NEW CERAMIC COATINGS FOR EXTERIOR AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS

S.I.V.E. (Piedmont - Italy) and GRAPH ENGINEERING (Ireland) share their manufacturing experience and ambition in MOTORAMIC project. The consortium will study and develop a technology for protection of metal exterior automotive parts (e.g. aluminum wheels, steel exhaust terminals, brake holders, …), involving in a research project with the goal on a new ceramic coating, different and more performing compared to traditional automotive materials. Coating composition is based on: - nanoparticles of metal oxides, inorganic, reticulated at low temperature (< 300 °C); - sol-gel reaction to form a ceramic pattern, thickness 30-60 microns. Resulting coating will be an hard layer of hydrophobic ceramics, resistant to chemicals and high temperature and easy-clean, available in different colours following customer’s requests; paintable substrates will be metals (aluminium, steel, brass) and plastics (PC, PA, PP, PBT, …). MOTORAMIC project will explore both pre-treatment and coating technologies, exploiting partners skills and specific know-how on advanced materials. Related potential market is around 1.5 - 2 M€/year, with positive occupational growth in involved regions.