Bio-based coatings are environment-friendly and formulated using biodegradable and organic compounds. They are derived from renewable materials from sources such as plants, marine, and forestry materials. Recent trends reveal the significant increase in the use of bio-based materials in the paints and coatings sector.
In the upcoming years, bio-based coatings are anticipated to emerge as the fastest-growing segment in the bio-based product market. Bio-based raw materials used to formulate coatings are classified as follows:
− Vegetable-oil- and fatty-acid-based materials such as calendula oil, lesquerolic acid, etc.
− Natural polymers such as cellulose, starch, chitosan, etc.
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Bio-based monomers such as succinic acid, styrene, etc.
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Bio-based solvents and
additives such as ethanol, para-xylene, etc.
Researchers have recently emphasized the potential use of bio-based coatings in various industries due to their significant benefits, which include:
− Reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during production of bio-based coatings
− Reduction of VOC content
− Reduction of dependence on fossil fuels
− Biodegradability
Due to the various benefits, bio-based coatings have found its applicability across various industries such as:
Having learned their significance and growing popularity, let's take a look the recent research trends in bio-based coatings:
Research Trends in Bio-based Coatings
With an estimated 550 patents/published applications filed over the past 10 years, the bio-based coating segment has attracted much attention from researchers worldwide. Research in this domain still appears to be in a nascent stage. Big brands such as Boston Scientific and BASF have put in consistent efforts in their R&D activities to develop novel bio-based coating solutions.
Further, these companies are collaborating with various solvent and binder manufacturing companies to develop novel products.
Number of Patent Applications filed in 2017
(NOTE: There might be more patents filed which are yet to be published)
The domain has witnessed R&D conducted by various big brands such as BASF, Boston Scientific, Bayer, Medtronic, etc. Key players in this domain are:
» Continue reading to explore the list of interesting research trends, key drivers and commercially available products in bio-based coatings market.