The SICT 2025 offers a great opportunity for scientists, researchers, and experts active in the field of surfaces and coatings science and technologies (Polymer, material and paint chemists, surface and interface scientists, formulators, designers and policy makers) from both academia and industry to present their newest research discoveries, share insights and exchange the latest ideas.
The conference provides an excellent opportunity for scientists from Europe and from all over the world to meet and discuss the latest advances in surfaces and coatings physics and chemistry, surface engineering/ modification, coatings deposition and functionalisation processes as well as the investigated properties and performances in related innovation fields such as heterogeneous catalysis, two-dimensional materials and graphene, bio-interfaces, nanoelectronics, bio-nanoscience, functional/energy materials, etc.
Following the great success of the last edition held in Vienna- Austria, this 9th edition of the Surfaces, Interfaces & Coatings Technologies - SICT 2025 International conference will be held from 23 to 25 April 2025 in Albufeira located at Algarve Region, Portugal.
In addition to the main conference sessions covering the event topics, different focus sessions/symposia (and/or workshops) are planned. These focus sessions and workshops will offer the conference participants the opportunity to go more into depth with one specific topic, To date confirmed workshops include:
FreeMe project workshop on safe and sustainable coatings
BEYOND PFAS Workshop
The “Beyond PFAS” workshop session at the SICT 2025 will explore innovative alternatives to polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in coatings. PFAS, widely used in consumer and industrial products, have raised significant health and environmental concerns due to their persistence in the environment and bio-accumulative nature. This session will focus on recent advances in developing safer, sustainable alternatives to PFAS-based coatings.
The workshop will highlight four EU Horizon Europe projects under the topic HORIZON-CL4-2022-RESILIENCE-01-23: ZeroF (GA: 101092164), coordinated by VTT (Finland), TORNADO (GA: 101091944), coordinated by TECNALIA (Spain), PROPLANET (GA: 101091842), coordinated by IDENER (Spain) and BIO-SUSHY (GA: 101091464), coordinated by MATERIA NOVA (Belgium). Research carried out in these projects targets the development of innovative PFAS-free materials with inherently surface-active functions for multi-industrial sector applications.
Presentations will showcase:
By presenting the innovative research from these projects, the “Beyond PFAS” session aims to accelerate the transition towards safer and more sustainable coating technologies across various industries.
Keywords: PFAS alternatives, bio-based materials, surface-active functions, SSbD
