Self-Healing Superhydrophobic Coatings

This aim of this project is to develop self-healing coatings that also possess superhydrophobic and/or omniphobic properties. The overall objective is to investigate the formation of coatings that can self-heal from various severe types of damage. Superhyrophobic materials are key for a wide range of applications but they suffer from poor durability due to their lack of self-healing ability. The research question that the project aims to address is whether self-healing properties can be developed for superhydrophic materials while also maintaining high durability. The student will develop and carry out the synthesis of the materials and will investigate network based polymers which can impart the self-healing property and durability. Such surfaces could find application in 'easy-to-clean' flooring and wall cladding utilised in areas such as hospitals allowing some control towards reducingI hospital acquired infections via cleaner surfaces and hence fits with the healthcare technologies theme area of the EPSRC. The student will be trained to analyse the coatings using the full range of materials characterisation techniques and also to test the functional properties of the resulting coatings. The student with then progress onto developing dual functionality coatings (antimicrobial / superhydrophobic or omniphobic) and integration into coating formulations. This will lead to the development of novel or improved products for use in hospital flooring / wall cladding and links in with the manufacturing technologies area. Further developments could also result in applications within transport, such as car wheel hubs.