Self-healing coating and microcapsules to make same
First Claim
1. A self-healing coating that repairs itself upon physical compromise of an application of said self-healing coating that was cured at ambient temperature, comprising:
- at least one liquid COTS coating containing at least some solids; and
medium-sized microcapsules, having a shell defining a volume of a sphere with an average outer diameter between 80 and approximately 150 microns, said volume containing at least one repair substance, said medium-sized microcapsules wet mixed into said liquid COTS coating just prior to application of said self-healing coating,wherein said shell is resistant to degradation by said repair substance; and
wherein prior to application of said self-healing coating and after addition of said microcapsules to said liquid COTS coating, said microcapsules are resistant to short term degradation by said liquid COTS coating; and
wherein said microcapsules in the area of a physical compromise of said applied and cured self-healing coating burst, releasing said at least one repair substance to fill and seal the compromised volume within said self-healing coating.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A self-healing coating, incorporating medium-sized microcapsules filled with a liquid formulation, repairs itself upon physical compromise. In one embodiment, a commercial primer is mixed with these microcapsules and applied. After the coating has cured, any physical compromise of the cured coating results in the microcapsules bursting to release the liquid, in turn filling and sealing the compromised volume of the coating. In applications where a product is used to provide corrosion protection, the liquid contains anti-corrosion material as well as suitable diluents and film-forming compounds. In a preferred embodiment, the microcapsules are provided separately to be mixed with commercial products during preparation for application of the coating. For example, if a paint formulation is known a priori, tailored microcapsules packaged separately from the paint and designed for use with the paint formulation, are wet mixed into the paint during preparation for application.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A self-healing coating that repairs itself upon physical compromise of an application of said self-healing coating that was cured at ambient temperature, comprising:
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at least one liquid COTS coating containing at least some solids; and medium-sized microcapsules, having a shell defining a volume of a sphere with an average outer diameter between 80 and approximately 150 microns, said volume containing at least one repair substance, said medium-sized microcapsules wet mixed into said liquid COTS coating just prior to application of said self-healing coating, wherein said shell is resistant to degradation by said repair substance; and wherein prior to application of said self-healing coating and after addition of said microcapsules to said liquid COTS coating, said microcapsules are resistant to short term degradation by said liquid COTS coating; and wherein said microcapsules in the area of a physical compromise of said applied and cured self-healing coating burst, releasing said at least one repair substance to fill and seal the compromised volume within said self-healing coating. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A microcapsule wet mixed into a liquid COTS coating to produce a self-healing coating cured at ambient temperature, said microcapsule comprising:
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a repair substance; and a shell enclosing a volume containing said repair substance, in which said shell is a sphere with an average outer diameter of approximately 80 to 150 microns, whereupon application of said self-healing coating to a substrate and curing of said self-healing coating thereon, physical compromise of said self-healing coating results in rupture of said shells near said physical compromise and deployment of said repair substance to fill and seal the compromised volume within said self-healing coating. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for providing a liquid self-healing coating that repairs itself after application and curing, comprising:
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providing a liquid non-self healing coating; providing medium-sized microcapsules of an average diameter between approximately 80 and 150 microns filled with a repair substance compatible with said non-self healing coating; and in preparation for applying said liquid self-healing coating, mixing said microcapsules into said liquid non-self healing coating such that said microcapsules are fully wetted and interspersed evenly throughout said liquid non-self healing coating.
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31. A method for producing a self-healing coating upon a substrate, comprising:
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providing a liquid non-self healing coating; providing medium-sized microcapsules of an average diameter between approximately 80 and 150 microns filled with a repair substance compatible with said non-self healing coating; in preparation for applying said self-healing coating, mixing said microcapsules into said liquid non-self healing coating such that said microcapsules are fully wetted and interspersed evenly throughout said liquid non-self healing coating thus producing a liquid self-healing coating; applying said liquid self-healing coating to said substrate by any of a number of means selected from the group consisting of;
brushing, rolling, spraying, and combinations thereof; andpermitting said applied liquid self-healing coating to cure prior to use of said substrate.
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Specification