Dirt is a nuisance. It ruins the aesthetic appearance, it can debase technical functionalities, it may even be a health risk and is almost everywhere. So, laborious or costly cleaning is usually a must - or isn' it? In recent times, especially with the advent of nanotechnology, architectural and industrial coatings have been developed that promise to make surfaces extremely easy to clean, or even prevent dirt pick-up in the first place. Nowadays, easy-to-clean or, one step further, self-cleaning coatings are available for different applications. The systems often rely on nanostructures at the coatings' surface - achieved via the incorporation of nanoparticles or via novel polymer architectures, or both. Ultrahydrophobicity, ultrahydrophilicity and photocatalytic effects are some currently hotly debated keywords. While the proof-of-principle has been demonstrated for many of these systems, the current debate centres around their effectivity in practice and their durability. Open questions also concern reliable yet easy-to-apply testing methods as well as standardisation issues.

The European Coatings Conference "Easy-to-Clean / Self Cleaning Coatings II" will focus on these topics, aiming to discuss on a high technical level the current state-of-the-art of such coatings in various practical applications and presenting new material developments and new concepts in this field. 13 international experts from industry and academia have been invited to deliver high-level technical presentations about their recent research results, and to face your critical questions. As always during the ECCs, interactive focus workshops on current technical issues will provide additional opportunities for an intense exchange of information.

The conference addresses R&D managers of coatings raw materials producers, coatings formulators, and end users across Europe and beyond.

The additional Pre-Conference Tutorial, "Understanding Easy-Cleanability" will give you the opportunity to update your knowledge on the chemistry and physics behind these effects.