Nanocomposite and Nanostructured Coatings: Recent Advancements Raymond H. Fernando Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 Delivered @ SLINTEC.

1. Nanocomposite and Nanostructured Coatings:
Recent Advancements
Raymond H. Fernando
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California Polytechnic State
University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
Scientific concepts regarding the benefits of controlling
materials at nano-scale have been around for at least half a
century. However, technological breakthroughs leading to
commercially viable products began only about twenty-five
years ago. Intense research and development efforts in this
period have resulted in a tremendous growth of products based
on nanomaterials. As coatings are integral to virtually any
imaginable product or structure, nanomaterials are having a
great impact in this field. Today, there are many approaches to
make nanocomposite and nanostructured coatings for a wide
range of applications. This chapter focuses on the
advancements in nanotechnology applications in liquid based
coatings. Following a brief historic review of the
development of nanomaterial concepts and key technological
breakthroughs, a wide range of today’s nanotechnology
coatings are discussed. They include polymer-nanoparticle
and sol-gel composite coatings for improving scratch and UV
resistance, IR reflection, anti-microbial and self-cleaning
activity, corrosion resistance, and gas barrier properties.
Nanostructured coatings for applications such as
superhydrophobic surfaces are also reviewed. Current
challenges facing further growth of the use of nanomaterials in
coatings -- nano-scale dispersion, nano-scale characterization,
and concerns over the health and safety of new naomaterials --
are also discussed.
1