Metallization of surfaces is a very important process included in various industrial processes in several industries. PolyBioMetal project was mainly focused on the metallization of polymers for the automotive industry, as an alternative for vacuum deposition technology that is currently used. We would alternatively use a completely new green technology that can metallize surfaces by using photosynthetic algae.
The project will help the society in several ways. In contrast to the current vacuum coating technology that is used for surface metallization, our novel technology does not require complex and expensive vacuum coating facilities, harsh chemicals and high temperatures that add up to a high environmental impact. Instead, the polymer objects are immersed in the aqueous medium containing salts and algae and when exposed to the light, the metal layer forms on the surface of the immersed object. Users of POLYBIOMETAL technology will enjoy the following benefits: lower cost (up to 80 % savings), 95 % less (hazardous) waste and more flexibility for the metallization.
Our main market strategy was to target the injection moulding industry in Europe that is in recession and where there is a clear need to take action with disruptive solutions. One way to add value to the moulded products is the surface treatment from which the objects get additional functional and/or aesthetic properties. The surface treatment industry, where the automotive market is one of the biggest customers, shows an increasing interest in novel solutions for deposition of metallic layers on polymers.
However, during the feasibility study we realized that the technology could also be applied to glass surface treatment. The need for novel solutions and innovations in glass surface functionalization came from industrial leaders in this segment that contacted us. Coated glasses are extremely important for energy efficiency of buildings. Currently the trend for energetically efficient building construction and national regulations require novel materials that add up to overall energetic efficiency. This is paving the way to growth of the glass coating industry. The current technology requires very complex and expensive equipment and the end products have many times several flaws that we can address with our technology. We are also indirectly solving the problem of end users that wants as much sunlight indoor as possible and as big heat reflection as possible at the same time.
Since the coatings on glass are much thinner than the coatings on polymers in the automotive industry and are ideally invisible to the naked eye, there is a great probability that the glass coating segment is a better focus for our solution. The feasibility study is addressing this dilemma and the final business plan will be focused on the more profitable and technologically adequate industrial segment.
