Contact person: Alexander Kockmann
The fabrication of nanoparticulate coatings has become increasingly important for applications, such as highly transparent scratch proof coatings, self-cleaning surfaces or anti-graffiti coatings. The performance of these coatings does not only depend on the material properties of the nanoparticles, but also on the film topology (film structure). It is known that the formulation of the coating-material (mostly, a nanoparticle-based dispersion or slurry) and the processing of the coating-material significantly influences the topology of the coating, and thus its properties. However, the variation of the film structure based on the processing has only selectively been studied so far. Thus, the aim of this project is to assess the impact of the relevant parameters (of the individual process steps) on the mechanical properties of a nanoparticulate coating. Additionally, the influence of the manufacturing process of the nanoparticles and the formulation of the coating material will be analyzed in conjunction to the film topology and performance. The nanoparticle surface chemistry will also be examined regarding its effect on the nanoparticle-crosslinking in the film and thus the resulting mechanical properties of the coating. Through a thorough understanding of the process-structure-relationship, general rules for the formulation and the processing of the coating material with respect to the film formation, film structure, and the anticipated coating properties, shall be developed.