Global Hydrophobic Coatings Market - Forecasts from 2023 to 2028

The global hydrophobic coatings market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.08% from US$1,105.194 million in 2021 to US$1,670.602 million in 2028.

Hydrophobic coatings are protective barriers predominantly applied on glass, concrete, metal, ceramic, and polymer substrates used in several products manufactured in a wide range of industries, including medical, aerospace, automotive, building & construction, electronics, textiles, and certain others to enhance the anti-corrosion, anti-microbial, anti-icing, anti-fouling, and self-cleaning properties of such substrates. The development of new hydrophobic coating technology to be employed in solar panels and the simultaneous rise in the demand for sustainable energy sources is an important factor, along with the widespread adoption of hydrophobic coatings in the previously mentioned industries, expected to increase the demand for hydrophobic coatings market over the forecast period. 

Market Drivers

• Growing demand from the pharmaceutical sector

Hydrophobic coatings are extensively employed in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector due to their biocompatibility, abrasion-resistance, lubricious and nonchromogenic properties which assist in maintaining the cleanliness of various surgical instruments, medical equipment and other devices clean for a greater amount of time since they are exposed to the risk of gradual contamination through their contact with bodily fluids or tissue debris. The research by leading pharmaceutical and medical companies to improve the performance of medical devices is resulting in an advancement in nanotechnology to be used in hydrophobic coatings. For instance, scientists working at a division of the Department of Science and Technology of India, the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Material announced the development of a new hydrophobic coating, ATL, by integrating biocidal properties with nanocomposites in February 2023.

The World Health Organization has revealed that approximately 11% of patients in middle-income and low-income countries are affected by post-operative surgical site infections which are formed as a result of the formation of biofilms or a group of bacteria that are extremely unresponsive to antibiotics applied in the soft tissue surrounding the incision site. Therefore, the rising importance of hydrophobic coating with antibacterial properties to lower post-operative surgical site infections and the increase in consumption of medical devices across major healthcare sectors due to rising healthcare expenditure by consumers is a significant factor anticipated to result in the growth of hydrophobic coatings market over the forecast period.

• Increasing R&D in the hydrophobic coating technology

The constant research and development projects conducted by various research facilities and companies in different fields, such as solar technology, industrial steel, metal coatings, and nanomaterials, are facilitating the advancement of hydrophobic coating technology. For instance, a group of researchers at the National Research Center of Egypt innovated a new hydrophobic coating for thin films to preserve harvested fruits in November 2022. Further, a research study published by a group of scientists in the ACS Applied Material Interfaces in January 2022 revealed the possibility of utilizing nano-hydrophobic coating on biomaterials to enhance the NIR features of alloys made using titanium. In addition, the hydrophobic coatings employed in steel and metal manufacturing industries are expected to rise due to the recent developments in hydrophobic coating technology related to these industries. For instance, research published in Scientific Reports in June 2022 revealed the method of generating eco-friendly and sustainable superhydrophobic coating from graphene to be applied on steel surfaces. Further, the Central Analytical Research Facility developed a new superhydrophobic coating powered by plasma on mild steel surfaces. Therefore, the rapid advancement in hydrophobic coating technology fueled by several research activities is expected to propel the production and consumption of hydrophobic coating products over the forecast period.

The low longevity of hydrophobic coatings could restrict the growth of the market.

A study conducted by Biolin Scientific revealed that the performance and effectiveness of hydrophobic coatings degrade as they have low tolerability towards external factors such as corrosive particles, tear, and UV resistance, which alter the nanostructures and microstructures present in hydrophobic coatings, which could also lead to uneven coating uniformity at different areas of the surface. The faster degradation of hydrophobic coatings could slow down the expansion of the hydrophobic coatings market. However, the increasing development in hydrophobic coating technology could help overcome this limitation.

Market Developments:

• In March 2022, Malco Products, Inc., a chemical manufacturing company operating in the US, declared the launch of a new ceramic hydrophobic coating product, Epic Pro, to be applied in combination with automobile clearcoats to create a strong barrier with hydrophobic qualities for a maximum length of 36,000 miles. 
• In August 2020, Chemical Guys, a company providing specialty products and detailing solutions to vehicles, introduced a new hydrophobic coating product, HydroThread Ceramic Fabric Protectant & Stain Repellant, to be used in the interior parts of vehicles to offer protection against stains. 
• In July 2020, PPG Industries Inc., US-based specialty paint, materials, and coatings producing company, introduced a new hydrophobic coating product, PPG Surface Seal, with rain-resistance and water-resistance properties to be applied across plain glass windshields and glass windshields coated with anti-static properties in airplanes. 

Asia Pacific holds a significant portion of the hydrophobic coatings market and is expected to grow in the forecast period.

The growth in the region's electronics, automotive, and pharmaceutical sectors are major factors contributing to the consumption of hydrophobic coatings in major Asian economies. The rise in disposable income levels in certain countries in the region, such as South Korea and Japan, is resulting in the increased purchase of passenger cars and commercial vehicles, which is expanding the automotive sector in the region. Applying hydrophobic coatings on vehicles enables convenient polishing and cleaning of cars and repels water and snow during monsoon seasons. The International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers revealed that the number of vehicles manufactured in South Korea increased from 3.4 million units in 2021 to 3.7 million units in 2022. The presence and expansion of production activities of certain leading automotive companies such as Toyota, Kia, Hyundai, and Mahindra in the Asia Pacific region are expected to stimulate the growth of the hydrophobic coatings market.

Market Segmentation:

By Substrate Type

• Glass
• Concrete
• Metals
• Ceramics
• Polymers
• Others

By Property

• Anti-Corrosion
• Anti-Microbial
• Anti-Icing
• Anti-Fouling
• Self-Cleaning

By End-User Industry

• Medical
• Aerospace
• Automotive
• Building & Construction
• Electronics
• Textiles
• Others

By Geography

• North America
• USA
• Canada
• Mexico
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Others
• Europe
• Germany
• France
• United Kingdom
• Spain
• Others
• Middle East and Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE
• Israel
• Others
• Asia Pacific
• China
• Japan
• India
• South Korea
• Indonesia
• Thailand
• Taiwan
• Others