Self restoring paint is an auto fountain of youth?
Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announced today that it has developed a clear-coat paint with self-restoring qualities that it says is highly resistant to surface scratches usually caused by car wash brushes or fingernails. TMC plans to use the coat on the soon-to-be-upgraded Lexus LS model, it flagship luxury vehicle.
A similar coating is used on Infiniti vehicles. It was not immediately clear just how much of a breakthrough this is.
Unlike a conventional clear coat, TMC’s newly developed coating is not easily damaged and can even restore itself even if it is deformed, unless it is destroyed. Moreover, it requires no special maintenance, prevents luster degradation caused by surface scratches and helps to prolong new-car color and gloss.
The new coat features an ingredient that makes for closer molecular bonding, resulting in a denser structure than with conventional clear coatings. This gives the outer most paint coat flexibility and elasticity, making it less prone to damage and more resistant to light and acid. It also gives it the ability to self-restore after deformation.
TMC continues to address automotive paint related environmental issues through such steps as introducing water-based paints on all its vehicle-production lines.