Smart paint market is considerable

At present, there are several major types of smart coatings, one is environmental feedback, including sensor coatings, thermal and pressure sensitive coatings, and the other is nano applications, including self-healing coatings, optical coatings, and superconducting coatings. Etc.; one type is biologically active type, including antibacterial coatings, bio-based coatings, photo-initiated and bio-initiated coatings, etc., and the other one is innovative coating materials, including super-hydrophobic coatings, self-lubricating coatings and self-sacrificial coatings.

The reason why the concept of intelligence is proposed is in comparison with traditional coatings. In the traditional sense, coatings generally refer to coating materials with only protective and decorative properties. Usually, these properties are unidirectional, which means that such properties cannot be accompanied. The response to changes in the surrounding environment, while the "intelligence" is just the opposite, smart paint can respond to the changes in the external environment in a controlled manner, resulting in adaptive special performance, so that the coating continues to be effective.

From the point of view of the research and development of smart coatings, the realization of the intelligentization of paint performance can go through three basic steps. The first is the choice of additives. Suitable additives need to have unique performance, enough to meet the requirements of “intelligent” performance in the formulation; followed by the selection of coating resin base, pigments and raw materials, which cannot meet the single performance requirements. The basic properties of the coating, but can meet the basic performance of the coating through the formulation, including various mechanical properties and resistance, etc.; again is to achieve the performance feedback of coating coating to the outside environment.

The conductive smart coating developed by the University of Newcastle, UK, to monitor the fatigue of metal structures such as bridges incorporates tiny crystals of piezoelectric material in the formulation. When the crystal is stretched and squeezed, it can generate and withstand external forces. In proportion to the electrical signals, people can understand the fatigue of building materials by analyzing these electrical signals. In use, the worker only needs to apply the coating on the surface of the metal structure and apply a layer of conductive coating. When the voltage is applied, the crystal in the coating forms the correct angle with the surface of the component. The metal component receives no matter from which direction. When the force is applied, the paint can generate corresponding electrical signals. The greater the force, the stronger the generated electrical signal.

At the American Chemical Society in 2010, scientists announced the successful development of a smart paint that can "feel" the temperature. Applying this material to the roof can not only reflect the sun's rays during the hot summer months, reduce the high electricity bills, but when the cold air hits, it can change the character and transport the solar energy into the house to maintain the indoor temperature. During the paint manufacturing process, the waste cooking oil is first liquefied into a liquid polymer, which, unlike unprocessed cooking oil, does not give off any taste. In warm weather, the temperature of asphalt roof coated with smart paint can be reduced by 50% to 80%; and in cold weather, the high temperature can be increased by 80%.

The development of coatings and materials science, especially the scientific development of polymer materials are closely related. The nanomaterial technology that has emerged in recent years has accelerated the rapid advancement of smart coatings. In addition, the promotion of environmentally friendly environmental protection requirements has also greatly promoted the breakthrough of smart coatings in water, solvent-free, high-solids, energy-curable, and powder coatings. Although the field of paint development in the future cannot be predicted with absolute accuracy, it is clear that with the continuous emergence of smart technologies and the development of microscopic technologies, the effects of differential coating products on society will appear in the coming decades. Dramatic changes will help us paint a more beautiful future.