Merck KGaA, Germany, F Darmstadt, Germany

Today, coatings manufacturers have to face customer expectations, which are not in every case realizable with conventional polymer chemistry. Approaches to improve mechanical and other properties with inorganic nanoparticles were found and started a hype beginning in the 1990’s which was followed by disillusionment and unmet expectations due to incompatibility, expensive dispersion techniques or simply a visible haze of the still agglomerated “nanoparticles”.

In only a few coating systems today nanoparticles are used. The reason for this is mainly the “inorganic” behaviour which causes the still omnipresent compatibility and/or haze problems.

A new approach which overcomes these drawbacks are core/shell particles, consisting of an inorganic core and a shell of grafted organic polymers.

These particles can be synthesized as bulk or almost transparent dispersions in common solvents and can be easily formulated with a variety of resins to yield haze-free glossy coatings, even on deep black surfaces. Variation of polymer chemistry provides every means to adapt the nanoparticles to the needs of the customer.

Dr. Gerhard Jonschker, born 1966
Chemist, PhD in materials science
Department head at the "Institute for New Materials GmbH" in Saarbrücken, Germany. Head of the application center - 1998
Co-founder of the stock market listed startup company (Nanogate AG). Director of the business unit "Surface Technology" - 2004
Business Development Manager at Merck KGaA Darmstadt - present