Given the overall lack of commitment to smart coatings as a class of materials, we see investment in or acquisitions of innovative smaller firms that are specifically smart coatings focused as an entry point for companies looking the pursue these markets.
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.
