An Interview with Arno Schut, Innovation Manager at Axcentive
TAGS: Smart Coatings
Nanotechnology and functional materials are increasingly used to formulate smart coatings that add functionalities such as water repellence, self-cleaning, easy to clean and antimicrobial properties to surfaces. Axcentive has developed EXOCOAT® technology to empower coatings formulators, like yourself, to address these functional & high performance demands as seen in protective, automotive and building and construction markets.
Recently, we interviewed Arno Schut, Innovation Manager at Axcentive where he shares his insights on EXOCOAT® sol-gel based technology for smart and functional coatings, critical challenges faced by customers and how to address their needs.
Let’s hear from him.
#1 What is Axcentive's positioning in the world of functional coatings?
AS: Axcentive develops and promotes sol-gel based nanotechnology for the coatings industry. Sol-gel-technology offers an extensive variety of possibilities to model coating materials according to a given requirement profile.
With
sol-gel based nanotechnology, we can formulate smart and functional coatings with specific properties, such as:
- Self-cleaning
- Easy to clean
- Anticorrosive
- Superhydrophobic or superhydrophilic properties
We find these technologies demanded across industries.
Applications of Axcentive's Sol-gel Technology
Easy to clean surfaces are of interest to all coatings that cover flat, smooth surfaces. Our
anticorrosive sol-gel-technology is specifically targeted as a primer to metal surfaces and can be found in aerospace and automotive industries.
Lately, we have developed an antimicrobial technology which is targeted for interior use, like in hospitals, institutes, buildings, and homes.
Metal Surfaces in Automotive Applications are Increasingly Coated with Easy to Clean Coatings
#2 How is Axcentive unique and why is this relevant?
AS: Axcentive is unique in the sense that we are an established company with a solid financial position with a startup type product range based on
nanotechnology. We have spent many hours in the development and promotion of the new range of technologies to coating markets with increasing success.
We see the
functionalization of coatings as an area of great interest. The market is heading in that direction, and we are thrilled to be part of it.
#3 What are the most critical challenges customers are facing nowadays and how are your innovative solutions are helping them?
AS: Though functionalization is desired, it comes almost exclusively with the prerequisite, that the coating is strong, durable and resilient. Our technologies can live up to that.
For example,
anti-graffiti coatings that make use of our technology are very low in surface energy, an important property to expel graffiti paint, yet the polymer forms strong, in fact, covalent bonds with the substrate below. This makes that the coating shows
excellent adhesion and durability properties, for example, key to any train coating, a segment specifically targeted for anti-graffiti coatings.
Anti-graffiti Coating Using Axcentive Technology#4 What are the current and future market trends/shifts and how Axcentive is leading them?
AS: The market for smart and functional coatings is growing rapidly on average double-digit growth numbers. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic started, we see strong interest in antimicrobial coatings.
Different from coatings formulated with
biocides like CMIT/MIT, antimicrobial coatings actively keep surfaces free from pathogenic microbes that might land on them. Compliant with all registration requirements,
Axcentive’s antimicrobial coating kills all main pathogens like Escherichia Coli, MSRA, Pneumonia and Salmonella as soon as they land on it.
In the above figure, the antibacterial properties of a surface coated with EXOCOAT® AM is shown according to ISO 20743. While the coating is deliberately challenged with the pathogens within 20 hrs their number is reduced to almost zero. Besides bacteria this technology also serves to kill all variants of the corona virus, SARS-COV2.
EXOCOAT® Sol-gel Technologies by Axcentive
View all the EXOCOAT® products for functional coatings, analyze technical data of each product, get technical assistance or request samples.
About Arno Schut
Arno joined Axcentive as Innovation manager in 2012 after having served various technical, sales and marketing roles in the coating industry. Together with the Axcentive team, he has developed new technologies for the EXOCOAT® range of products, which are now offered worldwide.
Map new development opportunities for your functional coatings by reviewing Smart Coatings trends in our exclusive innovation round-up. The new materials, latest commercial launches, promising concepts, & innovations can be a game-changer for you as well, if you act quick. Join today!
