Functional Microbiological Coating for Rapid Outdoor Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fungal coatings for materials lack fast and reliable adhesion on surfaces, are susceptible to washing away by rain, and require sterilization to prevent wood degradation, making them unsuitable for outdoor use without additional treatment.
Innovation Solution
A coating composition comprising a suspension of pigmented and unpigmented vegetative cells and pre-activated chlamydospores, along with surfactants, is applied to materials like wood, metal, and glass, using UV radiation for curing, allowing stable adhesion and protection against degradation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a coating consisting of live fungal cells is applied to a surface, then the coating provides biological protection and pigmentation, but the coating lacks fast and reliable adhesion and is washed away by rain
Solution Approach 1:
A binder substance is introduced as an intermediary between the fungal cells and the surface to enable adhesion. The binder acts as a mediating agent that facilitates attachment of the biological coating to the substrate, resolving the contradiction between providing biological protection and achieving reliable adhesion.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical and chemical parameters of the coating composition are modified by adding specific substances that enhance adhesion properties. The composition parameters are adjusted to achieve both fast drying and stable attachment to the surface.
2Ease of manufacture
If wood degrading fungi are used for coating, then the coating provides pigmentation and potential protection, but the wood must be sterilized after treatment to prevent degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts potentially harmful wood-degrading fungi into beneficial agents by selecting fungi that provide protection without degradation. The harmful potential is eliminated while retaining the beneficial pigmentation and protective functions, allowing the coating to be applied without subsequent sterilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The biological parameters of the fungal coating are optimized by selecting specific fungal strains and controlling their physiological state. This ensures the fungi provide protection and pigmentation while maintaining compatibility with the wood substrate without causing degradation.
3Ease of operation
If the coating is allowed to dry slowly to ensure proper adhesion, then adhesion may be improved, but the coating takes too long to dry and is not practical for outdoor use
Solution Approach 1:
The drying kinetics and adhesion properties of the coating are optimized by adjusting the physical and chemical parameters of the coating composition. This enables the coating to dry rapidly (within minutes) while maintaining stable adhesion to the surface, resolving the time-adhesion contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The binder and other adhesion-promoting substances are pre-included in the coating composition before application. This preliminary preparation ensures that adhesion occurs rapidly during the initial drying phase, eliminating the need for prolonged drying times.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The coating achieves rapid adhesion within minutes, withstands outdoor conditions, and provides long-term protection against microbial degradation and weather effects, without requiring sterilization of the material.
Implementation Method 1
The coating is cured by UV radiation, which enables a stable adhesion and a waterproofing
Implementation Method 2
a surfactant, which lowers the surface tension of the coating and improves the wetting
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention refers to a coating composition comprising a suspension of a microorganism, wherein the suspension comprises a pigmented vegetative cell, an unpigmented vegetative cell and a pigmented chlamydospore of the microorganism, and a surfactant ranging from 130 g/mol and 1500 g/mol. The invention further relates to a method for the preparation of the coating composition, a method for application coating one or more coating pre-layers and curing a material, a coated material obtainable by this method and a method for refreshing the coating of the coated material.