Nanopolysaccharides in surface coating

Abstract

Surface coating represents a process that modifies the properties and functionalities of a bulk material by applying a thin layer of coating material. Depending on the coating material characteristics and targeted performance, the coating layer can range from a few nm to hundreds of μm or even mm thick. Nanopolysaccharides have been widely used as coating materials due to the interesting nanoscale dimension, abundant surface functional groups, low gas permeability, and excellent mechanical properties. This chapter summaries the most recent progress in coating techniques and applications of nanopolysaccharides as coating materials. The coating of nanopolysaccharides can be achieved either at the molecular/nanoscale level (Langmuir deposition, spin coating, and layer-by-layer deposition) or at large scale (dip coating and spray coating) and continuous production scale (roll-to-roll coating). In terms of coating applications, nanopolysaccharides can serve as rheology modifier for conventional coating materials, reinforcing filler in nanocomposites, or as standalone coating material for food packaging, photonic devices, biomedical devices, structural and building materials, as well as onto traditional substrates such as paper, plastic, and fabrics.