New Self Cleaning Building Material Found by Researchers

It would be a lot easier and time saving for millions of people if this self-cleaning building material could be implemented all around the world. Such type of self-cleaning magics can be found frequently in fantasy movies. Now researchers under the funding of  China National Petroleum Corporation–Chinese Academy of Sciences found such kind of building material through the research.

Xin Xu was a researcher in China, with his colleague was so intrigued about the water-repellant ability of lotus and Gecko. While there are some water repellent building materials available in the market, Xin Xu wanted to discover a new one. Most of the self-cleaning building material in the market is prone to scratches and peeling off from the surface.

Xin Xu wanted to design a superhydrophobic that could long last for years. Like an inspiration from the design of Lotus leaves, Xin Xu wanted a material that should repel liquids by making them droplets and roll off the surface by cleaning all the dust while tilting.

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), which is made up of a silicone polymer that hates water, an emulsifier, and oil, is added to the concrete while it is wet. The team made the PDMS stay behind on the concrete while the oil leaves upon heating. This process ends in making a lightweight and strong, self-cleaning concrete.

Xin Xu also added sound insulation and heat insulation property in that water repellent material. Subjecting the material to tests, it stands against all types of liquids and stains, such as milk, beer, dyed water, and sauce. The material could also be immersed into liquids and surface it without any wetness and stains on it.