New Paint Based On Titanium Nanoparticles Creates Self-Cleaning Surfaces 87
hypnosec writes: Scientists have created a paint that provides self-cleaning surfaces and can maintain them even after being wiped, scratched, or scuffed. The paint, composed of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles, is delivered as a suspension in ethanol containing the chemical perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (abstract). Once the coating is applied to a surface, the ethanol must evaporate for 180 seconds before it is ready for use. Depending on the surface, the coating can be sprayed, dipped, or painted.
Sounds cool (Score:5, Funny)
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If it's transparent, I want it on my windshield. Even if it wears off after a year, this is still a major win.
You can use Rain-X and have it wear off after a week, or one of the many various hydrophobic coatings-in-a-can and have it last maybe a month, right now.
If I rode a motorcycle I'd put it on the visor, that actually seems practical.
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--Just FYI from a rider, there is some conflicting information out there:
https://rideapart.com/articles... [rideapart.com]
> Every helmet maker ever will tell you not to apply Rain-X or something similar to your visor. However, weâ(TM)ve been doing it for years with no ill effects. It causes water to quickly bead up and run off, aiding vision. Itâ(TM)s said to reduce the effective life of your shield, but weâ(TM)re replacing our clear visors once a year anyway due to scratches and whatnot. So itâ(TM)s
Re:Sounds cool (Score:4, Insightful)
The joke is going to be on humanity when our kidneys get clogged with nano particles. Careless manufacturing and reckless use of nano particle anything could be trouble in the future. But don't worry nothing will happen for 10 or more years, then we will have to create new laws and regulations and try to remove the stuff like we do lead paint and asbestos. Carry on people, no worries!
Re:Sounds cool (Score:5, Funny)
The joke is going to be on humanity when our kidneys get clogged with nano particles.
Stop being so alarmist. Our lungs will get clogged way before that.
Re:Sounds cool (Score:5, Interesting)
Careless manufacturing and reckless use of nano particle anything could be trouble in the future. But don't worry nothing will happen for 10 or more years
All ready being noted. Not 10 years down the track. Sunscreens as a Source of Hydrogen Peroxide Production in Coastal Waters [acs.org]
Conservative estimates for a Mediterranean beach reveal that tourism activities during a summer day may release on the order of 4 kg of TiO2 nanoparticles to the water and produce an increment in the concentration of H2O2 of 270 nM/day. Our results, together with the data provided by tourism records in the Mediterranean, point to TiO2 nanoparticles as the major oxidizing agent entering coastal waters, with direct ecological consequences on the ecosystem.
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nanoMoles per day? That seems like it might disperse easily.
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But don't worry nothing will happen for 10 or more years
People have been talking about self cleaning paint made from TiO2 suspended in perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane for almost 10 years. Should we worry?
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The year 2025. . . . .
" Did you or a loved one use ( insert nano-tech based product here ) and suffer from kidney or lung failure ? If you answered yes, call us right now ! You may be entitled to a cash settlement "
The law offices of MakeaBuck
First minute of powder metallurgy 101 (Score:2)
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Re:Sounds cool (Score:4, Informative)
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Well there go my plans for scotch guarding my mice.
But seriously Citation Needed, "been shown to cause genetic damage in mice" is the "Kills Cancer Cells in a Petri Dish" [xkcd.com] of hazardous chemicals.
Re:Sounds cool (Score:5, Informative)
Nano particles can cross the blood brain barrier. What makes you think that's A-OK? Surely that warrants caution at the least?
Lilly pads and similar have a significant nano-structure, not a coating of nano particles.
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Realized right there that there was an incredibly low chance of you putting together a coherent argument, and a high probability of an appeal to nature fallacy.
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If the particles can become airborne at all (for example, applying or scraping a coating), they will almost certainly cross either through the lungs to the blood and then to the brain, or directly through the olfactory bulb.
IIRC there has been some research to show that nano droplets do make it to the brain while larger droplets do not.
Many safety filter masks block micron scale but not nano scale particles. Particles that small have a way of diffusing everywhere.
This suggests that even a long safety record
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While each particle has less mass, the total mass of substance is what matters to effects on a person. In particular, the mass that makes it to the brain.
If anything, I would expect a low mass to facilitate being carried in the blood. Consider, water can easily carry dust but very rarely boulders.
One other interesting application of nano-scale features is to make sterile surfaces. The nano features essentially shred cell membranes. This has implications for the effect on human health of free floating partic
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What leads you to believe this is going to inherently be harmful to us?
It's made from those pesky chemical thingys.
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But this shit is going to kill us faster than pesticides, genetically modified "food" and the crap used to carry vaccines.
So faster than never? That sounds like something I can live with to be honest.
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Isn't Titanium Oxide (Score:1)
The primary pigment in white paint?
Re:Isn't Titanium Oxide (Score:4, Informative)
Yes. It is Titanium Dioxide which is what makes white paint white.
I am assuming that the secret sauce here is the perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane. Whatever the hell that is...
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A fluoroorganosiloxane makes a coating of teflon-like molecules (like T-Fal(R)) that can adhere to metal oxide surfaces. You can find similar fluoroorganosiloxanes in glass/coating protection products.
I think that this is interesting but if someone wants to do this cheap, then use diatomaceous earth that is coated with this compound. I sometimes wonder why that our nano-nano science needs to make something that is already found in nature.
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^ this comment deserves an informative way more than my comment. Unfortunately it is by an AC, so no one to get credit.
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Yes, it is usually. I couldn't get past the paywall, but I think there's two things here. First, I think the binder is designed to not be chewed up by the effect, and also be able to take a mechanical and chemical beating from the elements, like how it mentioned sandpaper and oil. Second, it claims nanoparticles. The paint you buy at the store is probably going to have particles typically on the order of 1-100 microns.
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Also the white stuff you put on your nose for sunscreen.
And the stuff you put on a baby's bottom for diaper rash.
I'm guessing most everyone has already been exposed to some level of nano-particles already.
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I'm guessing most everyone has already been exposed to some level of nano-particles already.
The old timers call it smoke, or dust... in L.A., smog.
Advances in toilet technology? (Score:2)
Re:Advances in toilet technology? (Score:5, Funny)
When you stop using the toilet.
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You are jesting, but I just replaced an old toilet with a new one specifically because the old one got dirty quickly and was hard to clean. The replacement has brilliant gleaming smooth porcelain which is very easy to clean. As a bonus it is dual-flush low-flow throne-height. A new toilet might significantly cut down your toilet cleaning. It took me 45 minutes all by myself to do the chore. Half of the job was removing the old toilet.
The only thing self-cleaning is a soap bar (Score:3)
Everything else always ends up requiring my help, whether it SAYS "self-cleaning" or not.
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And full of soap residue.
Long term safety (Score:1)
I can't help but wonder if a decade or generation after this surface treatment becomes widespread we won't be reliving the lead paint or asbestos abatement programs we have today, as these miracle materials start to break down and contaminate the environment with unhealthy nanoparticles.
Re:Long term safety (Score:5, Insightful)
It's already being studied. Asbestos is dangerous because it creates naturally occurring nanoparticles. It's not chemically toxic.
These types of manufactured nanoparticles, including carbon nanotubes, won't see widespread use until they're shown to be safe.
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Technically, the reason asbestos is dangerous is the fact that the fractured pieces are like very tiny arrows that pierce the cells of your lung linings and some of them damage DNA and can lead to cancer.
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Correct. And carbon nanotubes are structurally pretty similar.
perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (Score:2, Insightful)
TiO2 is not the magic ingredient here, I think that's fairly obvious.
Safe and Tested? (Score:4, Informative)
It sounds so safe and fully tested, here is an MSDS:
http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/MSDS/MSDS/DisplayMSDSPage.do?country=US&language=en&productNumber=667420&brand=ALDRICH&PageToGoToURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sigmaaldrich.com%2Fcatalog%2Fproduct%2Faldrich%2F667420%3Flang%3Den
STABILITY AND REACTIVITY
Reactivity: No data available
Possibility of hazardous reactions: No data available
Conditions to avoid: May form explosive mixtures in air. Direct sources of heat..
TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION
Acute toxicity: No data available
Inhalation: No data available
Dermal: No data available
Skin corrosion/irritation: No data available
Serious eye damage/eye irritation: No data available
Respiratory or skin sensitisation: No data available
Germ cell mutagenicity: No data available
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION
Toxicity: No data available
Persistence and degradability: No data available
Bioaccumulative potential: No data available
Mobility in soil: No data available
What could go wrong with all the NO DATA? /sarcasm
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^ So in other words it passes EPA approval with flying colors (and some 'donations' and future jobs in the industry).
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"Exhibits no known hazardous environmental effects".
Keyword being "known". Since you don't have any data, it *must* be ok.
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As long as there's no public science that says it's dangerous, there's no reason for EPA to stop widespread use.
Dammit, I can't wait that long (Score:5, Funny)
the ethanol must evaporate for 180 seconds
I can only wait for 179 seconds. This stuff is useless for me.
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This material has been used on windows (Score:4, Informative)
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For many years you can buy windows or window glass with this nano-particle titanium dioxide applied which made windows self cleaning. It sounds like the paint is just an extension of the earlier technology. Besides, which is harder to clean: your counter top or the outside of a half-dozen windows three stories up on your house? Sure, some windows are easy to clean because either the frames tllt inwards or are removable from inside, but not having to bother to do any cleaning sounds best to me
3 stories up? Please. https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
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they are not durable coatings though, only good for skyscrapers and only if your definition of "clean" is pretty loose.
application license required? (Score:1)
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You can paint with it yourself but you need a bartender's license to mix it.
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A lot of airbrush body paints are alcohol based.
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A lot of airbrush body paints are alcohol based.
Airbrush body paint? Never heard of it. Doesn't it tickle?
Crayons (Score:3)
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old idea that was on /., but for CO2 (Score:3)
Cool (Score:2)
Perfect for windshields. (Score:2)
If they can figure optically clear and at least some durability it could revolutionize cars and planes by makeing self cleaning self wiping windscreens.
magic ingredient: perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane (Score:3)
AFAIK, FDTS is already used to coat MEMS-like devices (e..g, microfluid channels and nano-lithography stamps) because it chemically forms a monolayer coating that is lubricating and moisture resistant. Unfortunately, it is a bit nasty as it is highly corrosive, flammable chemical that smells a bit like hydrochloric acid.
The interesting thing with this is that they found a way to coat titanium dioxide nanoparticles (the same stuff in sunblock and some white paints) with it and create a suspension in ethanol so you can apply it like paint over an adhesive and it drys in a way that sticks to the adhesive in a way that they claim to be somewhat robust against damage. Here's the video [youtube.com] and some supplementary material [sciencemag.org]...
I'm not exactly sure how the adhesive (basically claimed to use "evo-stick" apparently some ethyl-acetate based adhesive like superglue available in the UK) sticks to the coated nanoparticles, but still is lubricating on the other side though (a similar problem with non-stick frying pans). There doesn't appear to be much discussion about this and my chemistry-fu is a bit rusty... Maybe some kind of covalent layer bonding or something...
Re:magic ingredient: perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (Score:2)
This uses POTS, not FDTS, so there are ethoxy groups instead of chlorine atoms bound to the silicon. Still flammable, but POTS is innocuous enough that it's used to coat pigment particles in cosmetics [koboproductsinc.com].
I suspect even FDTS gets a lot less nasty once a coating settles in. R1-Si-Cl + H-O-R2 -> R1-Si-O-R2 + HCl, the HCl escapes as a gas and the rest stays put, covalently bonded to the surface.
Subtitles (Score:2)
hmmm (Score:1)
a new low for Science reviewers (Score:1)
Just because there is not a peer-reviewed paper on this specific material and application does not mean it is unknown to science and mankind.
I wonder what the commercial scientists who actually made this stuff think about these guys. Ultimately, this is probably a good thing for the actual inventors as maybe more people will buy their stuff.
This material (titanium oxide nanoparticles with perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane) is already commercialized and used in cosmetics. The authors make a point that these mat