Development of innovative additives targeting glazed ceramic surfaces

EPSRC supported PhD with Integrated Studies: Development of innovative additives targeting glazed ceramic surfaces
Company title(s): Innospec
Location(s): University of Birmingham
Academic supervisor(s): Prof. Peter Fryer & Dr Zhenyu J. Zhang

Tax free bursary of £17,800 p.a. plus fees paid

Glazed ceramic products are widely used in domestic environments. These items are predominantly located in kitchen, bathroom, and utility room where surface cleanliness is a critical need by consumers. It is therefore desirable to develop an effective strategy to coat the aforementioned ceramic surfaces, resulting in excellent repellence to dirt/soil without altering the optical properties of the surface underneath. Currently, there is no commercial product available that could effectively repel dirt and minimise soil attachment from a clean surface.

One of the most viable options is the application of a thin polymeric film that is transparent and can be implemented relatively easily in household cleaning practice. It is expected that the polymers to be developed will satisfy the following requirements:
• Remain stable and active in a complex detergent matrix
• Coat a glazed ceramic surface within a short period of time
• Form a layer, with a controlled areal density, effectively and efficiently
• Won’t accumulate on the surface upon repeated applications
• The layer must be robust – cannot be removed readily
• The formed layer will render excellent repellence to dirt whilst being transparent
• The molecules could selectively target the breaks/irregularities where dirt/stain tend to accumulate