Uncertainty about marketability may partly challenge and slow down the development of nano additives

Additives play a key role in every coating. We interviewed by byk Chemie's head of research and development, Jörg Shinnerwisch, to learn about the latest trends in the additive industry and the role of nanomaterials.
. Jörg Shinnerwisch is chief technology officer/director of research and development at Byk Chemie,

.
importance of new nanomaterials for additive development and the impact of growing concern for these materials?
: Nanoparticles introduced in paints and plastics can significantly enhance their performance. Nano-object-based additives are known to be used in coating applications in terms of mechanical durability, preventing cracks or reducing contamination. Printing technology is becoming increasingly popular in the electronics industry through the use of conductive inks formed using silver nano-additives.
the early 2000s, nanotechnology was widely publicized and pioneering new developments were made, and in recent years there has been a heated discussion about the opportunities and potential risks of nanomaterials. As an extensive security assessment is under way, Byk has participated in a number of studies and contributed to the public debate. These studies show that the nano-additives assessed are firmly embedded in the cured coating substation, thus limiting environmental exposure. However, the ever-changing definition of "nano" and changing requirements are increasing efforts to satisfactorily answer customer requirements regarding regulatory issues, however, nano-additives appear to be particularly inclined to support sustainability and lightweight trends as the demand for material savings increases. This is accompanied by a trend towards miniaturization. In summary, while the technical potential for considering application needs has been high, uncertainty about marketability may challenge and slow the development of nano-based additives in part.
technology trends will affect the additive market in the near future?
: Big trends, such as increased awareness of environmental consumers and demand for more sustainable products, will affect the selection and purchase of DIY and industrial coating solutions. In addition, so-called smart coatings are increasingly needed to design anti-fingerprint, conductive or switchable performance. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has aroused interest in fighting the surface of the virus.
additives will play an important role in meeting these application needs. Even today, these additives help to use environmentally friendly water-based coatings in corrosive environments or reduce VOC emissions.
innovative academic concepts will help to achieve innovative functions, and emerging technologies will spread self-healing or adaptive surfaces. Continuous exploration of new technologies and academic trends will inspire more additional innovations. Nano-objects, bio-chemical compositions or organic supermolecule structures will become even more important in achieving barrier properties, ultra-adhesion, or antiviral behavior.
to provide customized solutions will change the way additives are developed. Understanding the customer's final application and ability to respond to rapidly changing goals is a key success factor. Like many other industries, the development of additives is increasingly integrated into digital research and development. Lab automation accelerates experiments and improves repeatability for high-volume strategies. The data itself becomes an asset shared by the customer and provides the basis for quantitative analysis. This is likely to result in other services and professional vendors supporting simulation, modeling, machine learning, and AI-based approaches.
.