Sustainable surface protection by glass-like hybrid and biomaterials coatings

To meet EU key strategic orientations for the development of digital, enabling, and emerging technologies, sectors and value chains, the project BIO-SUSHY proposes a complete operating framework for the development of innovative repellent organic and hybrid coatings to challenge widespread yet polluting polyfluorinated alkyl substances. These coatings aiming both hydrophobic and oleophobic properties will be obtained from acknowledged processing technologies, i.e., bio-based thermoplastic powder and hybrid sol-gel. Advanced functionalization will be ensured by bio-based additives added to formulations. Coatings will be applied on various substrates for validation of applications at pre-industrial scale in different domains such as the textile, glass cosmetic and food packaging. Material selection, formulation and coating process will cope with a tailored regulating Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) strategy which evaluating criteria will encompass the risk toxicity of materials and hazardous leachate as well as life cycle assessment to determine economic and environmental impacts along the value chains. This SSbD strategy will be powered by physics based and data driven modelling tools for predicting both repellent properties of coating surfaces and leaching mechanisms of composites. Along with experimental measurements, modelling activity will serve a larger computational tool including all data collection and curation in a harmonized and annotated infrastructure for training and provision towards existing data repositories and marketplaces. This tool will complete a wider dissemination and valorisation strategy including not only scientific and economic aspects, but also to pave the way towards certification of materials and products for their introduction in pre-standardization landscape. For all these valorisation aspects BIO-SUSHY will be assisted by stakeholders to ensure social acceptance and economic impact of the foreseen innovations in coatings.