A fresh look at paints and coatings
Here at Malvern Panalytical, we like to revisit topics and take a fresh look. This year we have a focus on paints and coatings.
Since the beginning of time, humans have used paints and coatings – to protect themselves, to decorate themselves, and to communicate. (We even have done some work on archaeological wall paintings; you can see an application note here). So, mixing pigments in a carrier fluid, and applying them to surfaces, has very very old origins.
Fast forward to now and the science of formulation has helped scientists to invent some truly amazing paints and coatings. Not only do we have a vast array of colors and applications of paints, inks, dyes, and colors, for art and communications, but there is a whole world of smart coatings that enable self-healing (e.g., for corrosion resistance), thermal control (e.g., coatings on glass) or lighting (light-emitting paints) to name a few. There is even work to print electronics by incorporating semiconducting nano pigments and polymers into printing inks.
Everything manmade that you touch or look at or use has some kind of coating. The surface is very important, and the chances are that a very sophisticated coating has been applied to it. So, the chemicals and coatings industry is huge, very varied, and always advancing.
Increasingly development scientists are looking for ways to incorporate more sustainably sourced components into their formulations. Producers are busy looking for ways to produce coatings using less energy and by creating less waste.
Where do our paints and coatings solutions bring value?
We have customers throughout the value chain, starting from the moment that raw chemicals are manufactured, and pigments are quarried from the earth, right through to the quality control of a consumer product leaving the factory.
What do our paints and coatings solutions do?
We specialize in small. We make it our business to analyze and provide analysis solutions that help our customers to measure and understand the particles, crystals, polymers, molecules, and elements that each play a part in a formulation.
Want to know more about paints and coatings?
We’ve just published an interview with our new chemicals and coatings segment marketing manager, Patricia Kidd. And throughout the year we will be publishing more blogs and articles describing, in more detail, each of our solutions and how they bring value to your work, whether you are in research, development, or production control.
If you want to keep up with our publications, take a look at our web pages, or feel free to follow our advanced materials feed on LinkedIn. If you’d like to be on our VIP chemicals and coatings mailing list, and receive only chemicals and coatings news, drop us a line here.
Just like a fresh coat of paint can brighten your room, a fresh look at our paints and coatings solutions might give you some inspiration to take your projects further and faster. Materials win or lose on the smallest details. But we’ve got you covered because we are big on small.
Further reading
- Webinar series – Ask an Expert
Stay tuned for more content next year by following our Advanced Materials specialists on LinkedIn.
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