SBIR Phase II: Non-Stick / Easy-Clean Coatings for High Temperature Applications

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a novel heat-resistant easy-clean coating that can effectively be applied to surfaces of oven cavities and pipes. Ovens and heat-exchangers, as the primary application domains of this technology, present an estimated annual market size of $40.9 million and $19.4 billion, respectively. The technology will provide a safe and environmentally-friendly solution for the unmet market demand for heat-resistant easy-clean coatings. In addition to its impact on the aforesaid market, the proposed development in Phase II will be an implementation of a new generation of non-stick coatings that can provide answers to a broad range of existing technological challenges. The development project is based on patent-pending technology for scalable and affordable manufacturing of textured coatings using existing electroplating facilities in the industry. The proposed technology will create a new generation of coatings that provide non-stick functionality where the existing nonstick coatings fall short. The existing non-stick coatings decompose at high temperatures and may produce toxic fumes. The challenge for the existing non-stick coatings is even greater when application is needed for hard-to-reach areas, such as inside of oven chambers and pipes. The anticipated outcome of the Phase II proposal is an inorganics-based and PTFE-free non-stick coating that can provide more thermal-resistance than existing non-stick coatings and can be applied to different surfaces through a scalable and affordable route.