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New Coating Technology Promises Self-Cleaning Cars
Zothecula writes "Nissan's "Scratch Guard Coat" has been healing fine scratches on the company's cars for a few years now, and the technology has also made its way into an iPhone case. More recent developments have produced coatings to heal more substantial scratches and scrapes using nano-capsules. Now researchers at The Netherlands' Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) have developed a coating that is not only self-healing, but also promises to free car owners of the tiresome chore of washing the car ."
...scientists at Nissan have discovered what they now call "Teflon". Updates to follow.
Teflon's a epic fail outdoors because it has zilch creep strength and dirt embeds itself into it, rapidly reducing its friction and electrical properties to that of dirt. Thats one reason (aside from cost) that no one uses teflon insulators for power line or antenna supports.
For obvious economic reasons, the "solution" to the surface filth is going to be deployed on HVDC power line insulators long before it'll be on cars, and even then what works for a mostly motionless insulator might not work on a car.
This is because the nano-sized molecular groups that provide these properties are easily and irreversibly damaged by minor contact with the surface on which they are applied.
Hmm not thinking road gravel at 75 mph is "minor contact". Even road salt and dust is pretty tough stuff. And windshield washer fluid. Heck just a frog-drowning rainstorm at 75 mph is pretty harsh.
"Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
What about self-cleaning teenager rooms?
2-cycle gas leafblower. House stank of engine oil for days. Boy did I get in trouble. Still hear about that one at family get togethers.
What happens when on the way to work, you tell a wanna be, engine revving teenage engineer he can't go out until the cat and dog fur tumbleweeds are vacuumed up? It actually worked pretty well other than blowing some pictures off the walls and pretty well terrifying the cats and dog.
"Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
Just program it up to drive to the car wash, drive through it, and drive back home.
If Google adds functionality enabling it to pick up stuff at fast food drive-ins, we're all set for life.
Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
Rain doesn't remove the oily film and the dirt that's attached to it you picked up from the road. You need soap and some surface agitation to really clean a car from filth. Case in point; those touch-less carwash machines suck balls! Unless it's new or just had a wax job, you're wasting your money on those.
Life is not for the lazy.