a) A drop of water on a smooth easy-to-clean surface

b) A drop of water on a structured easy-to-clean surface

http://www.inm-gmbh.de

Contact:
Dr. Peter Müller,
Nanomere
Tel.: ++49-681-9300-397
Fax: ++49-681-9300-223

• Development of coatings with increased contact angles for water as well as for non-polar liquids

Method

• Patterning of low surface free energy surfaces by self-organizing small particles

Results

• Decrease of the adhesion forces by structuring the surface to improve the running down of small dirt drops

Applications

• Easy-to-clean coatings on glass, polymers and metals in particular for architecture, traffic, etc.
• Antiadhesive coatings with very low adhesion

• Saving of detergents and water
• Improvement of surface cleaning from dirt
• "Self cleaning effects" for example by rain, because even small water droplets run off sligthly inclined surfaces
• High long-term stability of the superhydrophobic effect, because of excellent scratch and abrasion resistance of the structured surface
• No "poisoning" of the patterned surface by adhesion of detergents or oily liquids, because they can’t interact with and adhere on perfluorinated surface, respectively.
• Increase of contact angles up to 165° for aques liquids and 120° for oily and greasy liquids