The World Premiere Of A New Innovative Nano-Particle Clearcoat

Switches and nozzles in microscopic dimensions

With these early forays into the world of atoms, scientists the world over were seized by "nano-euphoria", although many of the subsequent visions and prognoses turned out to be rather on the optimistic side. Having said that, it has not taken long for nano-technology to produce astonishing results, as we are seeing today. For example, in the spring of 2000, Japanese researchers made a switch measuring less than ten nanometres in size; just a single atom was required to trigger this masterpiece of engineering. Roughly at the same time, German physicist Professor Rainer Kassing presented the world’s smallest nozzle, a thousand times thinner than a human hair.

Nano-particles produce improved material properties

Making miniature products is, however, just one aspect of nano-technology. Nano-particles, which are only slightly larger than molecules, have been produced in laboratories for more than ten years now. Numerous chemical and physical properties can be grafted on to these tiny particles, which have a diameter of barely one millionth of a millimetre. To this end, nuclei from a small number of silicon, iron, titanium, tungsten and gold atoms can be used in plastic, glass and ceramic structures. The result is highly efficient materials with previously unforeseen properties. The new nano-particle clearcoat with enhanced scratch resistance, which Mercedes-Benz will be the world’s first car maker to introduce, is one example.

Of course, the attraction of nano-particles also lies in the fact that they lose many of the physical properties which present disadvantages in larger particles. For example, the mass and available surface of nano-particles are insignificant in relation to their adhesion, allowing them to stick soundly to any surface. This equips them perfectly for use in extremely thin coatings on conventional materials, which they make less susceptible to breakage and more scratch-resistant. Nano-particles can either be applied as a gel containing a huge number of the tiny particles, or mixed into a basic substance.

Self-cleaning wheels and paints with integrated solar cells

Nano-technology has a big future in automotive construction. In addition to their use in paints with increased scratch resistance, nano-particles will be employed in the future to produce self-cleaning surfaces. Indeed, DaimlerChrysler research engineers are currently working on wheels for passenger cars whose nano-structured surface has dirt-deflecting properties. It is also within the realms of possibility that the cars of the future will feature either paintwork or an extremely thin foil coating containing tiny solar cells. These would convert the sun’s light into electric energy, which in turn would be fed into the vehicle’s power supply.

Nano-particles are also set to take on important tasks in the world of medicine. For example, "nanosphors" – mini beams of light produced by light phosphors like those used in light sticks – dock onto viruses, bacteria or other selected cells and make them visible using their fluorescent light. A drop of blood, some saliva or a few body cells would be sufficient to identify diseases or to diagnose a lack of tolerance to a certain medication. Currently, complex and expensive laboratory tests are required to achieve the same aims.

There’s no doubt about it, the future is full of potential for nano-technology, which has the power to influence many areas of our daily lives. However, the scientists in the field have a lot of work ahead of them, with the properties of only around a fifth of the 90 usable elements in the periodic system so far assessed for their "nano-compatibility".

There is much potential still to explore and many nano-inspired products, some of which we may not have even thought of yet, still to invent.