Everyone knows someone who has dropped their phone into a toilet, if they haven’t done it themselves. The problem is that electronics are not water proof. They may be resistant to water in small dosages, but after being submerged in water, or dumped on by any other liquid, these electronics are destroyed beyond repair.
The good news is that new nano-coating technology could prevent the damage that is inevitable from electronics being submerged in water. The coating is simply sprayed onto any solid surface, which will then repel almost any type of liquid.
How the Coating Works
The coating is made of a polymer substance. It is a chemical and will actually lower the surface energy of the product. This causes the liquid to bead up and roll off the product. Rather than the water absorbing into the electronic device, it will literally roll away. The product is only 50 nanometers wide, which makes it invisible to the human eye. What this means is that the phone, tablet, or other electronic device that has a coating will not look any different than one without, but it will perform a lot better.
How It Started
Nano-coatings were originally created for the military. A British military was seeking for a product that would protect their soldiers’ uniforms from any type of liquid, including chemical agents. After a year of research, they discovered the perfect combination that became this nano technology.
Because of the success of the research, the liquid repulsion scale was almost immediately updated. Resistance was at a level that it had never been at before. After years of perfecting the technology, patents were made, and the product made its way into the British military, and eventually into society as a whole.
Where It Works
There are various industries using this nano-coating technology. Although it was hard to sell at first, the benefits of the product spoke for themselves, and the product soon took off in the technological world. Most notably are phone companies that are using the technology for their phones. Nano-coating machines are being installed by the hundreds, as more and more mobile phone companies and their consumers want this type of protection. Other electronics, such as tablets, are also perfect for this type of coating.
Although it has been most effective and most apparent in the electronics industry, nano-coating is going to soon be found on clothing labels. Not many clothes are labeled as water proof, because they do not have the technology and products to back up their claims. With this new nano-coating technology, more and more shoe and clothing companies will be able to provide products for their customers that are truly water proof.
What the Future Holds
Because of the success of this technology, it will be tried on more and more products in the future. Producers have already done experiments with surfboards, race cars, tennis balls, and other similar products. While time still has to tell how watertight this product really is, it has already proven to be a big benefit when it comes to electronics and clothing. The future has a lot to gain from this new discovery.
