Decontamination using advanced temporary coatings

 
Strippable coatings have been used on British military vehicles to adapt flexibly a vehicle's colour and glint signature. We aim to develop strippable, waterborne coatings which absorb and retain chemical, biological, and radiological agent contamination to protect those operating the vehicle. The coatings are both oleophilic and hydrophobic. The oleophilic properties focus on ensuring rapid agent uptake, whilst hydrophobicity ensures environmental contamination does not saturate or degrade the coating. Rapid uptake is achieved by cracking to the top-surface and incorporating mesoporous silica generated by optimisation of solid loading into the coating whilst remaining sprayable. Recent research focussed on ensuring cracking effectively wicks chemical agent, to uptake contamination more quickly whilst maintaining durability. The cracking characteristic means the coating is capable of reducing the contact hazard posed within 30 seconds of contamination. The coating can be easily peeled off, removing the contamination within and creating only a small amount of waste.