Automotive care evolves amid new research on coating degradation

Automotive care is evolving from traditional washing methods toward highly specialized detailing. While conventional washing focuses on rapid dirt removal using water and soap, detailing treats a vehicle as a complex assembly of different materials requiring specific procedures. Experts, including those from RACE, suggest that meticulous steps like pre-washing are essential to prevent particles from scratching the paint during deeper cleaning.

Complementing these maintenance concerns, new scientific research highlights a microscopic threat to vehicle surfaces. A study by the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research suggests that raindrops can act like ‘micro-lightning’ due to electrification by contact. As water droplets slide over surfaces, they can acquire an electrical charge similar to static electricity.

When these charged droplets impact protective coatings, they can cause localized degradation over time. In controlled tests involving copper plates protected by Teflon, researchers observed that thousands of electrically charged droplets degraded the coating, eventually exposing the metal to corrosion. This cumulative effect leaves vehicle surfaces more vulnerable to oxygen, moisture, and salt.