BRAND NEW

Researchers Develop Coating Material with Self-healing Properties

A team of researchers at Mercer University discovered a polymeric material that can withstand extreme weathering conditions and is capable of self-healing.

Mechanical engineering professor Dr. Alireza Sarvestani and a team of students at Mercer University discovered a novel polymeric material that can withstand extreme weathering conditions and has self-healing properties. Experimental studies for this new material started two years ago with a grant from a laboratory that specializes in the study of thermoplastic polyurethane, which is a rubber-like polymer with high resilience and long durability. During the past year, Dr. Sarvestani and his team did extensive testing and data analysis on thermoplastic polymers, which melt at increased temperatures and solidify upon cooling. They reinforced the polymers with various fillers, with the goal of creating unique properties that would improve the material. They prepared numerous samples and then put them to test by stretching, cutting and heating them. They also put some of the samples through an accelerated weathering machine prior to running those tests. They found success when one particular sample demonstrated self-healing and weather-resistant capabilities. “We prepared a film of the material, and broke it into two parts. We increased the temperature, and at 60 or 70 Celsius, it actually started healing,” Dr. Sarvestani said. “Now we have a material whose property is almost exactly the same as before melting. By increasing the temperature locally, you can heal all the damage done. The other interesting property is it’s a very resistant material against UV radiation.” The material weakened only slightly after healing and still proved to be quite strong after undergoing the same force tests. Potential application fields

Dr. Sarvestani said the material is ideal for coating purposes, especially for aerospace vehicles and watercraft. For instance, pieces of an airplane could potentially be coated in the material to protect it from damage from debris in the air and UV exposure. The material could be used on ships to prevent water corrosion. And if damage or abrasion did occur, the material could be repaired by increasing the temperature.

What’s next

Dr. Sarvestani plans to submit the research findings for publication in high-impact journals this summer and then apply for research grants. Next up, his team will conduct further testing and begin to look at ways to improve other properties of the material. He hopes to eventually partner with researchers from other fields, such as chemistry, to take the research further and make the project more sustainable long term. The next phase of the project will include testing the material on a larger scale and trying to make the polymer conductive by mixing it with materials like silver or gold.

For further information: www.mercer.edu

From left to right: At left, the material is shown after being cut in two. At right, the material is shown fused back together upon being heated. The sample is shown being heated by a heat gun. The material (in machine at left) undergoes a stretch test.

© Sarvestani and Krashin

BCF Promotes the Training of New Coatings Ambassadors

The British Coatings Federation teamed up with the Royal Society of Chemistry, PRA and OCCA to train new ambassadors from the coatings industry engaging with schools and universities across the UK.

Ajoint project of the British Coatings Federation, the Royal Society of Chemistry, PRA and OCCA is providing training and materials to new Coatings Ambassadors from a spectrum of businesses in the coatings supply chain who will hold careers sessions at schools and universities in the UK. When delivering the course material, ambassadors will introduce the coatings industry, share their own career paths and the varied jobs and opportunities that are available within the sector. To train the Coatings Ambassadors, a workshop providing guidance on how to reach out to the younger generation, using activities, presentations and creative projects was held at BCF’s office. Run by Cogent Skills, the workshop hosted a diverse group of attendees from organisations including AkzoNobel, Sherwin-Williams, BASF, Lake Coatings, HMG Paints, Mylands, BTC Europe, Indestructible Paints, Fujichem Sonneborn, Neotech Speciality Chemicals and Nordmann. “On behalf of OCCA, PRA, RSC and BCF, we would like to thank the companies and individuals who took part. They are helping grow this important network, and we wish them every success in engaging with local schools and universities, to help develop the future workforce for the coatings sector”, stated BCF’s CEO, Tom Bowtell.

For further information: www.coatings.org.uk

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GEINSA Integrates Nanotechnological Nebulization System in Treatment Tunnels

In the surface treatment tunnels, the pieces received different washing processes that allow a correct final finish to be obtained.

© GEINSA

© GEINSA The Innovation Department of GEINSA, the company headquartered in Bilbao (Spain) specializing in manufacturing painting lines, has made it possible to integrate an innovative nebulization system for the nanotechnological treatment of metal surfaces. In the last phase of the process, the pieces are subjected to a nebulization that consists of the application of a film-forming product that does not need subsequent washing. This system is capable of guaranteeing optimal adhesion with each paint and excellent resistance to corrosion and allows a better finish and a considerable increase in duration in the salt spray chamber. In this way, a constant quality is guaranteed over time with a minimum consumption of nanotechnological products. The operation of this phase is completely automatic by means of a programmable logic controller (PLC) and self-management of the process is achieved. The equipment is provided with a control panel, sprinkler system, air atomizer and pressure unit. This system allows to increase performance considerably due to its low consumption and the small space it occupies. The work carried out by the R+D+I team has made it possible to obtain a high-performance system in terms of quality and operation with a low investment cost.

For further information: www.geinsa.com

From top:

- Nebulization system in a GEINSA surface treatment line.

- Treatment tunnel integrating nanotechnological nebulization.

- Nebulization system control panel.

Gerdau Graphene Presents Anti-Abrasive Graphene-Enhanced Paint for Architectural Use

Gerdau Graphene has unveiled a new water-based anti-abrasive graphene-enhanced paint for architectural use.

© Gerdau S/A

Alexandre Corrêa, CEO of Gerdau Graphene.

Gerdau Graphene, the nanotechnology company pioneering advanced grapheneenhanced materials for industrial applications, has announced that it has developed a water-based new graphene-enhanced architectural paint. The new paint is significantly more durable and abrasion resistant than traditional products and finds application on concrete, cement, metal and asphalt, such as sidewalks, cycle paths, garages, stairs, sports courts and a wide range of commercial and industrial areas. In March, Gerdau applied the new paint to its factory floors, making it the world’s first large-scale use of a water-based graphene-enhanced architectural paint. The company is already selling its proprietary graphene additives as development prototypes to major paint manufacturers in the Americas. “This new graphene-based floor paint is extremely abrasion-resistant and requires less maintenance and repainting over its lifetime compared with traditional paints. Based on the performance gains of our new product, it’s clear that graphene will have a transformational impact on the entire paint industry,” said Alexandre Corrêa, CEO of Gerdau Graphene. “We are proud to have painted our specialty steel plant in São Paulo in March and have since moved to paint all our assets in Brazil in the coming months. In addition, we have commercialized this new paint for key clients and partners in the construction industry to paint industrial, commercial, and residential building floors. We will continue to optimize our additives to meet the needs of customers and scale commercialization of these paint products globally.”

The development phase

The development phase of this graphene-based paint began in December 2021 and is the result of a partnership with Grafftex, a Brazilian paint manufacturer, and Polystell, a company focused on the R&D of chemical additives. Gerdau Graphene created the graphene technology used to disperse graphene in a paint additive. Because graphene comes in a variety of types and shapes, each of which has unique properties, specific research and testing was required to determine the best graphene format needed to produce a superior quality paint product. Additionally, graphene additives must be customized based on the unique formula and ingredients of each paint manufacturer. Gerdau Graphene is also working on anti-corrosion paint additives, focusing on the reduction of heavy metals and fossil-based ingredients from light and heavy maintenance paints.

For further information: www.gerdaugraphene.com/en.html

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Condoroil Chemical Launched the New Nanotechnology Passivating Agent CONDORCOAT AL 91

Condoroil Chemical has developed a new passivating product capable of ensuring extreme paint adhesion and improving the coating film’s mechanical and corrosion resistance characteristics without compromising on the environment or worker safety.

In the mechanical engineering industry, both cataphoresis and powder coating processes are of enormous interest. Their applications are countless, from the automotive sector to the production of manufactured goods and household appliances. In all cases, the final quality achieved depends substantially on the type of pre-treatment to which the surfaces are subjected. In particular, the passivation phase makes it possible to modify the surface characteristics of workpieces, significantly improving the adhesion of paint and, therefore, the corrosion resistance of finished components. Given its importance, much work has been done by chemical companies to try to understand the intimate nature of the processes occurring at the microscopic level and to transform this knowledge into application solutions of practical use. Over time, therefore, we have moved from solutions that were often based on very questionable materials in terms of safety to very sophisticated and extremely high-performance solutions that are, at the same time, easy to handle. This is why Condoroil Chemical is pleased to present one of the most important achievements in the field of metal surfaces passivation: CONDORCOAT AL 91.

Product features

CONDORCOAT AL 91 is a highly innovative nanotechnology passivating agent. It is a product of a mixed organic/inorganic nature, containing polyfunctional substances capable of bonding to both the metal substrates and the resins contained in paints. Extreme adhesion is thus achieved between a metal surface and paint, which improves both the mechanical properties of the coating and the corrosion resistance of the finished product. In many cases, switching from a conventional product to CONDORCOAT AL 91 enables to increase a part’s corrosion resistance by even more than 100%. Thus, it is no longer necessary to compromise on the environment and worker safety, nor to sustain additional costs for waste management and disposal or for expensive plant modifications. CONDORCOAT AL 91 guarantees an extraordinary technical performance level, an extremely favourable toxicological profile, and excellent ease of use in one solution. CONDOROIL’s technical service is at our customers’ complete disposal for laboratory tests and demonstrations, allowing them to assess the effectiveness of this solution before application on their lines, without any obligation.

For further information: www.condoroil.com

© Condoroil

Innovation and Technology for Three Generations

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Axalta Publishes New Report on Colour Trends

Edited by Axalta Coating Systems GmbH

Basel, Switzerland

In the latest edition of the magazine Vibes, Axalta has published a report which offers a series of reflections on the changing role of colour in a post-pandemic world.

On Vibes, the colour journal published by Axalta, the company has published a new report which reveals the top 10 most popular colours of the past year among designers and architects based on searches via the Axalta COLOURit online tool. Calm and serious shades ranging from bronze, gold, and brown, to off-whites and sombre blues and greys, feature prominently in the discussion. These trends reflect the desire for comfort and security that emerged as a result of the pandemic. In fact, a key theme to emerge is the heightened preference towards familiar, simple and safe colours in response to widespread uncertainty resulting from major global events such as the pandemic. As multiple lockdowns have forced people to spend more time at home, many are now increasingly focused on creating the desired ambiance. According to Vibes, this translates into an increased preference for neutral colours that are inspired by nature, in line with the biophilic design trends that have emerged in recent years. In response to the feelings of disconnection and isolation that have characterised large parts of the pandemic, Vibes also identifies a shift towards warmer colour palettes, with earthy colours such as Quartz Glint, Black Steel and SuprAnodic Terra proving most popular. Vibes also highlights a return to sleek and functional designs which combine traditional materials with industrial and crafted ones, favouring minimalist, austere colour palettes with subtle blue and dark green tones for facades and cladding. The pandemic has also sharpened our focus on sustainability and wellbeing and one of the themes discussed in Vibes is the role of colour in creating human-centric urban spaces and infrastructure which can help foster thriving communities for generations to come.

It also highlights the growing role of diversity and how designs now draw on a wider than ever range of cultural influences and perspectives, to establish a feeling of exoticism that is difficult to attribute to a particular region but is nonetheless reflective of the global, pluriform world of today. “The pandemic has disrupted every facet of our lives over the past two years and it’s important to recognise the emotional impact this has had on the population. Against an uncertain and volatile backdrop, humans have been experiencing a profound need for comfort, intimacy, and familiarity, something that is reflected in the key selection of colours that we have identified within our research. These colours illustrate our desire for connection, both with each other and to the planet, therefore, it is understandable that we see a renewed focus on warm and neutral earthy colours which promote a sense of familiarity and intimacy”, said Sally Put, Global ColourDesign and Communications Manager. The trend report by Axalta features expert analysis from a variety of key names from across design and architecture, including Stephen Burks, Carolina Fernández Catalán (Rafael de la Hoz Architects), and Harbinder Birdi (HawkinsBrown). Vibes is also interspersed with case studies outlining how these insights have been brought to life on major global projects in collaboration with renowned players like KPF Architects and HOK Architects.

© Axalta

Royal Magenta, Colour of the Year 2022, developed by the R&D Department of the Alesta® powder coatings brand.

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