Surface repair: Self-replenishing functional polymer coatings

Previously, we reported a self-replenishing polymer surfaces which recover their lowsurface energy (i.e. hydrophobicity), upon surface damage[1]. Following up, we used a dual experimental-simulation approach to understand in-depth the surface segregation of low surface energy components[2], the self-healing mechanism involved on the surface...

Understanding the self-replenishing of hydrophobic coatings for further industrial applications

Hydrophobic materials hold many properties that are desirable in coatings, e.g. water repellency and low-adhesion are essential to achieve an easy-to-clean/ self-cleaning behavior. However, most of the coatings currently available cannot maintain their hydrophobicity upon surface damage or wear, due to the irreversible loss of the low surface...

Self-healing adhesion on polymer coatings

Supramolecular self assembling hydrogen bonded polymeric materials are of great importance due to its practical relevance. Well designed molecules based on these concepts can produce polymeric materials with “responsive” properties like self healing even in coating application. The reversible, non-covalent hydrogen bonding interactions are a...

Modelling of self-healing surface structures coatings

For many current engineering applications the performance of materials depends strongly on the surface properties of the top layer. In many cases a hydrophobic/superphydrophobic top surface is desired (for example for easy-toclean/ self-cleaning applications). The durability of coatings will be substantially extended if the layer which provides...