Northwestern University developed self-healing coating for metal structures exposed to water or highly corrosive liquids, repairing scratches, scrapes, and cracks within seconds

Briefing

Northwestern University developed self-healing coating for metal structures exposed to water or highly corrosive liquids, repairing scratches, scrapes, and cracks within seconds

February 15, 2019

Briefing
  • Self-Healing Material – Northwestern University team developed new fluid material that self-heals in seconds when scratched, scraped, or cracked
  • Prevents Corrosion – Material prevents tiny defects in metal from corroding, which can cause damage to major structures, such as bridges, pipelines, and fuselages
  • Repeated Healing – Can withstand or heal repeated scratches on same spot almost 200 times
  • Advantages – Can heal larger scratches, unlike other self-healing coatings that tend to fix nanometer- to micron-sized damages, with material able to work underwater and in harsh chemical environments
  • How It Works – When material, made of network of graphene capsules, is scratched, oil is released to reconnect network
  • Applications – Can be painted over bridges and boats submerged underwater, as well as metal structures that can leak or spill corrosive fluids

Accelerator
Advanced Materials

Sector
Energy, Real Estate and Construction, Transportation and Logistics

Organization
Northwestern University

Source

Original Publication Date
January 28, 2019

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