From assistant to network

Which additive makes coatings scratchproof? Which binder is right for a certain color formulation? Manufacturers can choose between many different products when they are formulating paints and coatings. Since last June, they don’t have to conduct extensive searches themselves, because COATINO® is at their side. This cloudbased system helps customers quickly and precisely find the product they’re looking for. Originally conceived purely as a lab assistant, COATINO® has evolved into a dynamic network that provides a holistic overview of the formulation process. The knowledge base that COATINO® relies on today consists of the expertise of Evonik’s researchers as well as their close communication with paint and coating producers. In the future it will also include more of the knowledge shared between Evonik’s business lines. The formulation network improves its capabilities—in other words, its algorithms— through every search query. And the queries will increase in the future, because the Coating Additives business line is currently integrating COATINO® into the structure of a new online shop.

More attractive driving

What matters about a car is not just its interior features such as comfort and fuel consumption but also exterior aspects such as a chic color and optimal gloss. Here, products from Evonik already play a role at an early stage. For example, during the painting process AEROSIL® ensures that car coatings don’t drip before they dry; crosslinking agents from the TEGO® product line give the coatings additional protection from scratches. Evonik provides additives not only for the chassis but also for the cockpit. Components such as the instrument panel, the steering wheel, the gearshift, and leather seats are embellished by the matting agent ACEMATT®. In the area of car interiors, the company is currently working on an innovation that will be especially relevant to the carsharing industry: antimicrobial coatings that reduce the risk of infection in shared vehicles.

A workhorse against graffiti

Some call it art, for others it’s vandalism: No matter what you might think about graffiti, it poses huge challenges to the producers of paints and coatings. For example, graffiti is often sprayed on railroad wagons. When the graffiti is removed, the harsh cleaning chemicals attack the wagon’s original coating underneath. In the worst cases, the wagon must be completely repainted, and that results in additional costs. The crosslinkers in the VESTANAT® EP-MF product line prevent exactly that by forming a long-lasting barrier against cleaning chemicals. That makes it possible to remove spray paint effectively and precisely without causing any lasting damage.

All-round protection for cans

On supermarket shelves, countless tin cans bearing colorful printing wait for potential buyers. Because their appearance is an important selling point, these cans always need to be in perfect condition. In order to prevent flaws such as dents and scratches, several layers of coatings are applied to the cans’ outer surfaces. In the case of high-quality tin cans, these layers contain the binder DYNAPOL®, which offers optimal protection as well as high elasticity. Incidentally, these polyester resins also play an especially important role inside the tin can. Many canned foods contain substances such as vinegar or lactic acid, which can attack the tin can’s interior coating. In the worst case, this causes metal to contaminate the food. DYNAPOL® forms a protective separating layer and prevents rust, for example, from entering the food—thus guaranteeing the highest level of food safety.

A maritime protective layer

The outer shell of a ship has to withstand numerous stresses—and Evonik provides support. The hardening agents ANCAMIDE® and ANCAMINE® help to prevent long-term wear and tear of the paint and coating layers due to strong waves and chemical cleaning. The great advantage of these products is their high level of resistance to corrosion and damage due to chemicals. Another risk factor for shipping is posed by small organisms such as barnacles that cling to a ship’s hull, roughen the coating, and thus increase the drag of the ship’s otherwise smooth hull. Anti-fouling coatings prevent this from happening. Evonik provides important ingredients for these paints, such as the silicone hybrid resin SILIKOPON® EF, which effectively protects ships from the growth of microorganisms. Another such product is AEROSIL® VP 4200, which significantly reduces the proportion of environmentally harmful copper oxide in anti-fouling paints.