Construction Tech of the Week | SmartBidNet | Smart Paint

Remember the carbon nanotubes we mentioned two weeks ago? Well, they're back. And they are finding their way into more structural elements. A research team from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland is experimenting with combining carbon nanotubes and a recycled by-product of coal combustion to produce a 'highly durable, cement-like paint.'

But wait, there's more. 

These nanotubes can carry electrical currents and when bent (i.e. the paint cracks) the electrical conductivity changes. Researchers have discovered how to track those changes via wireless communication nodes underneath the paint and can therefore transmit signals on the state of the paint, any defects, cracks, weathering, etc. Engineers can therefore repair areas before the deterioration moves past just paint and becomes a bigger threat.

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