UK launches USD 1.9M sustainable coatings research
Funding will support the progression of promising concepts towards practical application, helping bridge the gap between research and industrial implementation.
UK – A new UK research network, “Surfaces for a Sustainable Future” (S4SF), has secured £1.38 million (USD 1.86 million) to accelerate progress in sustainable coatings and advanced surface technologies.
The initiative brings together universities, coatings manufacturers, industry organisations and policymakers to address longstanding obstacles to developing surface chemistries with a lower environmental impact.
Funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the network is led by Newcastle University and Northumbria University in partnership with Sunderland Software City.
The Royal Society of Chemistry describes S4SF as the UK Network+ for Sustainable Coatings.
The programme will coordinate expertise across coating chemistry, surface engineering, corrosion, tribology, digital materials and sustainable manufacturing.
It aims to address challenges including dependence on petrochemical raw materials and hazardous chemistries, inadequate shared data infrastructure, unequal access to pilot facilities and difficulties in transferring research findings into industrial applications.
Planned activities include proof-of-concept projects, feasibility studies, industrial secondments and access to specialist facilities.
The network also intends to establish shared approaches to testing, data management and modelling, helping participants connect research more closely with practical development.
Digital materials development will be a major focus. Plans include using AI-assisted formulation, digital twins and automated experimentation to reduce the time required to develop and qualify new surface technologies.
Circular design will also shape the research agenda. Projects will explore coatings that can be repaired, removed, reused or recycled, alongside alternatives to established chemistries and coating processes requiring less energy.
The Royal Society of Chemistry said the initiative aligns with its roadmap for sustainable polymers in liquid formulations.
According to its estimate, more than 85% of liquid formulation polymers manufactured globally, around 31 million metric tonnes annually, are used in paints and coatings, inks, adhesives and sealants.
Industry participants include Akzo Nobel, Procter & Gamble, Triton Hydrogen, Walker Subsea, Enshore Subsea, Hydrostar Europe and Kona Clean Technologies.
Founding organisations also include the British Coatings Federation, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Henry Royce Institute, CPI and Innovate UK Business Connect. Participating universities include Newcastle, Northumbria, Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, Durham, Nottingham, Birmingham and Teesside.
By connecting formulation science, coatings manufacturing and digital research and development within one programme, S4SF aims to strengthen collaboration across the sector.
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