U.S. invents paint that can automatically heal and remove scratches

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[HuiCong Coating Network] American researchers have developed a coating with self-healing capabilities; exposure to sunlight for just 15 to 30 minutes is sufficient for any scratches on it to disappear automatically. Principle: Marek Urban and Biswajit Ghosh from the University of Southern Mississippi in the United States jointly invented this intelligent polymer coating. Chitosan extracted from shrimp and crab shells, along with the cyclic molecule propylene oxide, was added to the coating. Once the surface of the coating is scratched, the ring structure of propylene oxide is broken, exposing two ends that are prone to chemical reactions. When sunlight shines on the coating, ultraviolet rays activate chitosan in the coating, causing it to attract the ends that have been broken due to epichlorohydrin and bind together, thereby repairing the broken ring structure. Erben wrote in a paper published in the journal Science: “The ideal car paint could repair itself automatically while the vehicle is in motion,… Since this cross-linking reaction is not sensitive to humidity, neither dry nor wet weather will affect the repair process.” ” He explained that the repair speed is only related to light exposure. Under conditions of ample sunlight, the self-repair speed of the coating is 3 to 4 times faster than in overcast weather. Inspired by the skin’s ability to heal itself, scientists have been working for centuries to develop materials that can repair themselves, and they have made some progress in this area. For example, materials composed of nanoparticles have been developed; when the surface of such materials wears out, the nanoparticles will \"bleed\" to fill in the resulting gaps. However, to date, most of these materials are complex in structure and expensive. Erben said that the coating they developed is different – it’s simple and inexpensive. Urbane said that in addition to being used for car paint, this coating can also be applied to other objects that are prone to scratches, such as CDs, sunglasses, music player screens, handbags, shoes, and even furniture. Additionally, it can also be used in medical devices to prevent scratches on the devices from becoming a breeding ground for bacteria. “This type of coating has a very wide range of applications,” he said. “It can basically be sprayed on any exposed surface of an object.” ” Looking ahead, Erben said that this type of coating is still in the laboratory research phase, and it is expected to be available for large-scale production and market sale within five years. However, Erben also said that current coatings have only one self-repair capability; if the same area is scratched again, it can only be restored to its original state through manual repair. On the 13th, the UK’s Times website cited comments by Howell Edwards from Bradford University, stating: “Although the inventors admit that this coating can only repair itself once, it still holds great potential for use in repairing automotive parts, whose surfaces are often coated with polyurethane and are prone to scratches.” ”