Nanotechnology-A New Prospective in Organic Coating -Review

Abstract

Nanotechnology is regarded as one of the key technologies of the future. The term nanotechnology is referred as the manufacturing, analysis and use of structures, for example particles, layers or tubes of less than 100 nanometers (nm) in at least one dimension. Artificially produced nano-sized particles and nanoscale system components have new properties which are of importance for the development of new products and applications. This paper reviews different types of coatings, different types of pigments used in paint formulation and a special focus is set on the uses of nanomaterials/fillers in coating application. More emphasis was given to bestow an insight in nanocomposite coating. The composition of organic coating may be simple (a single chemical) or may be a complex formulation of a variety of materials, each having a specific function. Formulations generally have three components intended to be relatively permanent and serve specific functions in dry film. These permanent components are pigment, vehicle and additives. Pigments provide colorant or other functions. The vehicles sometimes called the binders act as the adhesive to stick pigment particles to substrate or to each other. Finally additives are chemicals that modify the properties of the coating in fluid or solid state. Organic coatings are essentially pigment dispersed in a solution of a binding medium. The binding medium or resin will decide the basic physical and chemical properties of the coating but these will be modified by the nature and proportion of pigments present. The sole function of the volatile component is to control the viscosity of the paint for ease of manufacture and for subsequent application. It is not possible to forecast with any accuracy what combination of properties a particular formulation will posses and the formulation of paints for specific purpose remain very much a technological art. The appearance and appliance of nano- materials brings new opportunities to the coating industry. Addition of nano-materials to the coatings improves the properties of the conventional coatings and produces new multi-functional coating due to their tiny particle size.This paper review different types of coatings, types of pigments used in paint formulation and uses of nano fillers in coating applications.