A new paint will soon warn us of damage to buildings and cars
VEHICLES and buildings could soon
inform us if they are feeling up to the
mark or not. Scientists in Japan have
developed a paint that can 'sense' vibrations that warn of impending structural
damage.
Shigenori Egusa at the Japanese
Atomic Research Institute and his colleagues from Kansai Paint Company
made the paint by mixing epoxy in resin
with powdered lead zirconate fitanate, a
piezoelectric ceramic (piezoelectric substances emit electrical pulses when com-
pressed). The surface is painted with the
sticky resin mix and left to dry.
If a surface coated with the mixture
starts vibrating, the resin layer flexes,
'squeezing' the lead zirconate titanate
particles. Each particle then generates a
tiny electrical signal that can be picked
up by metal electrodes placed on either
side of the resin layer. Areas that vibrate
the most send out the largest electrical
signals.
In their experiments, Egusa and his
team found that squares of paint five
centimetres across on an aluminium
beam can successfully map the beam's
vibrations between frequencies of 0 and
250 hertz (Journal of Smart Materials
and Structures, Vol 7, p438).
Egusa believes that similar patches
on vehicles, building supports and plane
wings could give an early warning of
structural failure. "Potentially, the paint
can be applied to all kinds of metals,
ceramics and concrete," says Egusa.
"Smart paints that respond to their
environment are part of the future,"
says Geoffrey Forrilinson, a mechanical
engineer at the University of Sheffield,
UK. "Assumirig that they are robust
and that the signal output can be
optimised, piezopaints offer an interesting and promising alternative to existing sensors."
We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.
Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition.