PFI-TT: Development of Self-Healing Coatings that Repel High Temperature Liquids and Polymers

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Partnerships for Innovation - Technology Translation (PFI-TT) project is to create self-healing, liquid-repellent surface coatings capable of repelling liquids and melted polymers at elevated temperatures. Potential applications include fuel transportation, chemical processing, automotive parts, heat exchangers, kitchen appliances, and printers. The worldwide 3D printing market size was estimated to be $11.58 billion in 2019 and is anticipated to grow significantly from 2020 to 2027. The proposed non-stick surface coatings will prevent adhesion from various printing materials at high temperature, enabling faster and more efficient printing performance. The educational outcomes of this project include training the next generation of scientists and engineers and equipping them with the necessary skill sets to make substantial contributions in the translation and commercialization of novel, high-impact technologies.The proposed project aims to further advance the liquid repellent surface coating technologies by developing self-healing and self-cleaning coatings that can repel liquids and melted polymers at high temperature. Durable and high temperature liquid repellent surfaces are important in many consumers and industrial applications. The development of such surface coatings remains a challenge. Very few surface coatings reported in the literature or in the commercial space have demonstrated both high temperature liquid repellency and self-healing functionality. In this PFI-TT project, the thermally self-repairable coating technology will be ability to repel different liquids and melted polymers at high temperatures as well as their self-healing and self-cleaning characteristics will be systematically investigated. In addition, the coating formulations and application parameters will be further optimized to enhance the coating application efficiency. The successful demonstration of a self-healing surface coating that can repel high temperature liquids and molten polymers not only will advance the field of non-stick surface coating technologies but will also impact multiple consumers and industrial applications ranging from kitchen appliances to 3D printing.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.