BASF inaugurates pilot facility for coating technology
Advertisement
BASF has started operations of a pilot facility for Steron®, a novel coating process, at its Ludwigshafen plant. According to the company, this technology opens up a wide spectrum of possibilities for the surface coating of diverse carriers. A unique property of the Steron® coating is its breathability.
Steron® was developed by the inventor Philipp Schaefer. The new coating process can be used on a wide range of carriers including fleece fabrics, woven fabrics, leather as well as wood or plastics. The result: different materials bear an optically uniform design.
"We are pleased to be able to include Steron® in BASF's service portfolio," Dr Jürgen Weiser, Project Manager New Technologies at BASF's Performance Chemicals division, says. "With BASF's research and development expertise and infrastructure and its partnership with Philipp Schaefer, we can unfold the full innovative potential of this very promising new technology." BASF is planning to use its pilot facility to further develop the Steron® technology and work with customers to modify the process for individual applications and needs.
In order to coat a carrier using the Steron® technology, an aqueous formulation of pigmented polyurethanes is first sprayed upon a silicon matrix. Most of the water evaporates, leaving a gossamer-thin membrane with micro-fine pores. While still on the matrix, the membrane is then adhered to the carrier and the finished product lifted from the matrix. Since the fine pores of the coating ensure breathability, the Steron® technology creates a robust yet comfortable surface. The silicon matrixes allow for a great versatility of design because, similar to a casting mould, they structure the surface.
Advertisement
Other news from the department manufacturing
