Smart and intelligent nanocoatings have emerged as crucial components in various industries, offering enhanced functionalities and improved performance. This chapter explores the recent advancements in studying smart and intelligent nanocoatings, encompassing their design, synthesis, characterization, and applications. The chapter aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current state-of-the-art in this field and highlight the potential for future development and research. This chapter concluded that developing smart and intelligent nanocoatings has significantly enhanced various industries' performance, durability, and safety. However, future research focuses on reducing costs, scaling up production, and creating more advanced systems with existing technologies, such as sensors and actuators.
TopIntroduction
Advanced nanocoatings that utilize nanotechnology and possess responsive or adaptive properties are known as competent and intelligent coatings (Abdel-Karim and Waheed, 2013; Girigoswami et al., 2022; Nile et al., 2020). These coatings are highly versatile and designed to sense and respond to changes in their surroundings, making them capable of performing various functions (Cao et al., 2022; Cerqueira et al., 2017; Malik et al., 2023). Intelligent nanocoatings have garnered significant attention in recent years, with potential applications across various industries (Cerqueira et al., 2017). To fully grasp the importance of studying smart nanocoatings, it is necessary to define key terms and concepts. Nanocoatings are thin films or layers, typically measured in nanometers (one billionth of a meter), and applied to surfaces to enhance their properties, such as durability, corrosion resistance, self-cleaning ability, or antimicrobial activity (Vasile, 2018). Nanotechnology involves manipulating materials at the nanoscale (typically between 1 and 100 nanometers) to achieve unique properties and functionalities. Advanced nanocoatings go beyond regular coatings by incorporating responsive elements into their composition. External factors such as temperature, light, humidity, pH, or mechanical stress can trigger these responsive elements. By responding to these factors, smart nanocoatings can change their properties in a controlled manner. The study of intelligent nanocoatings is vital for numerous reasons, including:
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These coatings can revolutionize various industries by offering improved functionality and performance.
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They provide solutions to challenges traditional coatings face, such as limited durability or a lack of adaptability.
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Smart nanocoatings can contribute to sustainability efforts by reducing the need for frequent reapplications or maintenance. Intelligent nanocoatings have a wide range of applications across various industries. In the automotive industry, they can create self-healing surfaces that automatically repair minor scratches or damages, improving the aesthetics and extending the lifespan of vehicles (Thakur and Kumar, 2022).
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These coatings can provide anti-fogging properties for windshields or windows, enhancing visibility and safety.
In food packaging, intelligent and innovative nanocoatings are quickly gaining popularity for their ability to enhance packaged food items' safety, quality, and longevity (Ashfaq et al., 2022; Singh et al., 2023). These coatings offer a range of functionalities, such as antimicrobial properties, gas barrier properties, and sensing capabilities. With advancements in developing these intelligent nanocoatings, the food packaging industry has revolutionized, providing improved protection against contamination, spoilage, and degradation (Girigoswami et al., 2022; Motelica et al., 2020). One of the most significant advancements in designing intelligent nanocoatings for food packaging is the integration of antimicrobial agents. These agents help to impede the growth of harmful bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms on the surface of packaging materials, thereby minimizing the risk of foodborne illnesses (Jagtiani, 2022). Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are commonly used as antimicrobial agents due to their exceptional antibacterial properties (Singh et al., 2023). They can be integrated into the nanocoating formulation or applied as a separate layer on the packaging material. When silver ions are released from the nanoparticles, they disrupt the cellular processes of microorganisms, leading to their inactivation (Sharma et al., 2017).