Novel dust & water-repellent coating to beat wear and tear of daily use items

Now, there is a solution for protecting various items of daily use, especially those with metallic outer body, from losing their gleam and newness to the impact

Now, there is a solution for protecting various items of daily use, especially those with metallic outer body, from losing their gleam and newness to the impact of dust and water exposure, corrosion and rusting.

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Researchers have come up with a unique super-hydrophobic (water-repelling) coating to slow down discolouration of surfaces and other types of physical damage, thus preserving the quality / appearance of objects for years.

Shiv Nadar University in Uttar Pradesh on Monday announced that it had developed a “novel coating to beat air and water pollution effects on materials of everyday use”.

Developed by extracting the nano-silica particles of rice husk (an agriculture waste), the coating also presents farmers with an alternative method to dispose of their crop residue instead of opting for the traditional stubble burning -- a major cause for air pollution in North India.

Researchers said the self-cleaning coating was a cost-effective and eco-friendly substitute for the toxic paints and coatings available in the market.

Inspired by the “super-hydrophobic nature of lotus leaves”, the coating has been developed by associate professors Harpreet Singh Grewal and Harpreet Arora and their research team at the School of Engineering, Shiv Nadar University (SNU).

The research -- sponsored by the Government of India’s Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) -- has been tested under extreme weather conditions, including rain and storm. “Results of the research indicate that exposure to outdoor conditions has no impact on the coating,” the two associate professors claimed.

“Another important feature is that it is non-toxic and can be applied on all household appliances, buildings, automobiles and industrial components to help increase their life,” they said.

“Notably, many existing paints and coatings available in the market today contain toxic elements such as Lead, Hexavalent Chromium or other chemical compounds that are believed to cause serious health problems like fertility issues, birth defects and aggravated asthma due to air pollution,” said Prof Grewal.

Agri waste put to good use

Highlighting the importance of this invention making use of an agricultural waste, Rupamanjari Ghosh, vice-chancellor, Shiv Nadar University, said, “Dust and corrosion have a detrimental impact on industrial and mechanical operations, especially in regions that deal with the problem of high air pollution. Excessive corrosion leads to unnecessary wear and tear of machines and devices, reducing their efficacy and functional life. It is extremely rewarding, therefore, to see researchers at the Shiv Nadar University finding a creative and sustainable solution to this widespread problem.”

Corrosion has huge economic and environmental repercussions, she said. All components of infrastructure -- highways, bridges, buildings, oil and gas rigs, industrial plants, etc are impacted. Severe damage to these components also poses a huge challenge of ensuring public safety in addition to incurring heavy costs in extensive repairs and replacements, said the SNU vice-chancellor.

The assistant professors leading the research claimed the innovation had been acknowledged globally. “The research has also been published by a prestigious and specialised scientific journal, ‘Progress in Organic Coatings’,” said Prof Arora.