Perspective on the Biomimetic Approaches for the Design of Hydrophobic and Antimicrobial Paper Coatings with Hierarchical Surface Structures

The design of functional paper coatings with excellent barrier properties, including water repellence, anti-microbial properties, and recyclability, is highly demanded in view of the sustainable use of paper as flexible substrates for various industrial applications such as packaging. The enhanced c...

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Main Author: Pieter Samyn
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Materials Proceedings
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4605/20/1/8
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author Pieter Samyn
author_facet Pieter Samyn
author_sort Pieter Samyn
collection DOAJ
description The design of functional paper coatings with excellent barrier properties, including water repellence, anti-microbial properties, and recyclability, is highly demanded in view of the sustainable use of paper as flexible substrates for various industrial applications such as packaging. The enhanced coating functionalities should be incorporated through a combination of selected bio-based materials and the creation of appropriate surface textures enhancing coating performance. The bio-inspired approaches through the replication of hierarchical surface structures with multi-scale dimensional features in combination with selection of appropriate bio-based functional groups offer new concepts for coating design. In this short perspective paper, concepts in the field are illustrated with a focus on the combination of hydrophobic and anti-microbial properties. Based on long-term work with the available toolbox of bio-based building blocks and nanoscale architectures, they can be processed into applicable aqueous suspensions for sprayable paper coatings. The macroscopic roughness profile of paper substrates can be complemented through the decoration of nanoscale bio-based polymer particles of polyhydroxybutyrate or vegetable oil capsules with dimensions in the range of 20–50 nm or 100–500 nm depending on the synthesis conditions. The anti-microbial properties can be provided by the surface modification of nanocellulose with biologically active molecules sourced from nature. Besides the more fundamental issues in design and synthesis, the industrial application of the bio-inspired coatings through spray-coating becomes relevant.
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spelling doaj-art-67cb8bc503fb40c1832fa54f638623e22025-08-20T02:21:04ZengMDPI AGMaterials Proceedings2673-46052025-04-01201810.3390/materproc2025020008Perspective on the Biomimetic Approaches for the Design of Hydrophobic and Antimicrobial Paper Coatings with Hierarchical Surface StructuresPieter Samyn0Department of Innovations in Circular Economy and Renewable Materials, SIRRIS 3001 Leuven, BelgiumThe design of functional paper coatings with excellent barrier properties, including water repellence, anti-microbial properties, and recyclability, is highly demanded in view of the sustainable use of paper as flexible substrates for various industrial applications such as packaging. The enhanced coating functionalities should be incorporated through a combination of selected bio-based materials and the creation of appropriate surface textures enhancing coating performance. The bio-inspired approaches through the replication of hierarchical surface structures with multi-scale dimensional features in combination with selection of appropriate bio-based functional groups offer new concepts for coating design. In this short perspective paper, concepts in the field are illustrated with a focus on the combination of hydrophobic and anti-microbial properties. Based on long-term work with the available toolbox of bio-based building blocks and nanoscale architectures, they can be processed into applicable aqueous suspensions for sprayable paper coatings. The macroscopic roughness profile of paper substrates can be complemented through the decoration of nanoscale bio-based polymer particles of polyhydroxybutyrate or vegetable oil capsules with dimensions in the range of 20–50 nm or 100–500 nm depending on the synthesis conditions. The anti-microbial properties can be provided by the surface modification of nanocellulose with biologically active molecules sourced from nature. Besides the more fundamental issues in design and synthesis, the industrial application of the bio-inspired coatings through spray-coating becomes relevant.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4605/20/1/8coatingpaperbio-inspiredhydrophobicanti-microbialchemistry
spellingShingle Pieter Samyn
Perspective on the Biomimetic Approaches for the Design of Hydrophobic and Antimicrobial Paper Coatings with Hierarchical Surface Structures
Materials Proceedings
coating
paper
bio-inspired
hydrophobic
anti-microbial
chemistry
title Perspective on the Biomimetic Approaches for the Design of Hydrophobic and Antimicrobial Paper Coatings with Hierarchical Surface Structures
title_full Perspective on the Biomimetic Approaches for the Design of Hydrophobic and Antimicrobial Paper Coatings with Hierarchical Surface Structures
title_fullStr Perspective on the Biomimetic Approaches for the Design of Hydrophobic and Antimicrobial Paper Coatings with Hierarchical Surface Structures
title_full_unstemmed Perspective on the Biomimetic Approaches for the Design of Hydrophobic and Antimicrobial Paper Coatings with Hierarchical Surface Structures
title_short Perspective on the Biomimetic Approaches for the Design of Hydrophobic and Antimicrobial Paper Coatings with Hierarchical Surface Structures
title_sort perspective on the biomimetic approaches for the design of hydrophobic and antimicrobial paper coatings with hierarchical surface structures
topic coating
paper
bio-inspired
hydrophobic
anti-microbial
chemistry
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4605/20/1/8
work_keys_str_mv AT pietersamyn perspectiveonthebiomimeticapproachesforthedesignofhydrophobicandantimicrobialpapercoatingswithhierarchicalsurfacestructures