cardiovascular and neurovascular device designers. In particular, coated lumens may improve
the interaction between catheters
and guidewires or enable new designs
better suited to access distal vasculature.
Distinct from other lubricious and hydrophilic coatings, Baymedix CL 100 is
directly grown onto the surface of the
medical device rather than applied as a
separate coating. This unconventional application technology, which uses a physical drying process, is part of why the
Baymedix process can be applied to otherwise challenging surfaces like the inner
diameters of long microcatheters.
Honeywell introduces Solarc
RPV for solar panels
Honeywell Electronic Materials has ex-
panded its line of Solarc anti-reflective
coating materials to include a new formu-
lation that allows for easier application
and less material usage. The new product,
called Honeywell Solarc RPV, is specifi-
cally designed to be applied through sin-
gle-sided roller coating application, which
is easier and allows panel manufacturers
to use less material than alternative coat-
ing methods. Solarc materials are based on
advanced materials used in semiconductor
manufacturing. They are transparent coat-
ings that improve the light transmittance
through the glass that covers photovoltaic,
or PV, panels, thus increasing the PV mod-
ule efficiency and power output. These
coatings also significantly reduce glare
from the glass, allowing the PV panel to
better blend with its surroundings. Hon-
eywell’s Solarc coatings reduce reflection,
resulting in more light reaching the solar
cell, which translates into higher power
conversion. The new coating retains Solarc
coating’s advanced light transmittance and
high durability. With single-sided applica-
tions, it also enables perfect index of re-
fraction (RI) matching between air and
glass, while avoiding RI mismatch at the
glass and EVA interface seen on double-
sided coatings. Demonstrating a four per-
cent increase in transmittance at 550
nanometers, Solarc RPV coating has con-
sistently produced three to 3. 5 percent av-
erage transmittance gain across a broad
solar spectrum that is relevant for PV cell
operation, from 350 nanometers through
1, 100 nanometers, according to the com-
pany. The new coating has also demon-
strated durability in a broad variety
of accelerated tests designed to imitate
harsh environmental conditions to which
a PV panel is likely to be exposed during
its lifetime.
Entropy Resins launches new Super Sap line of
bio-derived epoxy systems
With its Super Sap line of bio-derived epoxy systems, Entropy
Resins, a California-based materials company, is enabling a new generation of companies to create environmentally friendly yet high performance composite products.
Over the past year, Entropy has partnered with several sporting
goods companies to bring their Super Sap technology to market. One
such company, Utah-based Niche Snowboards, uses a proprietary version of Super Sap across their entire snowboard line. “From the start
we wanted to design and build a
product where every component
had some environmental improvement over the industry standard,” said Dustin Morrell, COO
of Niche. “However, snowboards
go through an incredible amount
of abuse so we had to make sure
these components were not only
eco-friendly but also performed.”
For 2011, Entropy customers
are introducing commercial products across other action sports, including alpine skis, skateboards,
and surfboards. However, the
company said eco-friendly sporting goods are just the beginning.
Entropy Resins has partnered
with Utah-based Niche Snowboards, which uses a proprietary version of Super Sap
across their entire snowboard line.
Entropy Resins is expanding into the larger composites markets like
wind energy, transportation and civil engineering. “With new industry standards and government legislation focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and maximizing the sustainability of our natural
resources, we feel there are further opportunities for our bio-based
technology,” said Desi Banatao, lead applications engineer for Entropy.
Later this year, Entropy will introduce a line of coatings and adhesive
products aimed specifically at the construction industry, as well as resin
infusion systems for making large composite parts.
Entropy’s Super Sap epoxy is based on a patent pending process
that replaces petroleum-based chemicals with those sourced from bio-
renewable feedstock and waste streams of other industrial processes.
“By sharing bio-renewable feed stocks with other industries, like the
paper pulp and bio-fuels industries, and using manufacturing
processes that require less energy and water we can significantly re-
duce the carbon footprint of our resins,” said Rey Banatao, Entropy’s
lead biochemist. “Considering resins can be more than 50 percent of
the volume in a composite structure, these savings can be environ-
mentally significant.”
Because composites are integral to a product’s structure and in-
tegrity, performance has always been a priority for Entropy’s R&D ef-
forts. “Historically, bio-derived materials have been used in the resin
industry as diluents or plasticizers in adhesives or coatings, which is
usually opposite of what you want in a composite,” said Desi Banatao.
“However from the beginning our goal has been to employ bio-de-
rived technologies that not only match the performance of existing
petroleum-based composites but surpass them in certain areas.” These
areas include adhesion and elongation properties that can improve
the longevity of composite structure and ultimately the end product.
44 | Coatings World
www.coatingsworld.com
March 2011
