INTRODUCTION Classes of Materials Why Coatings and What Are Their Benefits Various Applications: Electrical, Decorative/Protective, Wetting Behavior Generic Problems: Independent of Application: Adhesion, Water/Environmental Resistance Specific Problems: Dependent on Application: Gloss, Transparency General Considerations: Multiple Property Relevance, Durability Outline of Chapters and Selective Topics POLYMERS AND POLYMER NETWORKS Characteristics of Polymers Ideal and Non-Ideal Networks Kinetics of Network Formation CLASSIC THERMOSET CHEMISTRIES Petro-Based Thermoset Chemistries Bio-Based Thermoset Chemistries New Bio-Based Raw Materials for Renewable Thermosets ALTERNATIVE CHEMISTRIES Solvent-Borne and Water-Borne Coatings Chemistry of (Hyper)Branched Resins and High-Solids Coatings Powder Coatings Water-Borne Coatings: Specific Aspects Radiation Curing ADDITIVES Why Additives Thickeners Surface Active Agents Surface Modifiers Leveling and Coalescing Agents Catalytically Active Agents Special Effect Agents APPLICATION METHODS Laboratory and Industrial Methods Dip-Coating Doctor-Blade Coating Spin-Coating Spray-Coating Electrophoretic Coating An Example: Automotive Coatings PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL ASPECTS Solubility of Monomers, Polymers and Solvents Intermolecular Interactions and Colloidal Stabilization Wetting and Dewetting, CA, Regimes, Hysteresis, Topography and Chemistry Rheology Emulsions Adhesion CHARACTERIZATION Chemical: IR, Raman, XPS Morphological: OM, SEM, TEM, AFM, Confocal Optical Microscopy Thermal and Mechanical: DSC, Rheological Measurements, DMTA, Hardness, Adhesion Tests Bibliography GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS Generic Problems Sustainability and Durability Weathering and Water Sensitivity of Polymer Coatings Color ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE COATINGS Intrinsically Conducting: Bands, Defect Level, Conduction Mechanisms Extrinsic: Particles, Fibers, Platelets, Percolation Characterization: 2-Point, (Guarded) 3-Point, 4-Point, Lateral, Through-the-Depth, Frequency Dependence, C-AFM HYDROPHOBIC AND HYDROPHILIC BEHAVIOR Hydrophobic: Chemistry, Morphology, Effect of Particles, Hydrophilic: Chemistry, Swelling, Friction, Integrity SELF-REPLENISHING COATINGS Concepts, Requirements and Assessment Methods Heterogeneous: Capsules, Once-Only, Discrete Homogeneous: Dangling Chains, Repetitive, Homogeneous OUTLOOK Present Status Systems Under Investigation Unexplored Systems sakriti opis