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The Science Behind SmartClear Technology

Why headlights appear “foggy”

Nowadays, headlight lenses are constructed of polycarbonate, a type of plastic. Car manufacturers will initially apply a coating to the lenses to block the sun's UV rays from deteriorating the plastic. Over time, this coating will break down and the surface at a microscopic level will appear rough and uneven which causes the fog/discoloration you often see on cars today.


How the current method works

Headlight restoration kits come with an abrasive element such as sandpaper or abrasive compound that is used to remove the deteriorated UV protective layer. After it has been removed, a UV sealant is used to protect the lenses. This method typically takes a lot of elbow grease and about an hour to do.


To better understand how SmartClear works, here is a quick look into the field of optics.

When light encounters a material, it can interact with a material in a few different ways, depending on the nature of the material. For example, clean water and glass reflect a small portion of the light, while opaque materials absorb most of it. Translucent materials are made up of components that both reflect and absorb light.


A headlight lens begins its journey as a transparent material and slowly turns translucent. To fix this, we must change the refractive index of the polycarbonate, so that light can travel straight through the lenses again.


How SmartClear can skip the sanding process

Oxidized headlights at a macroscopic level show that the surface becomes more irregular over time. Meaning that as debris and harmful UV rays from the sun hit the lenses, they become pitted and not as smooth. These tiny pits and scratches make the surface scatter light, giving it a blurred appearance. When our coating is applied, it works by filling in these surface irregularities, thus smoothing out the surface and allowing light to travel without bending through the lens.


This revolutionary method instantly clears up the fog and provides a glossy, smooth and durable new finish to the headlight.


Our coating was specially designed to be an all-in-one solution. This means that not only will our coating restore the clarity of the headlights, but it will also protect them from further UV damage for up to one year!


Looking to restore your headlights without the fuss? Look no further. Try Detour Auto's One-Step Headlight Restoration Spray and be amazed at the instant clarity and long-lasting results it provides.


For more information, visit www.detourauto.com/smartclear


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