Taking a cue from the super-hydrophobic (water-repelling) nature of the lotus leaves, a team of scientists from UP-based Shiv Nadar University has developed a unique environment-friendly cost effective coating by extracting the nano-silica particle of rice husk to eliminate discoloration of the surface, physical damage or corrosion on a long-term basis.
It also has the potential to offer an alternative to crop residue burning by farmers, a major cause for air pollution in the northern part of the country. “The self-cleaning coating is a cost-effective and eco-friendly substitute for the existing toxic paints and coatings available in the market,” said Dr Harpreet Singh Grewal and Dr Harpreet Arora,
Associate Professors who with their research team at the School of Engineering at Shiv Nadar University had developed the coating.
The research which has been published in the scientific journal, Progress in Organic Coatings has been sponsored by the Government’s Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), and has been tested under extreme weather conditions including rain and storms.
Results of the research indicate that the exposure to the outdoor conditions has no impact on the coating. Another important feature of the coating is that it is non-toxic and can be applied on all household appliances, buildings, automobiles and industrial components to help elongate their life.
Highlighting the importance of this invention coming out of agricultural waste, Dr Rupamanjari Ghosh, Vice Chancellor of the University said, “Dust and corrosion have a detrimental impact on the industrial and mechanical operations especially in regions that deal with the problem of heightened air pollution. Excessive corrosion leads to unnecessary wear-and-tear of machines and devices, reducing their efficacy and functional life.”
Corrosion has a huge economic and environmental impact on virtually all facets of the infrastructure, from highways, bridges, and buildings to oil and gas rigs to factories and industrial plants.
In addition to causing severe damage and being a potent threat to public safety, corrosion disrupts operations and requires extensive repair and replacement of failed assets. Studies have indicated that global cost of corrosion is around US$ 2.5 trillion, which is equivalent to 3.4 per cent of global GDP.