Recent advances and ongoing improvements will help rapid and low-cost development of smart materials, and the next wave of innovation will be in self-healing coatings and parts, according to a new report by Lux Research.
Coating the inside of glass microtubes with a polymer hydrogel material dramatically alters the way capillary forces draw water into the tiny structures, researchers have found.
NEI Corp. announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued patents to the company on self-healing, superhydrophobic and abrasion-resistant coatings.
Earlier this year, car manufacturer Nissan revealed an innovative self-cleaning paint that repels dirt. Now, according to experts, this type of super-hydrophobic coating will be available to superyachts within two years and is already in the research and development stage at many paint companies.
Researchers at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) have developed a paint for use in coatings and packaging that changes color when exposed to high temperatures, delivering a visual warning to people handling material or equipment with the potential to malfunction, explode or cause burns when overheated.
The worldwide smart coatings market will grow from $363 million in 2013 to almost $3.0 billion in 2018, according to a new report from industry analysis firm NanoMarkets.
