High Throughput Workflow for the Development of Coatings

By Dean C. Webster, James Bennett, Sigrid Kuebler, Mary Beth Kossuth, Sigridur Jonasdottir

Organic coating formulations are complex mixtures of ingredients including resins, crosslinkers, catalysts, pigments, pigment dispersants, solvents, and other additives. In order to prepare a robust, commercially successful coating, all of these ingredients must be carefully optimized. Evaluation of all of the possible variables involved in developing a coating system is a daunting task for the coating formulator.

Consider the example of a solventborne, two-component polyurethane clear coating. A typical composition will include one or more polyols, a polyisocyanate, catalyst, potlife extender, several solvents, and flow, rheology, and weathering additives.

If no assumptions are made regarding the performance of the possible ingredients, formulating a system like this could involve the exploration of as many as 25 variables. Evaluating all of the possible combinations of these variables would require the preparation of tens of thousands of formulations.