Research into ceramic coatings began in the 20th century in an effort to improve the properties of metallic engine components. This resulted in an inorganic, non-metallic, inert film made of silicon-based polymers that forms a strong bond to metallic surfaces. Since then, ceramic coatings have found a spot in various fields and applications due to its many unique properties. It is virtually weightless, anti-corrosive, heat resistant, and wear resistant.
The automotive care industry, in particular, takes great advantage of all of these features in order to provide many amazing benefits for various surfaces on vehicles, from the paint, to the glass, trim, and rims! To explain how it functions, let’s dive into the basic model of how coatings are structured when they are installed.
Most ceramic coatings will be applied in 2 layers: a softer, flexible base layer and a harder top layer. The base layer acts as the carrier for the hard top layer coat, which would have a difficult time forming a bond directly with most substrates. It is the point where most of the coating adhesion occurs and a major factor in the durability of a coating.
The top layer provides all of the functional features of a coating: the gloss, the hydrophobicity, the chemical and swirl resistance, etc. These two layers interlink, forming a sealant that scores high marks in all the qualities an enthusiast could want: candy gloss, top-of-the-line hardness, slick hydrophobics, and extreme longevity.
