soapy
Senior Member
I was just checking out Autoblog and they had a article on Nissan introducing a new self cleaning paint using nano technology. If it turns out to be marketable what will it do to the car wash industry?
Self cleaning paint
- Thread starter soapy
- Start date
Whale of a Wash
5 Washes 36Bays 2Vectors
http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2014/04/24/high-tech-self-cleaning-paint-coming-to-car-near-soon/
Maybe it is expensive as they don't plan to use it. I have replaced windows in apartment buildings that are self cleaning with the sun. They seem to be just easier to clean.
Maybe it is expensive as they don't plan to use it. I have replaced windows in apartment buildings that are self cleaning with the sun. They seem to be just easier to clean.
JGinther
Zip-tie engineer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwoGsCAKsxU
I was worried when I saw the first advertisement from neverwet. But when I tried it on a wheelbarrow, it only worked once. After that it was just another wheelbarrow. I would be very surprised if the paint could actually maintain those hydrophobic properties for more than a couple months of being in the sun. If it can though, I'm selling.
I was worried when I saw the first advertisement from neverwet. But when I tried it on a wheelbarrow, it only worked once. After that it was just another wheelbarrow. I would be very surprised if the paint could actually maintain those hydrophobic properties for more than a couple months of being in the sun. If it can though, I'm selling.
I think that this is something that will happen. When is the big question. My guess is that it's still a few years away from production. But it most assuredly will happen. It may or may not make it to all cars and trucks. If it did go rapidly, it would still be 10 years before it impacted us. Just ask the people who used to own tune up centers where they changed points and plugs.
bigleo48
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Have a neighbor who has the self-healing paint from Nissan. It doesn't really work...car still had small shallow scuffs and didn't look any different than any other car.
If you look at the video, its not as dirty, but all the trim, wheels, windows were still dirty and the car paint was just significantly less dirty. That makes everything other part look worst and likely will cause people to still want to wash the rest since that type of customer will likely want a cleaner car overall.
So for us, I think it will just make our job easier as it will be like washing a very well waxed car.
If you look at the video, its not as dirty, but all the trim, wheels, windows were still dirty and the car paint was just significantly less dirty. That makes everything other part look worst and likely will cause people to still want to wash the rest since that type of customer will likely want a cleaner car overall.
So for us, I think it will just make our job easier as it will be like washing a very well waxed car.
soapy
Senior Member
I saw a little more coverage on this on Fox business today. They expanded by saying that at the current time it will only work on white vehicles since it dries to a opaque color and could not be used on darker cars etc. One trend I see in my area that is nice is that black colored vehicles with black out packages are very popular right now and selling like hot cakes. Black cars show the dirt the most so I would think these new owners will wash more.
Dean Taylor
Dean Taylor, CATEC.com
I got this in an e-mail from a car wash collogue. (YouTube link below) So yes, it's on its way. But like Mac said, it will take a lot of years to be implemented on all new vehicles. Until then, there are still millions of cars that require washing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwoGsCAKsxU&feature=youtube_gdata_player
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwoGsCAKsxU&feature=youtube_gdata_player
PaulLovesJamie
rural 5 bay SS
No way. If somebody invented something that was self cleaning, women would force us to put it on toilets first. Cars would be a very distant second indeed. 
JeffM
The Canadian
The problem with this hydrophobic coating, like any other, is that eventually, over time, it will become subject to stone chips, weakening the edges and causing it to wear off... It's great for this commercial, but not practical in long term theory. Just imagine the same car with patches of this coating worn off and spotted like a dairy cow... lol
robert roman
Bob Roman
“If it (Lotus Effect paint) turns out to be marketable what will it do to the car wash industry?”
If Lotus effect paint is perfected, the outcome could be catastrophic for carwash industry.
However, this “if” is huge.
Leaf of the Lotus plant is waxy and surface structure is microscopic bumps that cause drops of water to “sit up” high minimizing their area of contact with the surface (180 degrees).
The result is water (and dirt it collects) beads-up and easily rolls off surface via gravity and wind creating a self-cleaning effect.
As Jeff implied, if you touch or pinch a Lotus leaf with fingers, the microscopic bumps would be damaged as well as the effect.
This is main problem with Lotus Effect car paint – it’s too frail for day-to-day use. There are also other issues that need resolved that influence consumer purchases like color selection, depth, gloss and smoothness.
For example, the DuPont Company finds the quality and durability of the vehicle’s finish is a reflection of the quality and durability of the vehicle itself. So, product manufacturers have been using nano technology to mimic Lotus Effect.
Nano material is pH neutral and contains silicane or silane (compounds containing silicon), cyclohexanol (precursor to synthetic polymers) and alcohol (carbon chain portion that makes it hydrophobic or water hating).
Spray-on “wax” that contains nano material can hold up for about 30 days.
PPG was first to develop clearcoat with nano particle technology (CeramiClear®) to create a hard, silica-like vehicle surface to resist damage caused by day-to-day use, washing, acid rain and tree sap.
For example, the quality of the paint on my wife’s 2012 Sonata makes the finish on a 2006 Pontiac G-6 look like it was done with house paint. Moreover, I have only needed to wax the Sonata a couple of times a year. It looks like brand new.
Even if Lotus Effect vehicle paint is never perfected, its “effect” is something that consumers actually want to buy thereby making the effect marketable.
For example, Simoniz USA developed hot wax and shine and new “shield” system. These products are positioned to reduce hand waxing to push-button.
What would this do to the car wash industry?
One thing it does is further the growing disparity that exists between automated washes and self-serve segment in terms of value proposition.
If Lotus effect paint is perfected, the outcome could be catastrophic for carwash industry.
However, this “if” is huge.
Leaf of the Lotus plant is waxy and surface structure is microscopic bumps that cause drops of water to “sit up” high minimizing their area of contact with the surface (180 degrees).
The result is water (and dirt it collects) beads-up and easily rolls off surface via gravity and wind creating a self-cleaning effect.
As Jeff implied, if you touch or pinch a Lotus leaf with fingers, the microscopic bumps would be damaged as well as the effect.
This is main problem with Lotus Effect car paint – it’s too frail for day-to-day use. There are also other issues that need resolved that influence consumer purchases like color selection, depth, gloss and smoothness.
For example, the DuPont Company finds the quality and durability of the vehicle’s finish is a reflection of the quality and durability of the vehicle itself. So, product manufacturers have been using nano technology to mimic Lotus Effect.
Nano material is pH neutral and contains silicane or silane (compounds containing silicon), cyclohexanol (precursor to synthetic polymers) and alcohol (carbon chain portion that makes it hydrophobic or water hating).
Spray-on “wax” that contains nano material can hold up for about 30 days.
PPG was first to develop clearcoat with nano particle technology (CeramiClear®) to create a hard, silica-like vehicle surface to resist damage caused by day-to-day use, washing, acid rain and tree sap.
For example, the quality of the paint on my wife’s 2012 Sonata makes the finish on a 2006 Pontiac G-6 look like it was done with house paint. Moreover, I have only needed to wax the Sonata a couple of times a year. It looks like brand new.
Even if Lotus Effect vehicle paint is never perfected, its “effect” is something that consumers actually want to buy thereby making the effect marketable.
For example, Simoniz USA developed hot wax and shine and new “shield” system. These products are positioned to reduce hand waxing to push-button.
What would this do to the car wash industry?
One thing it does is further the growing disparity that exists between automated washes and self-serve segment in terms of value proposition.
