Innovation is essential to the growth of most industries, which in turn drives growth in local and regional markets and the global economy. The R&D 100 Awards, which R&D Magazine has sponsored for 55 years, is an international competition that recognizes the 100 most exceptional innovations in science and technology from the previous year. The awards cover five categories: Analytical/Test, IT/Electrical, Mechanical Devices/Materials, Process/Prototyping, and Software/Services.
In 2017, award winners included Fortune 500 companies and federally funded research institutions, as well as academic and government labs. Thirteen of these companies also received Special Recognition Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Merit Awards for Corporate Social Responsibility, Green Tech, Market Disruptor—Products, Market Disruptor—Services. The recognized products, technologies, and services are expected to make a difference in their industries and “a huge impact on the health, safety, and welfare of society on a global scale,” according to Bea Riemschneider, editorial director of R&D Magazine and the R&D 100 Awards.
Coating technologies once again won a number of R&D 100 Awards, and three received Special Recognition awards. The technologies ranged from advanced resins to formulated paints to specialized nanocoatings.
The Dow Chemical Company won Silver and Bronze Awards for Green Tech. The Silver Award went to its Ropaque NT-2900 Opaque Polymer for BLUE 4EST Thermal Paper, co-developed by The Koehler Paper Group. This technology eliminates the need for a chemical developer. A layer of air-filled, reflecting polymer spheres masks or hides an underlying colored paper. Exposure to heat collapses the spheres, revealing the underlying colored layer. The paper is compatible with existing thermal printers and creates an irreversible image. The Building & Construction business won the Bronze Award for ECOGROUND, a waterborne, acrylic-based adhesive system that fully replaces polyurethane adhesives for making rubberized running surfaces for track and field, playgrounds, and walkways. ECOGROUND contains zero free TDI/MDI, is low VOC, and low odor.
PPG Industries won a Merit Award in the Green Tech category for its PR-2870 family of non-chrome corrosion inhibitive aerospace sealants for metal substrates based on PPG’s Permapol P-3.1 polythioether polymer and a unique corrosion inhibition package. The coating can be used in multiple aircraft applications, including aerodynamic smoothing, structural surface sealing, fay sealing, and pressure fuselage sealing.
Another Dow coating technology that made the R&D 100 list was its Syl-Off® EM 7978 Coating, an emulsion-based silicone release coating for non-stick packaging. It enables release paper manufacturers to address several global trends, including growth in the fast food market, cost efficiencies, processing improvements, and sustainability initiatives. Dow Coating Materials’ Fastrack 5408 resin, an acrylic binder for waterborne pavement markings, was an R&D 100 Awards Finalist.
The R&D 100 Awards, which R&D Magazine has sponsored for 55 years, is an international competition that recognizes the 100 most exceptional innovations in science and technology from the previous year.
PPG won two additional R&D 100 Awards in addition to its aerospace sealant technology. The Premium Compact Process Primer lowers cost, emissions, and complexity in automotive OEM assembly plants by allowing the wet-on-wet-on-wet application of a primer, base coat, and clearcoat without any heated flash-off zones in between. The solids, specially engineered primer expands the compact paint process to a wider range of vehicles than previously possible by meeting stringent appearance, performance, and throughput requirements. PPG’s LIQUID NAILS® FUZE*IT® All Surface construction adhesive offers instant bond and instant water resistance for many surfaces from concrete to glass and tile. The company’s ENVIROCRON® Extreme Protection powder coating system and AUDIOGUARD® polymer damping material technology were nominated as finalists.
Rust-Oleum, part of the RPM Group, won an R&D 100 Award for its Meta Prime self-healing epoxy primer, which is intended for use on metal substrates. When the coating is damaged, the patented self-healing technology extends the life of the coating by maintaining adhesion and preventing rust creep. It works by releasing a healing agent that cures to regenerate protection for the coated surface. This ability to self-repair reduced the need for repaints and constant touch-ups and extends the life of the coating.
Tru-Design, LLC received an R&D 100 Award for its Large-Format Additive Coatings Solutions, which were co-developed with Polynt Composites and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The technology was developed to enable large-format printed tooling for composites manufacturing, providing a vacuum-tight and defect-free surface suitable for Class A components and relies on a core-shell nano-scale filler to obtain excellent adhesion and toughness. Two different versions of the coating material are available. One has a higher build volume for use at temperatures below 180°F and is primarily intended for near-room-temperature applications such as Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) tools, jigs, fixtures, and manufacturing aides.
It can also be used to produce cosmetic prototypes such as concept cars, Hollywood set pieces, and other applications. The other is a low-viscosity barrier coating suitable for high-temperature vacuum service and is primarily used on composite tools for autoclave or SMC molding applications.
A final coating technology receiving an R&D 100 Award in 2017 came from General Motors and Forge Nano (formerly PneumatiCoat Technologies). The companies co-developed ultrathin multifunctional hybrid coatings and processes. The patented high throughput nano-coating manufacturing process, which is based on atomic layer deposition (ALD) techniques, allows the manufacture of products with precision nano-coatings (built atom by atom using gas phase reaction steps) that are chemically bonded to the product surface with uniform thickness and virtually no pinholes, preventing flaking and separation of the coating. In additon, these coatings can be applied to almost any product that needs to be protected from exposure to harsh environments (chemical or physical).
Autonomic Materials Inc. is worth mentioning as well. Although the company did not win an R&D 100 Award, its self-healing solutions for powder coatings made the R&D 100 Awards Finalist list. These additives are used in high-performance coatings to repair coating damage immediately after it occurs. They extend long-term coating performance by imparting extreme corrosion resistance and maintaining adhesion after damage in a wide range of applications, from oil and gas and industrial maintenance to consumer products.