A matter of chemistry

摘要

We all know watching paint dry is a tedious affair. Designing polymers to make paint more environmentally friendly, however, is another matter entirely. "Paint can seem very ordinary, but in reality it is a great place to put chemistry to work," says Andrew Trapani. "Paint science pushes you to understand the macro and micro levels that are interacting, and the challenge of putting all that together can be very satisfying." As a technical director at Dow Coating Materials, a subsidiary of the giant Dow Chemical Company, Trapani spends more time than most peering into vats of coloured chemicals. For him, the word "coating" covers a multifaceted array of surface materials designed to protect, preserve and even embellish objects and structures. They can include anything from common paints and enamels to complex surface finishes used to make semiconductors and solar cells.