In the past few years, in part fueled by nano-science and nano-technology, coatings research has taken a new turn. The new direction has also been due to the development and availability of new raw materials, innovative particles, polyelectrolytes, liquid crystals, conductive polymers, as well as large families of stimuli responsive polymer systems. Other research and development contributions have been in raw material design, including polymers made through Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP), layer-by layer, self-assembly, supramolecules and novel polymer bound additives. Along with the availability of new raw materials innovative technologies for design and formulating novel coatings have also be developed.
A major challenge today for material scientists is to develop technologies that can produce novel coating products with extended lifetime, increased safety and perhaps with little or no maintenance. Such an objective may be achieved by designing and developing coating systems that can self-repair. The first section of the Smart Coatings III begins with self-healing technology that is one of the most sought after areas of research world wide. The theme of stimuli responsive coatings continues with other three articles in this section. The second section deals with new platform technologies on smart coatings and their characterization. The last section of the book follows the theme of smart surfaces since the coatings modify the surface properties imparting them special characteristics while performing the traditional coating functions. This book will encourage scientific and technological investigators to expand knowledge to commercially relevant coating systems.
