Corrosion detection and protection in one

Materials Science The corrosion or rusting of metal structures is an important problem that shortens the life span of buildings and vehicles. Coatings can be used to slow the corrosion down, but they can be damaged or worn away and do not help reverse the process. Thongchaivetcharat et al . created Pickering emulsions in linseed oil containing a corrosion sensor, a corrosion inhibitor, and a healing agent stabilized by a coating of solid particles. The Pickering emulsion droplets were embedded in a polymer matrix that could be applied to the surface of a metal. Corrosion of the metal caused a color change of the trapped dye molecules and the release of the corrosion inhibitors. The coating also showed self-healing after mechanical damage. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 12 , 42129 (2020).