Solvent Free: exploiting sustainable paint technologies for steel products

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Background:Tata Steel UK is one of the largest producers of pre-painted steel in Europe and produces top range products which are specified throughout Europe, primarily for use in the construction industry. To maintain this position, the organisation is constantly trying to improve the current product range, either through the development of best-in-class coatings for the construction industry, improved offerings in service or through added functionality. Tata's premium coated products can offer maintenance free warranties of up to 40 years and this technology is based on decades of experience formulating paints sourced from fossil fuels as their feedstock. With ever increasing focus on sustainability credentials and the circular economy, Tata Steel UK have a clear carbon reduction strategy. Part of this strategy requires developing the same market leading performance products but without solvents which will help reduce the carbon footprint of Tata Steel.Each year, the manufacturing site produces in excess of 300,000 tonnes of pre-finished steel product using several different polymer systems.This research project will help shape the sustainability future of the UK business by fundamentally changing the polymers to produce sustainable market leading products supplied to customers.The project aims of the research will be to:- Work in conjunction with the key paint supplier to the company to fully understand the current paint formulation.- Use gained knowledge of suppliers who can offer synthetic alternatives of the key ingredients and formulate paints based on these alternatives to remove the need for fossil-based solvents.- Analyse materials via external and accelerated testing. - Use analytical techniques such as UV, ATR FTIR and Raman spectroscopy to determine the mechanism and rates of organic coating degradation and erosion. - Work in conjunction with other researchers in the group to develop the technology and demonstrate its potential via the use of a pilot production line.