Calendula and Alkyd Paints

Professionals appreciate alkyd-based paints because they offer better protection, especially of wood, against the influence of the environment. The disadvantage of the product hitherto is the presence of thinners with harmful volatile organic compounds. European legislature therefore aims to restrict the use volatile organic compounds in alkyd-based paints.

Scientific research has recently shown that the methyl esters of calendula oil (so-called ‘methyl calendulate’) possesses reactive qualities which enables the use in alkyd-based paints to replace volatile organic compounds (petrochemically based turpentines that form a harmful emission to the atmosphere). So using calendula oil, alkyd-based paints that do not need high amounts of volatile organic compounds as diluent. The application of this invention is tested in practice and further developed towards a calendula oil based paint without volatile diluents.