I think the improvement is the fact that we get this very resistant coating, so generally these superhydrophobic coatings are very mechanically weak, so can be easily rubbed off over time, whereas by applying this spray adhesive we've managed to get very resistant coatings that are resistant to, as I say, rubbing or scratching and with sandpaper and so on.

Claire Carmalt

Categorized in : Science

The biggest challenge for self-cleaning surfaces is finding a way to make them tough enough to withstand everyday damage, the surfaces tend to be mechanically weak and so rub off easily. But by pairing our paint with different adhesives, we've shown it is possible to make a robust self-cleaning surface.