1. What is Ceramic Coating?
It is a polymer coating, which acts as a second skin to the clear coat to protect it from dust, UV rays, bird droppings, water spots, and scratches.
In contrast to waxes or silicones, the car coating can chemically bond to the top coat of paint, offering outperforming durability. This is why ceramic coating for cars comes with a lifetime warranty and no aftercare plan – it is the most permanent system based on micro-and nanotechnology in the modern era.
And here is the first surprise: There are two durable technologies available – organic and inorganic!
Phew! So, we have to dissect both to learn more about the impact on the car paint.
4. What is the difference between Nano Coating, Ceramic Coating, and Diamond Coating?
Ceramic and Diamond Coating are branded synonyms. I hope that the Diamond brand name refers to the shiny effect and brilliance and not to the hardness because it is a far cry from the 9H pencil hardness of a ceramic coat (up to 10 on the Mohs scale of a Diamond).
Nano coatings for car lacquer, which were mainly sold from 2000-2008, protect the car lacquer for a shorter duration because they need a lot of OH groups to bond. This makes them highly effective as a glass coating for windshields but not as paint protection.
5. Can it be applied as a do-it-yourself product?
If you search the web, most articles say no. This is for a few reasons:
– The formulated nanoceramic is badly formulated and leaves hologram or rainbow effects if applied without adequate training.
– The brand wants to assure quality or to earn money based on its certification (most of the times both).
– The paint protection shall be exclusive for marketing reasons.
From my work at Nano-Care, I can say that those products can be applied DIY with a short, maybe 5-minute, training. The bulk of the work is surface preparation.
#7. What are the costs of a Ceramic Car Coating?
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- The coating liquids arrive at the applicators (car detailers) for $50-$100 in a 50 ml coating kit, which they will need for the whole car. However, most of the costs are caused by surface preparation, paint correction, and proper application. A cost of $500-$2000 is normal, although I would think twice about paying for kits on the higher end
#8. Are there new inventions or innovations in development?
Yes, and my boss (greetings to him) might be not happy with me about posting this video:
It shows a transparent protective film with self-cleaning properties. Yes, you are right – the future of car detailing will involve keeping your car clean with one step – you will only have to refresh this Nano-Care superhydrophobic finish with a simple spray. The film improves the repellency from the Petal effect to the Cassi Baxter state. Interested? Soon, I will release a new article all about superhydrophobic coatings, so stay tuned.
This new generation of ultra-hydrophobic sealants is solving a big problem, which the product Neverwet failed at addressing in the past. That product left a white residue on most car surfaces. This new superhydrophobic finish far surpasses those results.
For preliminary information, please contact my colleagues at Nano-Care.
Never need a car wash again? nano care superhydrophobic ceramic coating finish
#9. What are the further applications of ceramic technology?
For planes…
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- Protection of the airplane fuselage from dirt and aging
- Facilitates de-icing
- Improves the durability of decorative and strongly stressed plastics and synthetic materials
- Protects surfaces from vandalism
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For boats…
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- Protects hulls from aging, and corrosion and provides anti-fouling protection
- Corrosion protection for precious metals on deck
- Delays wear and tear of decorative elements on deck
- Facilitates easy cleaning of saltwater residues
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For buildings…
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- Reliable protection from stains in the interior – kitchen worktops made of quartz, granite, marble, etc.
- Prevention from visible fingerprints (anti-fingerprint) on structured surfaces such as stainless steel kitchen exhaust hoods, elevators, and handrails
- Long-term protection for aluminum, synthetic or stainless steel facades from UV radiation, weathering influences, and acid rain
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For industry…
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- Easy-clean performance in food production (production lines, tanks, reactors)
- Non-stick coating for pipelines, reactors used in the chemical industry, machines, and utility vehicles
- Easy displacement of biofilms
Conclusion
If you use high-quality products, you also get an excellent and sustainable result. However, you should always keep in mind that, according to the current state-of-the-art technology, no self-cleaning is to be expected, but you will see excellent anti-adhesive properties. In the laboratory in Germany, improvements are still being made and, as you can see in the video, it will not be long before ceramic coatings for cars can also be equipped with superhydrophobic effects.