Industrial Coatings in Chemical Industry

January 14, 2026

The chemical industry operates with a particular combination of demanding conditions. Reactors, heat exchangers, storage tanks, pipelines and valves face aggressive chemical media, wide temperature swings, and continuous mechanical loading. Failure of metallic parts leads to unplanned shutdowns, safety incidents, product contamination and high repair or replacement costs. Industrial coatings are therefore central to reliable operations; they protect metal surfaces from corrosion, chemical attack, abrasion and fouling, and they support continuity of production while reducing both direct and hidden costs. Recent technological and regulatory pressures mean the sector must now deliver protection that is simultaneously high performance, safer for people and the environment, and compatible with digital maintenance strategies[1].

The Role of Coatings in Chemical Processing

Chemical plants expose surfaces to concentrated acids, alkalis, solvents and process intermediates that can produce rapid localised corrosion, pitting and stress corrosion cracking. Erosion and particle impingement add mechanical wear to chemical attack, while elevated temperatures accelerate degradation mechanisms. Left unprotected, metallic surfaces not only shorten equipment life but also increase the risk of leaks and contamination that threaten personnel safety and product quality. Coatings act as the first line of defense, providing barrier protection, sacrificial behaviour for certain metallic coatings and surface chemistries that limit adhesion and fouling. Selecting the right material and application process is therefore an industrial decision with both safety and economic consequences. Recent reviews show the range of functional strategies available, from engineered polymer systems to advanced metallic thermal spray layers and active self-healing chemistries[2].

Key problems in the chemical industry that coatings must solve

Localised and complex corrosion. Process environments are rarely uniform. Small pockets, crevices and weld zones create electrochemical cells that drive rapid deterioration. Conventional coatings may protect well in bulk conditions but fail in crevice or high stress zones[1].
Combined mechanical and chemical wear. Erosion by slurry, particulate abrasion and flow induced impingement coupled with corrosive media accelerates material loss beyond what single mode protection addresses[3].
Regulatory and environmental constraints. Increasing restrictions on hazardous additives, volatile organic compounds and certain heavy metals require replacement of legacy formulations with safer alternatives that nonetheless meet long service targets[4].
Failures of protective metallic coatings can lead to unplanned shutdowns, difficult repairs and potential product contamination. These direct and indirect costs are often underestimated in routine maintenance planning[5].

CoBRAIN’s approach to chemical industry coatings

CoBRAIN approaches these challenges with three linked priorities: high performance coatings tailored to chemical process conditions, rigorous sustainability and safety screening of materials from early development, and digital decision making to guide selection and lifecycle management. Within the project alternative structures, materials and application methods are being tested to replace hazardous components while preserving or improving durability. Crucially, material selection is not left to trial and error. CoBRAIN integrates laboratory performance data with industrial trials to characterise failure modes under representative conditions. This combined experimental strategy follows modern best practice in coatings research and provides a firm evidence base for safe substitution and scale up.

Advanced coating technologies and the SDSS tool for chemical applications

A range of specialised coating technologies is relevant to the chemical industry, where equipment must withstand aggressive chemicals, fluctuating temperatures and continuous mechanical stress. Conventional solutions such as polymer linings or fusion-bonded epoxies remain essential for broad chemical resistance, while metallurgical overlays are used in zones exposed to abrasion or elevated temperatures. Within this landscape, thermal spray technologies stand out for their ability to produce dense, adherent and highly durable metallic coatings for critical machine parts. CoBRAIN advances this field by developing novel High-Entropy Hard Metals and adapting them to three thermal spray techniques suited to industrial environments. These engineered materials offer improved wear, corrosion and thermal resistance, directly addressing the demanding conditions found in chemical-processing machinery[6][7][8].

What turns these materials into practical industrial solutions is CoBRAIN’s data-driven approach. The Sustainable Decision Support System (SDSS) integrates laboratory performance results, industrial requirements and sustainability criteria to assist engineers in identifying the most suitable coating process combination for specific performance targets. Rather than relying solely on past experience or trial-and-error testing, users can evaluate how different CoBRAIN coating systems will meet required properties such as wear resistance, corrosion behaviour or long-term stability under chemical exposure. The SDSS also highlights environmental and safety considerations, helping companies avoid hazardous substances and select coating strategies aligned with future regulatory trends. By bridging advanced material development with structured decision-making, CoBRAIN supports more reliable, efficient and sustainable coating choices for the chemical industry.

Industrial and market impact

Across industrial chemical processing, thermal-spray coatings play a central role in reducing unplanned stoppages and extending equipment lifetime under severe corrosive and mechanical stress. When combined Artificial Intelligence, it contribute to minimise failures, reduce lifecycle costs and support safer, more reliable plant operation.

In Europe, the thermal-spray coatings market demonstrates steady expansion, with a reported valuation of approximately € 2.2 billion in 2023 and projected growth over the coming decade ⁵. This reflects the increasing strategic importance of high-performance metallic coatings in safeguarding critical assets, improving process stability and meeting evolving regulatory and sustainability expectations across the chemical sector.

Conclusions

Coatings are essential for safe and efficient chemical manufacturing. The chemical industry presents demanding, heterogeneous degradation mechanisms that cannot be solved by a single material or practice. CoBRAIN addresses this complexity by combining targeted materials research, sustainable formulation review and digital decision tools. The SDSS acts as the glue that links laboratory data, industrial trials and plant reality, enabling better material choices, condition based maintenance and demonstrable reductions in cost and environmental footprint. For plant managers and process engineers, the practical benefit is predictable asset performance, fewer surprises and a clearer path to sustainable operations.

References

Wenhui Yao, Yi Tan, et al, Recent advances in protective coatings and surface modifications for corrosion protection of Mg alloys, Journal of Materials Research and Technology, 31: 3238-3254, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2024.07.046.
Inime Ime Udoh, et al, Active anticorrosion and self-healing coatings: A review with focus on multi-action smart coating strategies, Journal of Materials Science & Technology, 116: 224-237, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmst.2021.11.042.
Gaurav Prashar, Hitesh Vasudev, A review on the processing of various coating materials using surface modification techniques for high-temperature solid particle erosion applications, Results in Surfaces and Interfaces, 14: 100167, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsurfi.2023.100167.
Chowdhury, Suman, et al, Coatings made from chemicals: A review, Vietnam Journal of Chemistry, 61: 673-692. 2023, 10.1002/vjch.202200227.
Grand View Research, 2024, Europe Thermal Spray Coatings Market Report (2024–2030), Grand View Research, San Francisco, CA.
Giovanni Bolelli, et al, HVOF deposition of TiC-based hardmetal coatings with High-Entropy Alloy (HEA) matrix, Surface and Coatings Technology, 512: 132386, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2025.132386.
Giovanni Bolelli, et al, Deposition of High-Entropy Alloy (HEA) coatings by HVOF and cold gas spray, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 1039: 183050, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.183050.
Betancor-Cazorla, L.; Clavé, G.; Barreneche, C.; Dosta, S., Insights of a Novel HEA Database Created from a Materials Perspective, Focusing on Wear and Corrosion Applications, Coatings, 15: 865, 20253. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15080865.