BASF opens pilot production site for breathable coating
30/08/2007
Chemical company BASF has set up a pilot production site at its Ludwigshafen headquarters for a new coating called Steron.
Developed by inventor Philipp Schaefer, Steron can be applied not just to leather, but also to fleece fabrics, wood, plastic or woven textiles to give different materials a uniform look.
BASF feels that this will be of particular interest to manufacturers of automotive interiors who often have to incorporate many of these materials into a single design. Any coated material can, for example, be made to look like the finest smooth or embossed leather.
To apply the coating, BASF will first spray an aqueous formulation of pigmented polyurethanes onto 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 applied to the carrier material and the finished product lifted from the matrix. The fine pores of the coating ensure breathability.
Since a matrix can be exchanged within a matter of minutes, the company has pointed out that even small amounts of coated materials can be produced "cost-effectively" in keeping with the desired design criteria.
This was not possible before, BASF claims, and could provide "a decisive competitive advantage" in the face of ever-shortening product cycles and ever faster-moving trends.
The idea behind the pilot is to allow BASF to develop the process further and to work with customers to modify it to their particular needs.
On making the announcement, Dr Jürgen Weiser, project manager for new technologies at BASF’s performance chemicals division, said: “We are pleased to be able to include Steron in our service portfolio. With our research and development expertise and infrastructure and partnership with Philipp Schaefer, we can unfold the full potential of this very promising new technology.”
