Neverwet is superhydrophobic coatings that are made of various materials. Participated calcium carbonate, carbon nano-tube structures, Zinc oxide polystyrene (ZnO/PS) nano-composite, Manganese oxide polystyrene (MnO2/PS) nano-composite, Silica nanocoating, Fluoropolymer coatings, and Fluorinated silanes are some of the bases used in making superhydrophobic coatings. The most effective of all is silica-based as they are gel-based and thus easy to apply.
You only need to deep object to be coated via aerosol spray or into the gel. Contrary, those that have oxide polystyrene composite are long-lasting compared to gel-based coating. But the procedure of applying the coating is expensive and needs more involvement. Also, carbon nano-tubes are costly and difficult to manufacture with modern technology. Therefore, silica-based gels are still the best option economically compared to others.
Never-wet, just as the name implies, does exactly that! Can you imagine what all this means? Yeah! We know that headache of dealing with wet-soaked items or wet surfaces is about to end! Thanks to the new technology from NeverWet that creates superhydrophobic materials and surfaces. What usually happens is the hefty superhydrophobic coating helps repel water by creating a water contact angle of about 150-degree and above.
So, if liquid-based substances or fluid comes into close contact with the coated surfaces, it slides away immediately from the surfaces. It is mainly because of its hydrophobic attributes. Interestingly, you can apply these nanocoatings by yourself. Purchase DIY sprays that are suitable for small applications and explore your imaginations.
Benefits/Features Of NeverWet Superhydrophobic Coatings
Anti-Wetting
Moisture predicaments are so popular in buildings, motors, cardboard, woods, switches and so on. If it comes into contact with water, they cause severe damages. For example, metal surfaces can corrode, and wood degrades while electric devices in motors and switches can arc and fail. Also, cardboard may wit and fail to protect its content safely. The clothes plus other surfaces too can fail to insulate across the weather.
But with NeverWet nanocoating, the water droplets will not touch the surface. The water will fall on the coated surfaces as it flushes away other contaminants such as dust left on the surface.
Anti-Corrosion
Apart from waterproofing capacity, the superhydrophobic coating is good for protecting any surface from corrosion and wear. Compared to the coating with sacrificial elements such as zinc, this coating is four to six times much better. With neverwet coating, rest assured of the durability of machines affected by corrosion and get damaged with water. They will also be a decrease in pollutant and bacterial growth and, more so, an increase in economic spending.
Self-Cleaning
Since the products are designed with nanotechnology, they can clean dust while repelling liquids. Whenever the dirt, dust, or other molecules accumulate on the coated surfaces, it takes a simple water spray to clean.
Is Hydrophobic Coating Safe?
The new technology of superhydrophobic nanomaterials is non-toxic. They are applied to the surfaces through spin-coating or spray. The method can replace the expensive and dangerous fluorocarbons that are often used to prevent water from surfaces. Hydrophobic coating performs a similar task as fluorocarbon, but it doesn’t contain fluoride.
What Is The Most Hydrophobic Material?
The most hydrophobic materials are superhydrophobic or ultra-hydrophobic that is very difficult to wet. Typically, its contact angles of water droplets on them are more than 150 degrees. It is also known as the lotus effect as the superhydrophobic comes from the lotus plants, which is the greatest water repellent on earth.
It’s no doubt that the lotus leaf is one of the most water-repellent surfaces worldwide. But due to evolving technology, a low-cost class of materials that imitates its properties can be used as a waterproof coating to minimize the use of hazardous chemicals. To achieve it, aluminum oxide nanoparticles are used to act as the papillae. It is then coated with altered carboxylic acids that have highly branched hydrocarbon chains. The chains are spiky, accompanying a rough surface that traps the air layer on top. As a result, there is reduced contact between the water droplets and the surfaces, allowing the droplets to slide off easily.
How Long Does NeverWet Last?
Unfortunately, NeverWet is a short-term coating application on various items. The durability is further affected by the kind of items being coated and simply the condition NeverWet is exposed to. When applied on metals, bricks or tiles, the coating can last for more than a month.
To get the utmost benefits of it, follow the product usage information’s provided therein. Detergents seem to degrade the coating easily, so if possible, avoid using it, especially on aluminum parts. The wear of the coated item due to its usage effect is very common, making them not to shed water anymore. Besides, oily hands can affect the durability of such substances.
Finally, performance varies with the applicant as hard surfaces that are not subjected to detergents last longer. Meaning, chemical contamination reduces NeverWet performance and life span.
One can point out the difference between types of coatings based on their definition. Hydrophobic means “resistant to or avoiding wetting” while hydrophilic, on the other hand, means “relating to, or having a strong attraction for water.” So they are opposite of one another. Hydrophilic is captivated to water, while anything hydrophobic resists water. All this means if hydrophobic maters come in contact with water droplets, it’s forced to bead up and roll off the surfaces. Almost similar to a magnet pushing away metal objects.
A good example of a hydrophilic product is self-cleaning glass. This unique glass has been tailor-made and coated with a Nano-sized and thin film. So, rather than enabling water to form into water droplets, it rolls off and bead ups the class. The cool nanotechnology makes tiny water molecules float over the surfaces, cleaning dirt plus other debris away.
As for hydrophobic HZO technology is utilized. The thin-film Nano coating attracts water and other liquids to roll and bead up any surfaces applied to. Be it a cell phone, tiny circuit board or tablets. Even though this isn’t the major property of numerous coating, the hydrophobic substances are an added advantage.
Is Water Repellent Better Than Water-Resistant?
Water-resistant means the lowest level of water protection when compared to water repellent and waterproof. When something is labeled as water-resistant, it means that the material used in construction makes it very difficult for water to penetrate inside. The device might be coated with extremely light elements that help improve the latitude of surviving contact with water. Products such as watches are made water-resistant to withstand rain or any contact with the liquid during hand washing.
On the other hand, water-repellent is a step ahead of water-resistant coatings. Anything labeled water-repellent is hydrophobic because they have properties that repel water from them. These devices have high chances of surviving in the watery surrounding. Many have nanotechnology that coats both inside and outside of electronic appliances. Many companies claim their product is water-repellent, which is highly doubtable since the elements associated with durable water repellents are very rare.
The waterproof property is also another term that has been used incorrectly. Companies should take a measured risk using the ingress protection rating scale (IP) to label a product as waterproof. The IP rating code is from 0-8 regarding the product’s effectiveness at keeping water from getting into them. But most consumers assume that waterproof is a fixed condition and that water will not damage such items. Although in a certain situation, these devices do get damaged by water. It’s not shocking that the items labeled as water-resistant, water-repellent, or waterproof are usually misrepresented because of incorrect labeling. It is thus important to understand the difference to avoid such misconceptions.
Can You Use NeverWet On Glass?
You can use NeverWet on the glass as several brand’s rain repellents are introduced in the market, durable and hydrophobic water repellent. They offer protection to windshields and glass surfaces from the worst natural elements such as rain. When you apply the NeverWet Rain Repellent, the driving visibility improves, especially during poor weather conditions.
To achieve great results, apply NeverWet Glass Cleaner with repelling properties to keep the glass clean longer. It will not only leave your surfaces streak-free but also remove the dirt and grime from your glass. The product is suitable for all your glass shower doors, basement windows, car windows and any other glass surfaces you could think of and want to keep spotless. Besides, the products boost the durability of your glass twice than the traditional products. They can withstand UV exposure plus wiper blade abrasion, and it’s easy to apply on surfaces.
Conclusion
Applying NeverWet coatings is pretty easy. First, you need to spray on the NeverWet Basecoat and allow it to dry for about 30 minutes. Then apply the NeverWet Top Coat and wait a little bit before spraying numerous light coats on the surfaces you want to protect. Once again, wait for 30 minutes before exposing the surface to liquid substances. Please note these products are highly flammable liquid and vapors, and the application should be done in well-ventilated areas.
