Digital formulating of coatings and ingredients via web-apps

 
The applied predictive formulation sciences, Hansen Solubility Parameters (HSP) and Hydrophilic Lipophilic Difference (HLD), require specific parameters of ingredients, which are used in their respective equations to formulate very efficiently. Once the predictive ingredient parameters are obtained, other matching ingredients can be calculated to make predictions for any type of formulation: solution, dispersion or emulsion. Applying these sciences for the development of products, such as coatings and emulsion polymers, results in improved compatibility between ingredients and therefore, in the overall performance of formulated products. Also, it rationalizes the replacement of ingredients and to make new ingredients compatible with the rest of the formulation. Matching ingredients in this way, allows for the minimal number and amount of ingredients within formulations, produced with minimal energy input. This is a very efficient way to enhance the properties, in addition to reducing frustration, complexity, time and cost of developing coating formulations or ingredients. Moreover, the ingredient parameters are sustainable: you can use them repeatedly, allowing you to move away from trial-and-error and use digitalization in product developments. To obtain the predictive ingredient parameters, High Throughput (HT) screening is used to speed up data generation via automated, parallel and small-scale preparation of samples. The parameters are stored in a central database which is in the process of being linked to web-apps to digitally formulate end-products. These apps can be used as the first stage of experimentation, followed by a drastically streamlined amount of practical lab work needed, when compared to trial-and-error (and most DoE). The end-products can then be prepared, again via the HT. This digital formulating approach will be demonstrated, to show how this can boost efficient coating and ingredient developments.