"You can make it whatever color you want, just add pigments" said Urban. Car paint is "the first applications that comes to mind, but you can think of electronics, phones, iPods, etc." The beauty of the new coating, according to Craig Hawker at the University of California, Santa Barbara, is that since it is made from a derivative of chitin, it is environmentally friendly. "The use of renewable materials is a centrally important selling point," said Hawker. "And the novel use of UV as a trigger for healing is extremely versatile." "There could be some issues, especially when you scale production up," said Urban. "But it shouldn't be a long time before you see this material in commercial production. Related Links: Discovery Tech for news, interviews and more HowStuffWorks.com: Economics and the Future of Car Repairs |
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