Nano-technology in the Western European coatings industry
Nano-technology in the Western European coatings industry
Keywords: Coatings, Coatings technology, Pigments
Information research (IRL) has recently published a new review entitledNanotechnology in the Western European Coatings Industry.
Nanomaterials have received a very good reception within the Western European coatings industry and many paint companies are in the process of evaluating their potential benefits in coatings science.
Currently the nanomaterials supply sector to the paint industry is divided between companies producing the basic, untreated nanomaterials and some opportunistic speciality chemical companies which have moved into the area of“treated nanomaterials” which offer paintmakers the advantage of reduced time-to-market for new products by making the materials more easily dispersible. The poor dispersibility of nanomaterials is seen as one of the major hurdles to the development of the sector. Paintmakers are optimistic about the many advantages and opportunities which nanomaterials represent and have a long wish-list of objectives which they think may be solved by formulation with nanomaterials, as seen in the chart (Figure 3).
Figure 3Paintmakers' objectives in using nanomaterials, 2005 (per cent)
One of the major successes of the technology has been in the development of photocatalytic and self-cleaning paints, which are beginning to come to prominence in Europe, especially in Germany, Italy and now the UK. These are beginning to raise the awareness of nanotechnology itself.
Several driving forces will influence the use of nanomaterials in coatings formulation:
Regulation regarding VOCs is expected to accelerate their commercial acceptance:
The advantages of multifunctional coatings which could, for example, bring temperature-resistance and dirt-repellence to the automotive OEM sector –one of the biggest potential areas of application.
Demand for thin-film technology, especially in the automotive OEM sector.
Novel applications and effects.
Development of sophisticated pigment systems, e.g. for camouflage applications.
General product substitution in the paint market.
Terry Knowles, Business Manager at IRL said “2006 is expected by many to be a critical year for nanotechnology research and with 2007 bringing its own legislation-based challenges in terms of formulation requirements, the paint and coatings industry has a different set of tools to work with. It will be the year in which `nanocoatings' will become more commercially significant, in some important niches if nothing else. Although there is concern at the lack of knowhow on the dangers and the safe handling of nanomaterials, there is also considerable excitement that new materials, new effects and new solutions to some of the long-standing technical challenges can be achieved. One particularly big challenge open to formulators will be in the potential uses of nanomaterials in accomplishing water-based coating performance which at least matches that of their solvent-based analogues.”
Nanotechnology in the Western European Coatings Industry has the following contents:
- 1.
Introduction.
- 2.
Status of Nanotechnology in the Coatings Sector – A Summary.
- 3.
Background.
- 4.
Raw Materials Aspects of Nanotechnology.
- 5.
Coatings Aspects of Nanotechnology.
- 6.
Safety, Health and Environmental Aspects of Nanotechnology.
- 7.
Conclusion.
- 8.
Directory of Paintmakers in Western Europe (covering 16 countries).
Nanotechnology in the Western European Coatings Industry costs 850 for a single hard copy.
Sections of the review, priced individually, will soon be available to purchase online at our web site: www.informationresearch.co.uk
For more information on this report, please contact Terry Knowles at: tknowles@brg.co.uk
Information Research (A Division of BRG UK Ltd), CP House, 97-107 Uxbridge Road, Ealing London W5 5TL United Kingdom. Tel: +44 (0) 20 8832 7830; Fax:+44 (0) 20 8566 4931; E-mail: irl@brg.co.uk;web site: www.informationresearch.co.uk
