New Report Details Development of Self-Healing Materials in Automobiles
IDTechEx has released a new report titled, “Self-Healing Materials 2025-2035: Technologies, Applications and Players“, on the development of self-healing materials in the automotive industry.
Self-healing materials, capable of repairing physical damage, present a significant opportunity for disruptive innovation in materials science, improving longevity and reliability. The automotive industry is of particular interest, with a high degree of importance placed on maintaining the appearance of vehicles, while rapid self-healing tires prevent punctures from interrupting journeys. The automotive sector offers a clear route to market for this emerging family of next-generation materials.
The automotive industry is often an early adopter of luxury products, where both the increased performance and convenience are selling points to consumers. Self-healing materials can be used in a range of automotive applications, including tires, paints and coatings. Use cases even extend to asphalt road surfaces, where damage can lead to issues for vehicles and drivers.
As far as self-healing coatings and paints go, paint protection film typically consists of a polyurethane wrap that flows into scratches. The film closely resembles vinyl bumper sticker material but is significantly thicker, making it highly durable while remaining nearly invisible. Self-healing properties have made it a popular choice for protecting the paint on cars and trucks. Beyond film, coatings also exist that can be applied to the most damaged areas of vehicles, such as the front bumper, headlights and mirror housing.
A notable example is the BMW iX, released in 2022. The updated electric motor requires less cooling than its predecessors, so the well-recognizable BMW grille has been repurposed for the iX. It houses camera technology, radar functions and various sensors, along with a heating and cleaning system, making durability a top priority. To enhance resilience, the grille is coated with polyurethane, which is reported to repair minor scratches within 24 hours at room temperature or in just five minutes when exposed to warm air.
To read the full report, click here.
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March 24, 2025 at 08:37PM
https://www.bodyshopbusiness.com/new-report-details-development-of-self-healing-materials-in-automobiles/
Jason Stahl