Smartphones are under a lot of pressure to live up to the
expectations of consumers’ daily lives - meeting the environmental challenges
as we seamlessly integrate between work, social and home life.
On top of this
the miniaturisation of systems based on integrated circuits and close component
spacing, means devices are more susceptible to water damage such as
electrochemical migration.
With all the noise around the Galaxy S4 Active and Experia
ZR we reflect on a post from October 2012 where we answered the question, “How waterproof are consumer electronics?"
- October 2012 -
If you are a keen
follower of consumer technology, then you will be aware that there has
been a steady emergence over the past year of smartphones and
tablets offered complete with 'waterproof' protection. But just how
waterproof are these electronics?
Gadgets form an
essential part of our everyday lives and there are few places
left where our smartphones and tablets do not accompany us. More and more
people are taking their electronics into potentially hazardous locations, for
example the bathroom or even worse, saunas!
What you may not
realize is that even if the device is left in a 'safe' spot, these
environments still pose a risk. Water takes many forms such as vapour,
mist and steam, all of which can penetrate inside devices. If there is
no barrier against ingress, then the vapour or steam can reach
internal components, resulting in corrosion and phone malfunctions.
This principle is
more commonly understood when dealing with water in its normal form,
liquid. Should a device fall into, or be splashed with liquid,
without a protective barrier in place, the liquid
can penetrate deep inside the device, resulting
in electrochemical migration:
- Electrochemical migration is
the movement of metal ions between conductors which results in devices
short circuiting and failing.
Our everyday lives
have resulted in a greater need for electronics that can withstand the effects
of liquids in all their forms. This in turn has seen the latest
smartphones and tablets being offered with a repellent or waterproof
protection.
What makes
electronics waterproof?
For an electronic
device to be considered waterproof, it has to be either completely sealed and
ruggedized (making them bulky), or alternatively it must have barriers in place
that stop water from penetrating through. It is this second option that is
proving more popular now, as it allows devices to offer protection from
water without the need for external casings. In this approach,
manufacturers use seals known as gaskets or O-rings to act
as barriers, stopping liquids from penetrating inside the device and damaging
the internal components.
So are they really
waterproof?
This is an
interesting question as devices can claim to be waterproof if they have
barriers in place to keep water out, but what about the internal
components themselves? Are they also protected should liquid manage to get
inside?
The answer in the
majority of cases is unfortunately NO. Sealing devices off does stop water
from getting in but if the barrier is compromised, for
example by a device being dropped, then the case, gaskets or
O-rings protecting it can become damaged and break. This
could allow water to seep towards the circuit board and
internal components, resulting in device failure and loss of data.
It just takes one
break in the seal for water to get inside and if this
does occur, it may not be noticed as seals are hidden away on the inside.
So while we think our device is waterproof, a break in the seal will not
become apparent until the phone is malfunctioning and by then it could be too
late.
The importance of
protecting the internal components
Knowing that
waterproof devices are only as good as the seals and barriers that protect
them, it is important that protection is also offered to the internal
components as well. And this is where liquid repellent nano-coating
technology comes in.
A liquid repellent
nano-coating differs from a waterproof solution in that it is not a
physical barrier, meaning that liquid can still penetrate inside the device.
This, however, is not the end of the device's life. The nano-coating,
which is applied in vapour form, molecularly bonds to both the inside and
outside of the entire device, ensuring that each and every exposed surface
is treated. What this means is that, although water can get inside the
device, any liquid that does come into contact with components will simply
move away from the surface, rather than sticking to it, resulting
in reduced corrosion, electrochemical migration and failure.
While a nano-coating
is not waterproof (it is not a physical barrier), it does protect
from splashes and spills as well as less obvious 'wet' environments such
as saunas, bathrooms and high humidity climates.
A
waterproof device has many benefits for day to day life but if
the barrier fails, the device becomes vulnerable. By applying a liquid
repellent nano-coating to the internal components, protection is offered
to the most valuable parts of electronic devices, where all our data, numbers
and images are stored. Nano-coatings are not a waterproof solution but do
offer protection against everyday scenarios and environments, we and our devices
find ourselves exposed to.
