A UK hub for sustainable coatings established
The network will coordinate research, innovation and industry collaboration across the UK's coatings ecosystem.
The UK Network+ for Sustainable Coatings aims to bring together academia, industry, Catapults, government and other stakeholders to accelerate innovation in sustainable coatings and advanced surface technologies.
The hub will be led by Northumbria University and Newcastle University, and funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) supports the proposal, specifically relating to sustainable polymers in liquid formulations (PLFs) – which are found in millions of products, including paints, coatings, detergents, cosmetics and agrochemicals.
The RSC say transitioning PLFs away from fossil fuels represents one of the biggest opportunities for reducing the environmental impact of essential industrial.
Key focus areas include circular materials innovation, sustainable coating design, AI-enabled materials development, digital materials science, proof-of-concept projects, industry collaboration and skills development.
