Figure 1
NATO study results of CARC panels aged for
14 months or more, when challenged with
neat weapon-grade VX.
byproducts and exhibit highly targeted modes of action.
They can be produced using methods long employed by the
biotechnology and fermentation industries, making them
readily scalable. Furthermore, very recent research has
demonstrated that when properly prepared, biomolecules
are stable in paint formulations and retain their activity
for extended periods of time, both in-can and in-film.
One of the main challenges in this field is to decide upon
which functionality to focus. With so many different natural materials to choose from, and so many different ways to
modify the activity of individual biocompounds, the initial
decision can be difficult. Enzymes, peptides and proteins,
antibodies, viruses and even whole cells and cell parts have
been investigated. Different mechanisms of incorporating
the bioadditives have also been explored including simple
mixing or blending into the paint or coating formulation,
chemical attachment to the binder prior to formulation and
even attachment to the surface of preformed films. The
desired functionality, specific paint formulations and end-use will dictate which specific biocomponent and incorporation technology is best suited for any given application.
Bioengineered additives can be custom tailored using
molecular biology techniques to provide maximum performance for each unique set of conditions.
48 MARCH 2010 WWW.COATINGS WORLD.COM
ENZYMES
Enzymes catalyze biochemical reactions in living systems.
Comprised of long sequences of amino acids, the unique
three-dimensional arrangements of the amino acids in each
enzyme impart a specific reactivity. For some enzymes only
certain chemical transformations will be mediated for a set
of reactants (substrates), while for others a broad range of
robust reactions can be catalyzed in forward and reverse
directions. The optional selectivity allows for either tightly
controlled or broad functionality, depending on the desired
functional outcome. At the same time, there are many types
of enzymes from which to choose, enabling the development
of paints and coatings with a wide range of functionalities.
