Icy Pink Roads

It’s hard to see icy patches on the road ahead. Wouldn’t it be great if the road could signal whether it was icy? Scientists are working on a road coating that will turn pink in dangerously icy conditions!

A new temperature-sensitive varnish developed by researchers at French company Eurovia can be applied to road surfaces to warn drivers about dangerous conditions. The technique – still at the testing stage – might help prevent ice-related traffic accidents in future, the researchers say.

The varnish is made of a polymer containing a thermochromic pigment. The same type of coating is already used to make bath thermometers and frozen food packaging that responds to temperature change. However, it is the first time such a coating has been used to monitor road temperatures.

The color change would also make it easier for road crews to distribute salt. The challenge ahead is to make the coating more visible at night, and to make it last through the summer months.

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