Sol-Gel Coatings for Coil-Coated Steels

The development of the sol-gel process opened the possibility of utilising ceramic coatings at low curing temperatures. However, these coatings have drawbacks such as a tendency to crack, delaminate, and limited thicknesses (nm). Through the modification of the sol-gel chemistry it is possible to produce defect-free coatings that can be scaled up to a coil-coating line.

Throughout this presentation I will be discussing the development of sol-gel coatings, with a particular focus on:

• The effect of coating chemistry on defects and processing
• The weathering, mechanical, and barrier performance
• The potential financial and sustainability impact of sol-gel coating systems