The smart coatings market will exceed $1.4 billion by 2021, with multifunctional smart coatings gradually taking over from more mature multipurpose materials during that period of time, according to a recent report released by n-tech Research.

The market for “smart multifunctionals” will be dominated by multilayer coating throughout the forecast period, and such coatings will reach just over $1 billion in revenues by 2021. Multilayer coatings are the most straightforward approach to creating multifunctional coatings although interference between layers can still cause problems. The end-user sector with the biggest potential for using smart multi-functional surfaces will reportedly be the construction industry, where multi-functional combinations containing self-cleaning functionality in particular seem to have strong possibilities. However, the challenge in this sector is creating coatings with the long lifetimes required for building exteriors and roofs. By 2021 sales of multifunctional surfaces to the construction industry are predicted to reach $625 million.

Top 5 News that Sticks for January 31-February 6

1. Smart Coatings Market to Exceed $1.4 Billion by 2021 (#5 last week)

2. H.B. Fuller Receives Best Innovator Award

 3. Dow Announces 20% Acrylate Capacity Reduction

4. PPG Fourth Quarter 2015 Sales Rise 7%

5. 3M to Sell Foam Adhesive Business (#1 last week)