The adoption of new coatings and technology has created a major transformation in the coating industry in the past few decades. Modern techniques use methods like - 

• Waterborne coatings like thermosetting, emulsion, water-soluble coatings and colloidal dispersion.
• Powder coating
• Diamond-like carbon coating or DLC coating
• Radiation-curable coating
• High-solid coatings
• Two-component system, etc. 

The Key Driving Force Behind Innovation in the Coating Industry

• Controlling Air Pollutants

Although customer satisfaction and coating quality have been the two major drivers for the coating manufacturers, however, the winds of change are already here. As through the recent years, Coatings Chemicals Suppliers have focused on reducing the impact of air pollution on their offerings.

In general, environmental regulations are fast becoming stringent to limit the emissions, especially of volatile organic compounds or VOC and Hazardous air pollutants or HAP. 

• Controlling the Rising Costs

Energy conservation and rising costs of raw materials are also contributing to the same. The solvents are derived from petrochemical feedstock and refinery options and non-petrochemical feedstock like pigments and additives. 

Apart from this, nanotechnology is making an entry into the space with tens and thousands of patents issued in the segment. Very small ceramics. Ir metallic particles can be added to paint formulations. This can help to avoid specific issues like - 

• Scratches
• Mar
• Wear and tear
• Abrasions
• UV resistance, etc.

The average size of nanoparticles can be 10-70 nanometres that consist of less than 6.5 million atoms. This brings unique properties to the product. For instance - at 20 nanometres, gold particles turn red and plasticity is reduced.

• High-End Ceramic Coatings

On the other hand, the need to handle high speed, offer UV protection, safety against environmental hazards, etc. an automobile coating requires superior coatings.
 

• Diamond-like Carbon Coating

In recent years, a new version of coating is claiming the top spot. The same includes coatings designed using PVD and PACVD (plasma-assisted CVF). When you buy the same through high-end DLC coating Suppliers in Malaysia, you get a product that can offer the following properties -

• Diamond properties make it the hardest known substance
• Soft graphite crystals and lubricant

Hence, such coatings have a twofold advantage - these possess the hardness of diamond, especially in the range of conventional tribology PVD coatings and then coupling these with an effective efficiency of friction that is 200-500 per cent lower than the conventional PVD coatings.

Thus, the DLC family of coating brings in the following aspects - 

• A unique combination of hardness and low friction coefficient
• Properties are dependent on deposition technology and parameters followed.
• Alloying particles and forms of coating architecture followed.

The resultant coatings have a high load-bearing capacity which makes them an ideal choice for improving the performance of engineered coatings. 

The coatings are biocompatible and suitable for food contact and applications. These also have a lubricous surface that makes them ideal for plastic processing applications.

DLC coatings can also be deposited using diverse technology and then alloyed with elements like hydrogen and chromium. These constitute elements and deposition methods that have a strong impact on the properties and structure of the DLC coating. 

Top Properties of this include - 

• Hardness like diamonds
• Great coefficient of friction
• Great adhesive properties
• Load carrying capacity
• Resistant to humidity and influenced degradation
• Fatigue tolerance