CHARLOTTE, NC - Dow Coating Solutions, a market-facing business of The Dow Chemical Co., announced that it has implemented high-throughput experimentation (HTE) technology in the company’s global R&D labs. HTE, also known as combinatorial chemistry, uses advanced computer modeling and robotics to identify promising compounds and material solutions, enabling faster development and commercialization of new chemistries in the coatings industry.  

“Using HTE technology, we are changing the way we develop new products and explore new solutions with our customers,” Wendy Hoenig, Vice President R&D for Dow Coating Solutions explained. “Through new polymer development and formulation latitude studies, we are working on innovative solutions that meet historic and emerging industry needs with chemistries we would not have considered before. Current projects include enabling new environmental or ‘green’ coating formulations, enhanced environmental durability, reduced application and formulation costs, smart coatings, and others.”  

Hoenig also explained that by significantly reducing the time it takes to explore and implement new solutions, HTE will allow Dow Coating Solutions to more quickly respond to new customer and industry challenges in areas such as sustainability, regulatory compliance and desired product performance characteristics. Through implementation at the new coatings R&D labs in Midland, MI, and Shanghai, China, the cycle time for development of new formulations is significantly reduced.  

Dow partnered with Symyx Technologies to develop the equipment and technology behind HTE. In addition to coatings, the approach is being successfully used for several other Dow businesses including thermosets, adhesives, specialty elastomers, and for exploratory research involving synthesis and catalysis. Since 2000, Dow has invested more than $100 million in HTE technology.