CHICAGO — The International Carwash Association (ICA) reports a German chemical additive producer, BYK-Chemie GmbH, has fielded inquiries from major auto manufacturers regarding technology to create a self-cleaning car.
BYK-Chemie is working with leading paint companies to bring the so-called Lotus Effect paint technology to market. The Lotus Effect creates a self-cleaning surface by building a paint surface of small, aligned bumps, similar to the surface of a lotus leaf. Drops of water roll off this surface in such a manner that they take dirt along.
Lotus Effect technology has widespread applications. Airplanes will not ice-up. Windows and paint won't get dirty and neither will cars.
"In a couple of years," says Wilhelm Barthlott, a professor at the University of Bonn in Bonn, Germany, "We'll have self-cleaning cars."
Current Lotus Effect car paints create a matte finish, which would be undesirable for overall car bodies. But because of the paint's dirt-repellant qualities, car manufacturers are looking to use it immediately for lower areas of the car where they now use plastic.
The ICA reports that with input from the auto industry and other paint manufacturers, BYK-Chemie expects a Lotus Effect paint with additional properties, like a shiny surface, to be forthcoming.
