
Zinc oxide particles protect against sunburn
Nanocubes can store energy-rich gases
Dr. Carolin Kranz
E-mail: carolin.kranz@basf.com
Phone: +49 621 60 43360
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