A self-healing, water-repellent coating that's ultra durable
5. 4. 2017 | University of Michigan | ns.umich.edu
A self-healing, water-repellent, spray-on coating developed at the University of Michigan is hundreds of times more durable than its counterparts.
It could enable waterproofing of vehicles, clothing, rooftops and countless other surfaces for which current waterproofing treatments are too fragile. It could also lower the resistance of ship hulls, a step that would reduce the fuel consumption of the massive vessels that transport 90 percent of the world's cargo.
The coating is made of a mix of a material called “fluorinated polyurethane elastomer” and a specialized water-repellent molecule known as “F-POSS.” It can be easily sprayed onto virtually any surface and has a slightly rubbery texture that makes it more resilient than its predecessors. If it is damaged, the coating can heal itself hundreds of times. It can bounce back even after being abraded, scratched, burned, plasma-cleaned, flattened, sonicated and chemically attacked.
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Image Credit: Joseph Xu
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