MARCH-JUNE 2024
NEWSLETTERS

Newsletter-March 2024 
Structural Color

 

March 2024 Newsletter-Disruptive Technologies and Structural Color


Ever worry about emerging technologies that might challenge your current business and make it obsolete? Do you regularly examine the moat around your business, make sure it is sound, and peer out past that moat to see what existential threats abound? Every business leader should be aware of developments that could potentially derail their business and/or provide opportunities for continued survival.


The consequences of not looking out for these threats can be disastrous. The “success trap” arises when an organization focuses efforts on what made it historically successful at the expense of exploration of new territories that will ensure long term viability. A well-known example of the phenomenon occurred with the advent of digital photography. The emergence of digital photography is also an example of a “disruptive innovation” as it created a new market at the expensive of an existing market.(1)


Eastman Kodak was incorporated in 1892, became one of the largest film and camera manufacturers in the world, and was a dominant player in that realm for most of the 20th century. The irony of their demise is that one of their employees actually developed the first handheld digital camera in 1975, long before the devices appeared on the market. Although Kodak was aware of the technology, they were late in shifting their business toward digital in the 1990s and early 2000s as capital investment would be high and such a move would impact their historical business based on photographic film. Kodak struggled financially in the late 1990s and attempted a turnaround by diversifying its chemical operations and shifting to digital photography and printing in the 2000s. Those efforts were not enough to prevent a bankruptcy filing in 2012.(2)


Technological advances in the expression of color may lead to a similar upheaval in the coatings industry which utilizes pigments (and dyes) for imparting color. The pigments can be natural or synthetic, and inorganic or organic. The inorganic pigments tend to be more stable and lightfast versus the organic pigments which exhibit colors that are brighter and richer than their inorganic counterparts. The pigments function by absorbing certain wavelengths of light and reflecting others; it is the reflected light that generates the color. The absorption of light in typical pigments leads to heat generation and temperature increases in those coatings where they are employed. (It should be pointed out that cool pigments do exist which act to reflect infrared light, rather than absorb it, thereby reducing heat gain.) The pigment industry also faces challenges due to increasing global regulations,(3) which have led to an increased reliance on production facilities in the Asia-Pacific region.(4)


Structural color is receiving more attention as an alternative to pigmented color. As opposed to the absorption and reflection of light in pigments, structural color is generated by the reflection and transmission of wavelengths of light by nano- and micro- structured materials. It is a phenomenon seen in nature, for example, in the colors of certain bird feathers and butterfly wings. In general, the colors generated structurally are more vibrant than those of their pigment counterparts, cover a broader color gamut, and can be resistant to fading over time.(5) A good example of the high brightness and high saturation of structural colors is the blue of the blue morpho butterfly above. (Note that Cypris Materials features a blue morpho in their literature.(6) More on Cypris later.)

 

 

There are many efforts afoot to develop structural color based coatings. One of the more recent developments is the work by researchers at Kobe University to develop color via the scattering of specific light wavelengths by spherical silicon crystals. The colors are generated by Mie resonance, where the wavelength of the light reflected is comparable to the size of the particles; the color is controlled by the size of the particles. The colors are non-fading, viewing angle independent, and can be generated in a monolayer, thus potentially leading to very thin and lightweight coatings.(7)


A team at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is taking a different approach to structural color. They are generating color via block copolymers that can self assemble into nanostructures which reflect wavelengths of light that depend on the size of the assembling nanostructures. Crosslinking the polymers with UV light leads to changes in the color which provides a way to tune the color; the color depends on the crosslinking density which is a function of the amount of UV light exposure.(8)


Cypris Materials is pioneering the use of brush block copolymers to generate structural color. In their approach comb type polymers which have self assembling side chains are utilized. The light reflected is a function of the brush copolymer molecular weight; lower molecular weights reflect shorter wavelengths and higher molecular weights reflect longer wavelengths. Cypris is planning on launching a structural color copolymer this year (2024). They have also partnered with BASF to develop automotive coatings.(9) BASF is also working with Harvard to develop a model to describe how light interacts with nanoparticles embedded in a matrix to generate color.(10)

The examples of structural color described here are only a few of the more recent developments. So will structural color change the world of pigments and coatings as we know it? It is certainly starting to make a dent.

 

 

1.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disruptive_innovation  Wikipedia Disruptive Innovation Wikipedia entry.

2.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodak  Wikipedia Kodak Wikipedia entry.

3.  https://www.inkworldmagazine.com/contents/view_online-exclusives/2019-03-07/regulatory-mandates-and-the-pigment-industry/  Regulatory Mandates and the Pigment Industry, Ink World Magazine, online exclusives, March 7, 2019. 

4.  https://www.custommarketinsights.com/report/pigment-market/  Global Pigment Market, Custom Market Insights, January 2024.

5.  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41377-022-00847-z  Andreas Tittl, Tunable Structural Colors on Display, Light: Science and Applications, 2022, 11, Article 155. 

6.  https://www.cyprismaterials.com/  Cypris Materials Website.

7.  https://phys.org/news/2024-01-ink-printable-iridescent-lightweight.html  Kobe University, Structural color ink: Printable, non-iridescent and lightweight, Phys Org, January 20, 2024. 

8.  https://cen.acs.org/materials/3-d-printing/Printable-polymer-tunable-structural-color/102/web/2024/02  Brianna Barbu, Printable polymer with tunable structural color, C&EN (online), February 26, 2024. 

9.  https://www.pcimag.com/articles/111657-self-assembling-structural-color-paints  John Book, Matthew Ryan, Toby Tang, Ryan Pearson, Kevin Turley, and Daniel Ferris, Self-Assembling Structural Color Paints, PCI Magazine, August 4, 2023. 

10. https://environment.harvard.edu/news/color-goes-beyond-nature  Leah Burrows, Color That Goes Beyond Nature, Harvard University Center for the Environment, March 3, 2021. 

Newsletter-April 2024
Lab of the Future 

 

April 2024 Newsletter-Lab of the Future


Key takeaways from this newsletter:

  • Most jobs will be impacted by generative AI in the coming years.
  • Digital transformation has a cultural component.
  • Digital transformation will help scientists overcome lab work inefficiencies.
  • Scientists will need to re-skill to support the lab of the future.
  • An example of the pillars of digital transformation is presented.
  • The expert knowledge of scientific theory and fundamentals will become more valuable in the lab of the future.
  • Large language models (like Chat GPT for example) are  being incorporated into lab informatics software packages, which allows for natural language interaction with the software.
  • Hardware for data capture will make the scientist’s life easier.

According to Cognizant, an IT services company, in the coming years 90 percent of all jobs will be disrupted by generative AI.(1)  That’s one of the reasons why I attended the Lab of the Future Conference on March 11 and 12 held at the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston.  The conference was moved to this larger venue as it sold out last year, which attests to the growing popularity of this meeting.  The focus is mainly on biopharma R&D, and that discipline seems to be at the forefront of Lab of the Future developments.  It was a well-attended event  and I would estimate that participants numbered in the hundreds. The presentations covered the subject areas of Digital Transformation, Automation and Robotics, AI, Data Strategy, Interoperability and Connectivity, and Scientific Innovation.  Thirty-two vendors populated the exhibition hall.

 

As stated above this is a biopharma focused meeting, but still useful for those in other disciplines. As is the case with other technology shifts, there is a cultural component that goes along with digital transformation.  You cannot simply thrust new software or technology onto a group of scientists. Mark Browosky’s (Novartis) presentation was titled “The Digital Transformation Journey-Are We There Yet?”(2)  Organizations and their staff need to shift culturally to a “data first” mentality; they must embrace data as an asset.  The scientists must accept that the software may drive the lab work in some instances, and they must trust the computational results.  Each organization undergoing transformation needs to help the scientist understand that this change in culture will help them overcome challenges in their daily work lives.

 

Some of the challenges to be overcome were addressed by Lee Tessler of AWS in his talk titled “Cloud as Catalyst:  Laying the Data Foundations for Future Ready Labs.”(3)  During his presentation he pointed out the current challenges faced by laboratories.  First of all, there are many repetitive, low value, manual tasks that a researcher needs to perform every day.  These tasks need to be eliminated or replaced by automation or computational methods so that a researcher can focus on what really brings value to a company:  significant value-added experimentation such as innovation for example.  Secondly, data is siloed and disconnected.  Again, going back to the presentation by Mark Browosky above, data is a company asset and should be available to all researchers in a laboratory.   Data should also be in a form that allows it to be readily reused.  Thirdly, deficient workflows lead to inefficiencies.  Disconnected lab instruments, software, and analytics can lead to collaboration roadblocks and difficulties in troubleshooting.   And the fourth challenge many labs face is that collaboration is hindered by inability to share data.

 

Jen Bouchard of Accenture gave a presentation titled “Digital Lab Transformation and the Workforce of the Future” in which she also addressed current laboratory challenges and solutions for moving forward.(4)   40-60% of a scientist’s time is spent on non-value added activities or inefficiencies due to paper based processes, siloed systems, lack of data visibility, and poor access to data.  These challenges echo those pointed out by Lee Tessler.  Only 38% of life science CEOs say their companies offer paths to gain skills related to AI.  Scientists will need to re-skill to support a lab of the future in which most processes are efficient, automated, and generate AI ready data.  Efforts should be made to listen to the scientists to know what their pain points are.  Tools such as AR (augmented reality) for training and voice assistants for data capture will help scientists work more efficiently.

 

Christopher Langmead continued the transformation theme in his presentation titled “Digital Transformation and Drug Discovery.”(5)  He discussed why digital transformation is so important at Amgen and presented their five pillars of digital transformation.  These pillars can be useful to any organization evolving digitally:

  • Data generation and capture.
  • FAIR data and AI/Machine Learning (ML) strategy.  FAIR data is Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable.
  • Flexible computing infrastructure.  The systems need to be scalable and able to incorporate emerging and more powerful computing methods.
  • Computational sciences.  An organization needs to have the right resources for AI/ML, analytics, informatics, etc.
  • Data savy R&D workforce.

 

In addition to affecting the laboratory environment, digital transformation is also affecting the software companies themselves.

 

Erin Davis of Schrodinger explained how her company is using machine learning in her presentation “Empowering the Future of Collaborative, Digital Drug Discovery-From Small to Large Molecules.”(6)  Schrodinger was founded in 1990 and has developed a physics based computational platform that can be used for drug discovery and materials science.   The methods they use allow them to extrapolate into new chemistry spaces but are slow. On the other hand, machine learning is fast but only knows what you have taught it; ML requires a training set.  Schrodinger is combining the two by creating physics based training sets for ML based methods.  This approach is leading to faster generation of potential molecules for targeted drug applications.  This is interesting as very little actual lab experimentation is done until the candidates are generated via calculations.  This underscores how domain knowledge, or knowledge of science (in the physics based methods) can be used to minimize actual experimentation in a lab.  The Citrine Platform is another example of how domain or expert knowledge can be incorporated into AI modeling.(7) The understanding of physical science fundamentals and theory will be extremely valuable in the lab of the future.

 

Large language models (LLMs, like Chat GPT for example) are making their way into software packages. Synthace is a software company that has developed a platform for designing, running and analyzing experiments.(8)  Synthace has connected OpenAI’s Chat GPT with their platform to set up and run experiments. On the exhibition floor, Chris Grant demonstrated how a DOE for biological experiments can be generated. A scientist can explain, with natural language, the DOE they would like the software to set up, and then the AI and scientist work together to further refine the experiments.  In this way, the DOE is constructed by the software, dramatically reducing the amount of time the scientist would otherwise need to assemble a DOE. 

 

Sapio offers a lab informatics package to address ELN (electronic lab notebook) and LIMS (laboratory information management system) needs.  Rob Brown of Sapio gave a presentation titled “The Lab AI Revolution:  Unleashing the Power of AI and Data to Accelerate Research and Discovery.”(9)  He discussed ELaiN, Sapio’s Electronic Lab AI Notebook.  ELaiN uses LLMs to allow a user to ask it natural language questions.  ELaiN can be used to set up experiments, review inventories, find data, search reports, etc.

 

 A  new platform called nuVerve(10) by Rheolution will be launched in mid April and is a cost-effective solution targeting small and medium sized teams according to CEO Anis Hadj Henni.  The platform can be used to structure data so that it is available for analysis and collaboration.   The software will facilitate the ingestion and analysis of data, along with creation and automated updating of reports, so that the researcher can focus on innovation and not on manual execution of those tasks.

 

Other software companies of note on the exhibition floor were:

 

Uncountable(11)-A platform allowing for data centralization, visualization and predictive analytics.

 

Revvity Signals(12)-Offers the Signals Research Suite which includes a notebook for the storage and mining of data, and tools for visualizations and analytics.

 

SciNote(13)-An ELN which also assists in data management, project management and inventory management.

 

Although much of what I gravitated towards was software based, there was a good presentation on the use of hardware to make the scientist’s life easier.  Pat Leblanc of Regeneron presented “A New Era- Leveraging XR, Voice Assistance and Automation to Benefit Research Within the Biotech Industry.”(14) The focus of his talk was the TIDES (Transform Information with Digital Experimental Solutions) initiative at Regeneron.  His team interviewed researchers  in the labs to uncover pain points.  There were repetitive manual tasks being performed, and tasks were not performed in a consistent fashion.  His team saw a need to increase the quality and availability of the data.  They demonstrated technologies to the scientists with roadshows and demos in order to get their buy in.  To facilitate data capture they instituted a  technology from  Lab Voice which enables the use of voice commands to enter data or activate instruments, thus keeping your hands free.  They also used the AR (augmented reality ) of a  Hololens  (Microsoft’s AR headset) for training purposes.

 

So, what do you think of the Lab of the Future?  I think it’s already here.


 

1.  Cognizant Impact Study Predicts Generative AI Could Inject $1 Trillion Into U.S. Economy Over 10 Years - Jan 10, 2024  Cognizant Website.  Press Release. “Cognizant Impact Study Predicts Generative AI Could Inject $1 Trillion Into U.S. Economy Over 10 Years,” January 10, 2024.  (http://news.cognizant.com/2024-01-10-Cognizant-Impact-Study-Predicts-Generative-AI-Could-Inject-1-Trillion-Into-U-S-Economy-Over-10-Years)

 

2.  Mark Browosky, “The Digital Transformation Journey-Are We There Yet?”Lab of the Future USA Congress, Boston, Ma., March 11-12, 2024.

 

3.  Lee Tessler, “Cloud as Catalyst:  Laying the Data Foundations for Future Ready Labs.” Lab of the Future USA Congress, Boston, Ma., March 11-12, 2024.

 

4.  Jen Bouchard, “Digital Lab Transformation and the Workforce of the Future” Lab of the Future USA Congress, Boston, Ma., March 11-12, 2024.

 

5.  Christopher Langmead, “Digital Transformation and Drug Discovery.” Lab of the Future USA Congress, Boston, Ma., March 11-12, 2024.

 

6.  Erin Davis of Schrodinger explained how her company is using machine learning in her presentation “Empowering the Future of Collaborative, Digital Drug Discovery-From Small to Large Molecules.” Lab of the Future USA Congress, Boston, Ma., March 11-12, 2024.

 

7. White-Paper-Domain-Knowledge-Integration.pdf (citrine.io)  Citrine white paper.  “Domain Knowledge Integration.” (https://citrine.io/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/White-Paper-Domain-Knowledge-Integration.pdf)

 

8.  Synthace: the Life Science Experiment Platform for R&D teams  Synthace website.  (www.synthace.com)

 

9.  Rob Brown,“The Lab AI Revolution:  Unleashing the Power of AI and Data to Accelerate Research and Discovery.”  Lab of the Future USA Congress, Boston, Ma., March 11-12, 2024.

 

10.  nuVerve - The Advanced Scientific Data Intelligence Platform nuVerve  (by Rheolution) website.  (www.nuverve.com)

 

11.  Home | Uncountable Uncountable website. (www.uncountable.com )

 

12.  Software Solutions for Data-Driven Science | Revvity Signals Software  Revvity Signals website.  (www.revvitysignals.com ) 

 

13.  Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN Software) - SciNote ELN  Scinote website. (www.scinote.net )

 

14.  Pat Leblanc, “A New Era- Leveraging XR, Voice Assistance and Automation to Benefit Research Within the Biotech Industry.” Lab of the Future USA Congress, Boston, Ma., March 11-12, 2024.

Newsletter-May 2024
Sustainability at the American Coatings Show and Conference

May 2024 Newsletter-Sustainability at the American Coatings Show and Conference

 

Key Takeaways from this newsletter:

  • Sustainability was a major theme at this year’s American Coatings Show and Conference.
  • Sustainability of the environment was addressed in talks on the development of biobased raw materials, biodegradable raw materials, cool coatings, and the replacement of solvent-based coatings with water-based coatings.
  • Protection of human health and the environment was tackled in presentations focusing on biocide-free raw materials and replacements for fluorochemicals.
  • Formulators should take a holistic approach when removing hazardous materials from their formulations. 

Sustainability was a major theme at this year’s American Coatings Show and Conference held in Indianapolis April 30-May 2.  Sustainability as it relates to the coatings industry does not have one standard definition. Most coatings companies and suppliers have sustainability statements which include environmental, health, and social aspects, along with initiatives to ensure the long-term viability of the company.  Environment and health were the pillars of sustainability addressed at the American Coatings Show and Conference.

 

Regarding the sustainability of the environment, conference talks and show floor presentations focused on biobased materials, biodegradable materials, cool coatings and water-based alternatives to solvent-based coatings:

 

Biobased Materials. Many presentations were focused on the use of biobased materials which are renewable and therefore considered sustainable. Biobased materials was a big supplier theme at the European Coatings Show in 2023 and that emphasis continued at the American Coatings Show in 2024. Conference and show floor talks included presentations on biobased polyols for polyurethanes (1,2,3), biobased binders (4,5,6), biobased surfactants (7), carbon dioxide based polyols for polyurethanes (8,9), and biobased monomers for  sustainable polymers (10).

 

Biodegradable Materials.  Surprisingly, the area of biodegradable materials did not receive much attention in Indianapolis.  Deurex reviewed their biodegradable waxes, which are not necessarily biobased (11).  Deurex sees the use of biodegradable waxes as one step toward the elimination of microplastics in coatings. 

 

Cool Coatings. Temperature increases globally will lead to an increase in cooling demand which could lead to an increase in greenhouse gases.  Reduction of energy use can have a positive impact on the environment. Cool coatings can help reduce energy consumption and a few presentations were centered on cool coatings and fillers that can lead to higher reflectivity in a coating (12,13,14).

 

Water-based Alternatives to Solvent Based Coatings.  Of course, moving from a solvent-based to a water-based coating will also benefit the environment as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are eliminated.  Dura introduced an acrylic/cationic stain blocking latex that could facilitate the transition away from solvent-based alkyd architectural coatings (15).

 

Health is another one of the cornerstones of sustainability which was addressed at the American Coatings Show and Conference.  There are industry efforts underway to minimize the use of biocides and fluorosurfactants  which can have adverse effects on human health and the environment.

 

Biocide-Free Thickener.  Dow launched their biocide free thickener  Acrysol RM-735BF, a KU builder which also contributes to low and high sheer viscosities (16).

 

Fluorochemicals. As for fluorochemicals, the EPA set limits on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water earlier this year, which makes work on substitution of fluorinated compounds especially timely. Of course, one of the ways to eliminate a fluorinated compound is to replace it with a workalike, and numerous presentations dealt with the replacement of fluorochemicals.  Lubrizol, Micropowders and Clariant  gave presentations on the replacement of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (17,18,19).  Also of concern is finding replacements for water soluble fluorosurfactants which are often used for block resistance in water-based coatings.  Those additives function by migrating to the surface and creating a loose boundary layer which prevents two coated surfaces from sticking together.  Block resistance is more difficult to achieve in softer coatings which often result from efforts to reduce VOC levels.  Syensqo's Rhodoline HBR was showcased as a surfactant which can be used instead of fluorosurfactants to achieve hot block resistance (20).

 

Formulators should not rely solely on the development of innovative workalikes when removing hazardous raw materials from their formulations.  For example, an additive like Rhodoline HBR can assist in achieving hot block resistance without fluorosurfactants but formulators must take a holistic approach to achieving that property.  The additive approach to achieving hot block is used to overcome the softness of a coating, and formulators should focus on improving the softness of the coating in addition to incorporating an additive which creates a loose boundary layer at the coating surface.  It is the resin/coalescent combination which is most responsible for film softness.  Emerald Kalama (now Lanxess) realized that coalescents can be multifunctional and presented new coalescents that can be used for improved hot block resistance (21). Latex polymers imparting improved block resistance can be achieved by control of particle morphology and/or via crosslinking (22).  The construction of latex particles with a core/shell morphology is a well known way of achieving block resistance in a coating (23).  For example, a core/shell emulsion polymer with a first stage glass transition temperature (Tg) of about 50 degrees C and a second stage Tg between -30 and 10 degrees C imparts improved block resistance to coatings (24).  Judicious selection of the coalescent and latex used in a water-based coating , in addition to the use of a surface modifying additive, can help achieve acceptable hot block resistance.

 

The sustainability movement is gaining momentum in the U.S. and will be a driver of innovation in the coatings industry.  Environmentally friendly raw materials and coatings are increasing in their numbers, and strategies for the elimination of compounds hazardous to human health and the environment are being developed.  The new materials being developed and promoted will help formulators create more sustainable coatings.  Formulators should take a holistic approach when addressing the elimination of hazardous raw materials from their formulations to achieve the best results.


 

1.  Wolfgang Geuking (Cargill), “Enhancing 2K PU Coating Formualtions Using Bio-based Polyols,” American Coatings Conference, Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

 

2.  Milena Garay-Tovar (Lubrizol), “Bio-based High Solids Polyamide Polyols for Protective Coatings,” American Coatings Conference, Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

 

3.  Kyle Flack (BASF), “Formulating Bio-based Polyols for Low-VOC, Solvent-borne Protective Coatings, American Coatings Conference, Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 22024.

 

4.  Richard Flecksteiner (Synthomer), Alkyd/Acrylic Hybrid Latexes for use in Waterborne Wood Coatings, American Coatings Conference, Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

 

5.  Latoska Price (Synthomer), New Biobased Versatile Binder for Architectural Coatings,American Coatings Conference, Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

 

6.  Paul Doll (Dow), RHOPLEX RN-128:  New All Acrylic Biobased Polymer that Delivers Value and Performance, American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

  

7.  Laura Benavides (Integrity Biochem), “Sustainable Revolution in Paints:  Bio-based Surfactants as High Performance Additives,” American Coatings Conference, Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024. 

 

8.  Ricard Stevenson (Econic Technologies), “Painting with Pollution: polyols from waste CO2 for use in PU-based coatings,” American Coatings Conference, Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024. 

 

9.  Ron Valente (Aether), “Aether Industries, LTD and Converge CO2 Based Polyols, American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

 

10.  Michael Webb (Evonik) , “VISIOMER Specialty Methacrylates for Sustainable Coatings & Polymers,” American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

 

11.  Steffen Remdt (Deurex), “Biodegradable Waxes to Avoid Microplastics in Paints and Coatings-Biomere,” American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

 

12.  Ray Fernando (Caltech), “An Investigation of Solar Reflectivity of Exterior Architectural Coatings, American Coatings Conference, Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

 

13.  Scott Van Remortel (Covia), “Ultrawhite Fillers for More Sustainable Cool Coating Applications,” American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

 

14.  David Gonzalez(Omya), “Cooling Energy Savings from High Reflective Coatings Using Lightweight Fillers,” American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

 

15.  Palak Choudhary  (Dura), “Novel Acrylic/Cationic Latex That Blocks the Most Difficult Stains,” American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

 

16.  Sunny Wang (Dow), “ACRYSOL RM-735BF: New High Efficiency Biocide-Free Rheology Modifier,” American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

 

17.  Tobias Niederleitner (Clariant), “PTFE-free and sustainable solutions for coatings and inks,” American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

 

18.  Rich Czarnecki (Micropowders), “Replacing PTFE With Composite Additive Powders,” American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

 

19.  Bill Ruth (Lubrizol), “Powder/Add 9780-PTFE-free Coarse Textyring Agent for Powder Coatings,” American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

 

20.  Linda Adamson (Syensqo), “RHODOLINE HBR-Specialty Additive for Early “Hot” Block Resistance in Water-based Coatings, “ American Coatings Show (Product Presentation), Indianapolis, IN, April 30-May 2, 2024.

 

21.  KovachLaura_EmeraldKalama.pdf (pcimag.com) Laura Kovach (Emerald Kalama), “New Development of Multifunctional Coalescent for Coatings,” Coatings Trends and Technologies, Chicago, IL, September 2019. (https://www.pcimag.com/ext/resources/Events/CTT/2019ppt/KovachLaura_EmeraldKalama.pdf)

 

22.  Improved Block Resistance in Low-VOC Acrylic Topcoats Without Fluorinated Additives | PCI Magazine Matt Anderson, Karl Booth, “Improved Block Resistance in Low-VOC Acrylic Topcoats Without Fluorinated Additives,” PCI eMagazine, April 3, 2024. (https://www.pcimag.com/articles/112246-improved-block-resistance-in-low-voc-acrylic-topcoats-without-fluorinated-additives) 

 

23.  Block-Resistance-of-Low-VOC-Acrylic-Paints_Sept-2009.pdf Wenjun Wu, Michael Anderson, Jeff Schneider, “Block Resistance of Low-VOC Acrylic Paints: Influences of Latex Design Parameters,” JCT Coatings Tech, September 2009, pp 22-26. ( https://www.paint.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Block-Resistance-of-Low-VOC-Acrylic-Paints_Sept-2009.pdf)

 

24.  Pavel Holub and Edward Enns McEntire, “Aqueous Dispersions Containing Multi-Stage Emulsion Polymers,” U.S. Patent 7,285,590 B2, October 23, 2007.

Newsletter-June 2024
Innovation, Part One






 

June 2024 Newsletter-Innovation, Part One

 

Key Takeaways from this newsletter:

  • Definitions of innovation will be presented.
  • A company that practices innovation will realize many benefits which will be enumerated here.

For this month’s newsletter I would like to touch upon the topic of innovation. 

 

What is innovation?

 

During my career I have noticed that innovation is both a desire of an organization, and a desire of the technical individuals working for an organization.  An organization is always looking for the next big idea which gives it notoriety and a new business.  For us technical folk, well, we didn’t go to college and maybe grad school to join a company  to work on just the meat and potato projects; we want to work on something cool too, and ideally something that we initiated.

 

Sounds good, right? Then why does it seem so difficult?

 

For starters, there isn’t agreement on what innovation is.  Scientists are prone to bringing an idea or prototype to light of something that their organization isn’t working on.  At that point they often think their job is done and it is someone else’s job to figure out what to do with it.  The project is worked on for a while and eventually dies.  So where did this scenario go wrong?  Was that innovation?

 

I have had discussions with many people on innovation and how to engender innovation, but you need a good definition for starters.   The following are definitions that resonate with me, and again as we all struggle with innovation these may not be the best.

 

The first is a definition from Wikipedia.(1)  “Innovation is the practical implementation of ideas that result in the introduction of new goods or services or improvement in offering goods or services.” The first key component in this definition is the “practical implementation of ideas.”  Innovation is not simply having a cool idea or designing a cool prototype in the lab.  That idea has to be moved into the marketplace by “practically implementing” it.  But that isn’t enough.  The product has to be new or has to offer an improvement in goods or services.  I don’t agree with it being just “new” as it can be new and not have any customers, so that part of the definition needs a little work.  But an idea that leads to “an improvement in goods or services” can work as part of a definition as this clause presumes a market already exists.

 

A second definition is from The Knowledge Academy.(2)  “Innovation is creating something new or improving something existing that adds value or solves a problem for customers, users, or society. Innovation can be a product, a service, a process, a business model, a strategy, or a social movement. Customer needs, market opportunities, technological advancements, or social changes can drive innovation. Innovation is not the same as invention, which creates something new that has never existed. Innovation can involve invention, but it can also involve adaptation, modification, or combination of existing ideas or solutions.”  Again, this definition points out that innovation must add value or solve a problem.  And invention alone is not sufficient for innovation.

 

These two definitions are similar and point out that innovation solves a customer need or provides for a customer want.  To focus on the customer is to take a customer centric approach.  Too often us science types act in a product centric way; we focus on something that is new before concerning ourselves with a potential market.  A better way for the technical people and a technical organization to operate is to look for unmet needs or wants and then work backwards toward potential technologies that could address the need or desire of the customer.

 

Why is innovation important?

 

To reiterate from above, all organizations would like to be innovative, and the technical staff within  those organizations would like to be innovative too.  However, innovation is more than a desire; it can be critical for an organization’s survival.  The following benefits of innovation are taken from IMD (International Institute for Management Development).(3)  Companies that innovate are better equipped to:

  1. “ Gain a competitive advantage. Innovation can help you develop unique products and services that set you apart from competitors.”  Innovation will help keep your organization ahead of the competition, relevant,  and top of mind.
  2. “Meet customer demands.  Businesses that try to better understand and respond to customer needs through ongoing innovation do a better job attracting new customers and retaining existing clients.” Companies that innovate are by definition more aware of their customer needs and desires.
  3. “Drive business growth. You’ll position your company to better identify and seize new opportunities. You may also create opportunities to diversify revenue streams or expand into new markets.”  New products and services that make their way into the marketplace will add to the top and bottom lines.
  4. “Increase efficiency and productivity. Innovation can result in increased productivity as you find ways to improve existing processes, streamline operations, and implement new forms of technology.”  Innovation isn’t just about introducing new products.  An innovative culture will lead to process efficiencies too. 
  5. “Deal with changes. Rather than reacting to changes that catch you off guard, you’ll be better prepared to identify emerging trends and anticipate shifts in the market in advance.”  Companies that innovate will be closer to customer needs and desires.  When a new trend is emerging, the innovative organization will be first to market as opposed to playing catch up.
  6. “Attract and retain talent. You can create an environment that engages your workers and results in higher levels of job satisfaction and employee retention. Many top companies give their employees a designated amount of time each week to work on product innovations.”  A company with a reputation for innovation will be more likely to attract top talent, the talent that will have the tools and the drive to develop innovations for the company.
  7. “Promote resilience and sustainability. Your business will be equipped to navigate economic downturns and changing consumer behavior.”  New products will lead to more sales which will help out during a downturn.  And if the appetite of the consumer changes, an innovative company will adapt to those changes.

A company that practices innovation and realizes these benefits will be an industry leader and ensure their long-term survival.  Now that we have a better idea of what innovation is and what its benefits are, how do you actually make your organization more innovative?  That will be the subject of Part Two.

                                                                                                        

 

(1) Innovation - Wikipedia  Innovation Wikipedia entry.

(2) What is Innovation? A Detailed Explanation (theknowledgeacademy.com)  Sienna Roberts, “What is Innovation?  An Introduction,” The Knowledge Academy (website), December 8, 2023.

(3) Innovation in business: Importance, benefits, & examples (imd.org)   “Innovation in Business: Importance, Benefits & Examples,” “IMD (International Institute for Management Development-website), April 2024.

 

(photo credit: Lil Artsy)

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