In the past few decades, industrial coatings have undergone tremendous changes and have produced exciting applications in the global economy. This includes all aspects from the aviation and automotive industries to industrial applications and residential areas.
This is also an industry that is experiencing tremendous growth. According to MarketsAndMarkets, the industrial coatings market is expected to grow from $102 billion in 2021 to $116 billion in 2026. which is equivalent to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.5%.
As growth brings more potential competition, in turn, there is a greater need for innovation and differentiation. Not surprisingly, technology plays an important role, which is why this article will focus on the benefits of new technologies in the industrial coatings market.
The Benefits of 'Green' Coatings
Ecological harmless industrial coatings are leading innovation. The driving factor is very simple: the demand for environmentally friendly coatings is increasing exponentially.
Many countries' regulatory frameworks have also undergone changes. A good example is the global adoption of a series of regulations on volatile organic compounds or VOCs. The European Union established regulations on VOC emissions from coating resins in 2007. In 2021. the Canadian federal government sought to update its control over VOC emissions. These regulations undoubtedly affect the production of all coatings that may emit VOC, including innovation and research and development.
Chemicals have always been a headache for the industry, with increasing pressure from multiple regulatory agencies. For example, in the United States, a new strict standard issued by the National Science Foundation (NSF) will cover the allowable concentrations of xylene and other solvents used for lining drinking water storage tanks, which will take effect in 2023. The REACH regulations of European Union (representing the registration, evaluation, authorization, and restriction of chemicals) remain a far-reaching benchmark for European paint manufacturers. Its strict requirements for various chemicals mean that paint manufacturers must take the chemicals used in their products seriously. Green or sustainable coatings not only focus on VOC and other chemical pollutants, but also many other factors.
Today, sustainable industrial coatings have undergone diversified development, including the improvement of ecological efficiency in the coating production process. An example of this is evident in the field of architectural coatings, especially in powder coatings. The sustainability proof of these coatings is undeniable: they ensure high material utilization rates (up to 99%) and are easy to recycle after overspray. In addition, newly developed powder coatings require fewer coatings to achieve the same effect, especially compared to liquid coatings.
2. Self cleaning coating
In recent years, the "self-cleaning" industrial coating technology has taken the forefront and brought multiple benefits to industrial processes. For example, the global market for hydrophobic coatings (coatings used to deflect or repel liquids) is estimated to reach $1.8 billion in 2021. This niche coatings industry is expected to grow to over $3 billion by 2030. with a compound annual growth rate of over 5.5%, with the majority of demand coming from the medical equipment and device industry.
Self cleaning coatings have a wide range of applications, with more typical examples being paint, window glass, cement, and textiles. Hydrophobic coatings, such as certain paints, can cause the so-called "lotus effect". The lotus effect is named because these coatings repel water in small puddles, similar to what can be seen on the surface of lotus leaves - the lotus leaves themselves are hydrophobic. Hydrophilic self-cleaning coatings work on the basis of photocatalysis: they decompose impurities such as dirt under sunlight and are then washed away when water is added.
A study in China in 2021 explored an example of the exciting possibilities of self-cleaning coatings, which found that durable water-based coatings with superhydrophobic properties have excellent effects in a range of different applications. This includes the protection of architectural finishes, electronic instruments, leather finishes, vehicles, wooden furniture, and even historical sites.
3. Artificial intelligence and industrial coatings
Artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging intelligent technologies are changing the industrial coatings industry in exciting ways. These include algorithm optimization for production planning and product mixing, self scheduling precision machining lines, digital twin (DT) technology that can be used to replicate physical prototypes, allowing for more accurate real-time detection of design defects and other research and development capabilities
Titration, other analysis, and material addition can be automatically completed in real-time using sensors and other intelligent devices, eliminating time-consuming and slower production laboratory sampling.
In addition, artificial intelligence means that quality defects are driven to zero. By using intelligent systems with computer vision for process detection and other identification of quality defects in the process, the result is no longer the need for final inspection.
In addition to inspection and quality control, artificial intelligence has been fully accepted by the once conservative maintenance industry. The maintenance department is leveraging the full potential of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), which means data-driven maintenance systems can better detect and even respond immediately to new malfunctions. The results include fewer asset failures, longer asset lifespans, fewer downtime, and - hence - significant cost savings. The paint industry can benefit from the same type of maintenance process, thereby achieving smarter and more cost-effective production.
4. Nanotechnology and Coatings Industry
Nanotechnology is one of the most exciting new technologies that has changed the paint industry. To provide an opinion on how small nanometers (nm) are, please consider a human hair with a width of approximately 80.000 to 100.000 nanometers.
There are already "nano coatings" based on nanotechnology in the market. For example, small fragments of metal or ceramics can be inserted into paint and coatings. This type of nano integration into the coating matrix can take the form of particles, free powders, or particles. The result is that paints or coatings with specific properties are used for specialized applications.
A surface that requires a conductive coating is one such example, while UV protection is another example. These innovative coatings also have high corrosion resistance, scratch resistance, and wear resistance.
Smaller nanoparticles, as additives to raw materials, can endow coatings and paints with unique properties - including stronger adhesion - that simple barrier chemistry cannot achieve. The corrosion resistance and self-cleaning properties that do not damage the existing characteristics of the coating are also being explored.
It is estimated that tens of thousands of nanotechnology patents have been granted in the past decade alone. For the paint industry, this is an exciting moment. The paint market is not only growing at a good rate, but the benefits of adopting new technologies are also very obvious.
For paint manufacturers, not being proficient in technology can be unstable and even harmful.
