New coating can make scratches on cars disappear

[shogun]

Great news

Quote
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Scientists have developed a polyurethane coating that heals its own scratches when exposed to sunlight, offering the promise of scratch-free cars and other products, researchers said on Thursday.

"We developed a polymeric material that is able to repair itself by exposure to the sun," said Marek Urban of the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, whose study appears in the journal Science.

"In essence, you create a scratch and that scratch will disappear upon exposure to the sun," Urban said in an interview on the Science website.

The self-healing coating uses chitosan, a substance found in the shells of crabs and shrimp. This is incorporated into traditional polymer materials, such as those used in coatings on cars to protect paint.

When a scratch damages the chemical structure, the chitosan responds to ultraviolet light by forming chemical chains that begin bonding with other materials in the substance, eventually smoothing the scratch. The process can take less than an hour.

Urban said the new coating uses readily available materials, offering an advantage over other self-repairing coatings, which he said were "fairly elaborate and economically unfeasible."

The team tested the compound's properties using a razor-blade-thin scratch. "We haven't done any of the tests to show how wide it can be," Urban said in a telephone interview.

He said the polymer can only repair itself in the same spot once, and would not work after repeated scratches.

"Obviously, this is one of the drawbacks," he said, adding that the chances are low of having two scratches in exactly the same spot.

Howell Edwards, who leads the chemical and forensic sciences division of the University of Bradford in Britain, said the findings were novel.

"Clearly, there are future applications of this work in the repair of automotive components, which extensively use polyurethane polymers, that have suffered minor damage," Edwards said in a statement.

Urban said the coating could be used in packaging or furniture or anything that requires a high-performance type of coating.

"You can dream up anything you desire," he said.

Urban said his team has patents pending on the material and is considering commercialization.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/oddlyE...enough&sp=true

[Kibokojoe]

Maybe I should wait to paint my car, until I can get this stuff

[shogun]

The self-healing coating uses chitosan, a substance found in the shells of crabs and shrimp. This is incorporated into traditional polymer materials, such as those used in coatings on cars to protect paint.

When a scratch damages the chemical structure, the chitosan responds to ultraviolet light by forming chemical chains that begin bonding with other materials in the substance, eventually smoothing the scratch. The process can take less than an hour.

normally people eat that stuff


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitosan

[Mordan]

that's the kind of innovation and productivity the world needs to get us out of the recession

[Kibokojoe]

Na Obama would put a tax on this stuff too

[shogun]

That sounds like the paint Nissan was advertising a few years ago in 2005!

NISSAN DEVELOPS WORLD'S FIRST CLEAR PAINT
THAT REPAIRS SCRATCHES ON CAR SURFACES

TOKYO (Dec. 2, 2005)-- Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., has developed the world’s first clear paint that repairs scratches on painted car surfaces, including scratches from car-washing machines, off-road driving and fingernails.

“Scratch Guard Coat” contains a newly developed high elastic resin that helps prevent scratches from affecting the inner layers of a car’s painted surface. With “Scratch Guard Coat” a car’s scratched surface will return to its original state anywhere from one day to a week, depending on temperature and the depth of the scratch.

The water-repellant paint also has a higher resistance to scratches compared with conventional clear paints. A vehicle painted with “Scratch Guard Coat” will have only one-fifth the abrasions caused by a car-washing machine compared with a car covered with conventional clear paint. Scratches from car-washing machines account for the majority of scratches to painted car surfaces.

“Scratch Guard Coat” is effective for about three years.

“Scratch Guard Coat” will be applied for the first time on an SUV model that is scheduled for a partial makeover in the near future. The paint will be applied to the car’s chassis, bumpers, door mirrors, among other parts.




Here is the link.

http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/NEWS...1202-01-e.html

[Mordan]

@Kibokojoe

don't blame me. I voted Ron Paul

[tim eh?]

Great news

Quote
CHICAGO (Reuters) - ...The team tested the compound's properties using a razor-blade-thin scratch. "We haven't done any of the tests to show how wide it can be," Urban said in a telephone interview.

He said the polymer can only repair itself in the same spot once, and would not work after repeated scratches.

"Obviously, this is one of the drawbacks,"

not much help for me, i gouge the thing repeatedly.

[Kibokojoe]

@Kibokojoe

don't blame me. I voted Ron Paul

Good man

[Jehu]

I'm ready.. my clear coat looks horrible, swirls everywhere..

I am anticipating having at least the front end and trunk lid painted this Summer and I'd been thinking I'd ask if its possible to buff the clear coat and re-apply so I have a swirl/fine scratch free as well as a chip and rust free exterior..