Coating Process Fundamentals Program

The Coating Process Fundamentals Program (CPFP) began in the early 1980’s when Prof. Skip Scriven, encouraged by engineers in 3M, Polaroid, Eastman Kodak, and Fuji Photo Film, launched thesis researches on the fundamentals of slot, slide, and curtain coating flows used in precision multilayer coating. Prof. Chris Macosko soon joined him on roll coating and rheological aspects. A dedicated engineer, Wieslaw Suszynski, was hired to build and oversee a state-of-the-art lab facility. This initial effort, focused mainly on liquid coating flows, was one of the founding research programs of the Center for Interfacial Engineering (CIE), a National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored Engineering Research Center.

Prof. L. E. (Skip) Scriven

The NSF-CIE was in operation from 1988 to 1999, the maximum allowed under NSF policy. Research into liquid coating flows systematically tackled the challenges of laying down a controlled thickness liquid layer quickly with a powerful combination of theory-based computer modeling and flow visualization. During this time, industrial participation in and support for coatings research grew as more companies joined the CIE. Industrial input catalyzed the start of research on drying, shrinkage stresses and microstructure changes that can accompany solidification of a coating. Prof. Ted Davis and Prof. Lorraine Francis got involved. In Lorraine’s sol-to-gel route on ceramic coatings, curing accompanies drying, and the reaction challenges drew in Prof. Alon McCormick. Later, Alon co-supervised theses on a fast-developing industrial method of uv-light-induced curing of coatings. Lorraine and Alon teamed up to launch measurement of stress as it develops. Meanwhile, Prof. Bill Gerberich applied nanoindentation characterization to polymeric coatings. And, CPFP research began to employ cryogenic scanning electron microscopy to unravel the mysteries of how coating microstructures develop during drying. A comprehensive program developed during these years. All the scientific and engineering challenges of liquid applied coatings, from the rheology of the coating liquid to its application onto a substrate and solidification into a solid coating, were in one program.

After the expiration of the NSF support, IPRIME (Industrial Partnership for Research in Interfacial and Materials Engineering) began in 1999. IPRIME carries on the tradition of fundamental research with strong industrial participation and is the current means for industrial partnership in CPFP. The comprehensive approach to coatings research was strengthened with several recent additions. Prof. Satish Kumar leads research in gravure coating and lithographic printing, and is now pursuing broader aspects of coatings flows. Close collaboration in coating flows has grown with Prof. Marcio Carvalho of PUC-Rio de Janeiro’s eminent Mechanical Engineering Department. On the solidification topics, Prof. David Norris and Prof. Michael Tsapatsis have pioneered research in controlled microstructure particulate coatings – colloidal crystal coatings for photonics and assembled zeolite platelet coatings for membranes. In 2007, Prof. Scriven passed away. He left behind a legacy of excellent research and a model for collaboration among faculty, students, industrial engineers and scientists. The program is currently led by Lorraine Francis, who co-led the program with Prof. Scriven from 2004-07.

More than 90 graduate students have earned their Ph.D.’s; around 30 their M.S.’s in the Program. Every year sees one or two postdocs and four or more Summer Undergraduate Research Participants. There is a pretty steady stream of cooperating industrial engineers and researchers. From the beginning, companies in Japan and Europe besides the U.S. have sent talented young engineers to be interactive resident Industrial Fellows doing mutually agreed on research in CPFP for 3 to 18 months or more. Each May as part of the IPRIME Annual Meeting, university researchers present research progress and plans over two days and then meet with the Technical Advisory Committee of representatives from over 25 sponsoring companies. All these intensive interactions (and still more that are facilitated by IPRIME’s Director of Technology Transfer, Bob Lewis) make it possible to choose research topics that are not only scientifically significant but also practically relevant — or potentially relevant when new possibilities like printed electronics appear on the horizon. In the same manner, researchers maintain connection with industrial reality, and the way is kept open to effective “technology transfer” — and post-graduation employment opportunities.