Hydrophobic coatings: spray or plasma?

Over the past few weeks there has been a lot of excitement regarding hydrophobic coatings in a can. In fact, many people ask us whether they can buy a spray-can of our coating to treat their household items. I asked the scientists at P2i for some extra info on the difference between spray-can coating and the plasma tech they use:

How do hydrophobic coatings work?

Hydrophobic coatings create a layer on top of a surface to repel water and other liquids. Because of the low surface energy created by the coating, water beads into droplets and can therefor easily roll away from the surface. 

Why doesn't P2i offer a spray coating?

There are two big differences between P2i’s plasma coating and spray-can coatings: the size of the layering and the durability. When you spray a substance out of a can onto a surface you are going to create a layer which is microns thick. Now on an online video this looks very impressive, but if you could feel the product yourself, you would immediately notice a difference. A coating which is microns thick is at a size that the human body can detect through touch (with a waxy texture or feel), and at a size that is visible, causing discoloration or a white substance you can physically see.

When you look at the types of products P2i applies its technology to, it becomes clear why spray application is not an option. For example on delicate electronics, P2i’s nano-coating is so thin that it doesn't change the thermal properties of the device. This means that it is not in danger of overheating smartphones or tablets. And at a thousand times thinner than a human hair you wouldn't even know it’s there!

How is it applied?

P2i’s coating is applied in a process called “plasma enhanced vapor deposition”. The process involves three steps.

Step One: the item is placed into a chamber which is brought down to very low pressure.

Step Two: Plasma activates the surfaces of the device making them ready to bond to the monomer which is applied as a vapor. 

Step Three: Further plasma polymerizes the monomer forming a nano-coating layer over and within the product. The chamber is brought back up to room pressure and the item removed.

So there are a few key pieces to this puzzle which ensures a more durable performance than a spray coating. Firstly, because the product is applied in a vacuum it means the vapor can get through to every nook and cranny. In fact the coating can reach nearly anywhere air can go. This means there are no weak points to attract moisture or allow corrosion damage. Secondly, the plasma activation of the surfaces ensures that the coating is chemically bonded to the product, becoming part of its physical make-up, not simply sitting on the surface where it can wipe or rub off. Finally, the plasma polymerization means the coating is applied evenly across the surfaces and so doesn't end up with clumping or disproportionately thicker and thinner points.

Where is it used?  

     

P2i works with the likes of Motorola to apply the splash-proof coating on to tablets and smartphones to give greater liquid protection, while Plantronics use it on their headsets to protect against sweat and moisture damage. Because P2i works directly with brands and manufacturers to apply the technology during production, it is essential that the coating performs to high standards and is durable for everyday use.

Splashes & Spills - No Worries!

Has your phone ever been splashed with water or other liquids? If so, the reaction to this is always one of dread, as smartphones are not designed to mix with water in any of its forms.

There are many solutions out there that aim to prevent phones from a watery grave. For example, putting the device in a bowl of rice, but these methods are optimistic at best and in most cases the end result is still not good.

Smartphones have become such an important part of our everyday lives that there are very few scenarios left where phones do not accompany us. In fact, in a recent survey, 19% of people interviewed admitted to having dropped their phones down the toilet!

All is not lost though, as protection from water damage is now available in the form of the Alcatel ONE TOUCH 997 Ultra smartphone.

The 997 Ultra repels water

Understanding the role smartphones play in today's society, Alcatel have teamed up with P2i to offer consumers a completely water repellent phone and reduce the fears they have when phones and liquids meet. To do this, the ONE TOUCH 997 Ultra comes complete with our nano-coating technology which is applied to both the external and internal surfaces, ensuring total protection from water damaging effects. You can see how our coating is applied to smartphones below:

As the coating is incredibly thin (1000 times smaller than a human hair), it does not interfere with the internal electrical conductivity, allowing all components to be treated, leaving no weak points to attract water and cause corrosion. This is great piece of mind should the 997 Ultra come into contact with water.

When launching the onetouch 997 Ultra, Alcatel mobile's theme is 'No Worries' and with the benefits our water repellent nano-coating offers, the concerns over everyday splashes and spills, or being caught in the rain, are becoming a thing of the past.

You can watch the technology in action below in the official Alcatel video and if you would like to know more details about the 997 Ultra, you can here.

Splashes, spills and rain.... No worries with the ONE TOUCH 997 Ultra!

----

* The water repellent nano-coating applied by TCL, protects the internal components from water ingress and corrosion damage, caused by accidental splashes and spills. The coating is not a waterproof technology and TCL does not recommend that your phone comes into contact with liquids.

The Repellent Files Continued...

Since we first highlighted The Repellent Files back in May we have being busy investigating whether our liquid repellent nano-coating can successfully stop water absorbant products from, well, abosrbing water.

Our first investigation on Teabags was a great success and from there our research went further still, and we started to test our coating on items that dissolve the moment water or any other liquid comes into contact with them, such as coffee and Berocca (Alka Selzter).

We have now posted five different Repellent Files which you can watch on P2i.TV or alternatively we have highlighted each video below:

Case #1: Teabags

Case #2: Berocca

Case #3: The Biscuit Dunk

Case #4: Anyone for Coffee?

Case #5: Sugar Cubes

As you can see our nano-coating technology has proved successful in turning items that we know should absorb and dissolve when in contact with water into products that are now water repellent. If you have any thoughs on items you would like to see featured in this series do let us know either in the comments box below or on our Twitter and Facebook pages, where you can also be kept up to date when the next file is out.



A Brief History of Nanotechnology: Part 5 - A Glimpse at the Future

Over the last few weeks, we've touched on the history of nanotechnology, tracing its roots as far back as the ancient world, examining its emergence as a field of study in the second half of the 20th century and outlining a number of more recent advances. In this, the final instalment of the series, we look at how nanotechnology might develop even further in the not too distant future.

In 2006 a Scientific American article estimated that between 1997 and 2005, "investment in nanotech research and development by governments around the world soared from $432 million to about $4.1 billion and that by 2015, products incorporating nanotech will contribute approximately $1 trillion to the global economy". This increase of investment in and around nanotechnology could have far-reaching effects, impacting everything from how we manufacture products to how we fight diseases, such as cancer. 

One speculative area of nanotechnology that could be very exciting for instance, is molecular manufacturing, which when put simplistically is "the ability to bring materials to life from the simple molecular reconstruction of everyday beings" an idea that Richard Feynman first described in 1959.  And in 1999, claims went even further, stating that molecular nanotechnology "will let us make remarkably powerful molecular computers. It will let us make materials over fifty times lighter than steel or aluminium alloy but with the same strength. We'll be able to make jets, rockets, cars or even chairs that, by today's standards, would be remarkably light, strong, and inexpensive. Nanotechnology will replace our entire manufacturing base with a new, radically more precise, less expensive and more flexible way of making products."

There are also many potential uses for nanotechnology in medicine as well. A preliminary study has indicated that nanoparticles could be used to target and treat cancer in the future by homing in on certain proteins and delivering medication. Meanwhile, researchers have developed artificial muscles that could help propel nanobots through a person's body in order to diagnose and treat medical conditions. These "doctor bots" as they have been dubbed might sound like the stuff of a mad scientist's dreams, but they're a real possibility.

Of course, these statements about the future of nanotechnology as a field are just speculative at the moment and difficult to predict, as are the scientific and societal implications of such developments. But one thing is clear, at least: nanotechnology is a very powerful science, with huge capacity to influence or change many different aspects of our lives.

And with that, our brief look at the history and developments of nanotechnology has come to an end. If you have any questions regarding nanotechnology and nano-coatings in general or are interested to know more about our own technology, just ask. You can find out more about how our nanotechnology is applied to different markets here: http://www.p2i.com/applications

A Brief History of Nanotechnology: Part 4 - The Early 2000s to the Present Day

Our last post explored the emergence of the field of nanotechnology as we know it in the 1980s and 1990s, including seminal developments by scientists such as Eric Drexler, Richard Smalley, and others.

Now we turn our attention towards the early 2000s, which proved to be an exciting time for nanotechnology. The field could now be explored and debated in greater depth. Drexler and Smalley, for instance, famously engaged in a public discussion about approaches to nanotechnology, with Drexler defending his idea of "universal assemblers" and Smalley offering objections.

Meanwhile, concerns about the broader implications of nanotechnology - a potentially very powerful but still relatively new field - were being raised and addressed with consideration given to both the potential benefits as well as risks involved. In 2003 congressional hearings on the societal implications of nanotechnology were raised and in 2004 the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering published a report on the implications of nanotechnology and nanoscience, which you can read here.

Nanotechnology also began to appear more in more commercial settings during the 2000s, including the emergance of our technology and the launch of ion-mask™ on Hi-Tec shoes:

In the early part of the decade, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles were included in sunscreen and cosmetics, and carbon nanotubes were used to make textiles stain-resistant. By 2011 the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies estimated that there were over 1300 nanotech products publicly available.

In our next and final post of the series, we'll take a closer look at what the future might hold for nanotechnology. If would like to read some of our early posts in this series you can through the links below:

• Part 3: The 80s & 90s
• Part 2: Early Developments
• Part 1: Roots

You can also find out more about our ion-mask™ technology here and as always if you have any questions we would love to hear them.

A Brief History of Nanotechnology: Part 3 - The 80s & 90s

In our last post we looked at some very early developments in nanotechnology, including the possible impact that Richard Feynman's 1959 lecture "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom" may have had on later advances in the field. It was certainly an influence on Eric Drexler, "the undisputed godfather of nanotechnology", who encountered Feynman's talk in 1979.

The 1980s saw the real emergence of nanotechnology as a field of study. The publication of Drexler's seminal book Engines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology in 1986 marked an important milestone for the field. In the book, Drexler (unknowingly) appropriated and popularised the term "nanotechnology" itself, which had been initially defined in a slightly different context in 1974 by Tokyo Science University Professor Norio Taniguchi as "the processing of, separation, consolidation, and deformation of materials by one atom or by one molecule". In Engines of Creation, Drexler presented his idea of molecular manufacturing and the "molecular assembler": a "proposed device able to guide chemical reactions by positioning reactive molecules with atomic precision". Drexler's 1992 book Nanosystems: Molecular Machinery, Manufacturing, and Computation, published after completion of his PhD at MIT (he earned the first doctoral degree on the topic of molecular nanotechnology) continued to build on these ideas.

The 1980s also saw other important advances, including the invention of the scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) in 1981 and the discovery of fullerenes in 1985. The Scanning Tunnelling Microscope, developed by Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Roher at IBM Zurich Research Laboratory, allowed surfaces to be examined at the atomic level. In 1985, Harry Kroto, Richard Smalley and Robert Curl discovered fullerenes, sometimes called buckyballs - hollow molecules composed of carbon, which helped lead to the structural assignment of carbon nanotubes. These developments meant that "nanotechnology could develop through the scientific method rather than the conceptual and thus untestable visions of Drexler", and the field as we know it today - diverse and full of possibility - was born.

Next week we'll look at some of the debates and developments that have occurred in more recent years, and get a glimpse of where nanotechnology might be headed in the future.

You can find out more about our nano-coating technology here: www.p2i.com/technology

Exhibiting at CTIA Wireless 2012

This week we have been exhibiting for the first time at CTIA Wireless in New Orleans. The show is a leading electronics event and we were there showcasing our Aridion technology to a host of brands, businesses and media.

You can see some images of our booth further below but one of the highlights from the event was the video that Phone Arena took of our demonstration which you can watch by clicking the below screen:

You can read the article in full here. If you would like to know more about Aridion and how it works do ask in the comments below otherwise you can visit www.aridion.com

Kangol introduces P2i headwear collection

You may have seen on our Facebook and Twitter accounts about our collaboration with Kangol on their new range of headwear featuring our ion-mask™ technology. Well, we are delighted to announce that the collection is now available!



To tie in with the launch both Kangol and P2i have released a video which showcases the benefits ion-mask™ brings to headwear which you can see below:

As you can see from the video, headwear that is treated with ion-mask™ will stay dry and lightweight keeping the wearer comfortable throughout the day.

The complete collection can be viewed here: http://www.kangol.com/category/shop/p2i/ and below is an example of how the ion-mask™ technology repels water:

Polo Stripe featuring ion-mask™

We are excited to be working with Kangol and look forward to hearing your thoughts on how you find these hats? If you have any questions about ion-mask™, such as how it works, please do comment below or you can get in contact with us on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Update from NEPCON 2012

We are currently exhibiting at the 2012 NEPCON Expo in Shanghai where the electronics world gathers for 3 days to see new product launches and learn about industry developments and trends.

This is our first time at the Expo where we are showcasing and demostrating our Aridion technology. Here are collection of images from Shanghai:

The Shanghai skyline

Entrance to NEPCON 2012

Our booth gathers a crowd

Our booth before the expo opened

NECPON finishes tomorrow (Friday 27th) so if you are at the show come and visit us in booth 1H57. You can also find out more about how Aridion works here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c83n-vkno8U

We did it again!

So we have returned from AudiologyNOW! 2012 and not only was it a great show but we are delighted to have won the Best of Show award for the second year running! What makes it even more exciting is that this is the first times in AudiologyNOW's history that a company has won the award twice.

P2i's CEO, Carl Francis and Natalia Delclaux accepting the award from AudiologyNOW!

The 2012 Best of Show award

Winning the award topped off what was another great show for us, where we increased awareness of Aridion™ as well as introducing the technology to new businesses and people.

We have put up a collection of images from the show which you can see on our Flickr site as well as watching a montage of what we got up to below:

Returning to AudiologyNOW!

About this time last year our booth was crowned the Best of Show at AudiologyNOW! 2011 and we are back exhibiting at this year's show which takes place in Boston from the 29th-31st March 2012.

Our fingers are crossed, hoping to win the Best of Show award again but our real aim at AudiologyNOW! 2012 is to promote and demonstrate our Aridion™ technology. Since the 2011 show, Aridion™ is now applied to approximately 60% of hearing aids worldwide, protecting them against water and corrosion damage which can occur where moisture, sweat and cerumen builds up.

These types of environments can all be found within and around the ear and are a significant factor in causing hearing aids to malfuction. Aridion™ signfincantly reduces the damage caused by liquid and moisture resulting in longer lasting devices and reduced return rates.

AudiologyNOW! is the world's largest gathering of audiologists and we are looking forward to once again showcasing how Aridion™ can revolutionize the performance of hearing aids for manufacturers and consumers.

Below are some images from last years show:


CEO, Carl Francis and Natasha Verniquet with the Best of Show Award

Capture of the P2i booth from the foyer

We will be tweeting from the show and you can follow us on Twitter here.

Waterproof and water repellent electronics...

On the back of the International CES and Mobile World Congress (MWC) tradeshows there has been an increased amount of discussion, and at times confusion on the difference between waterproof and water repellent electronics. In this post, we will shed more light and understanding on the subject, but before we begin, here is how each is defined:

• Waterproof: Impervious to water
• Water Repellent: Treated with a finish that is resistant but not impervious to penetration by water

Put simply, waterproof requires a physical barrier altering the device, water repellent does not change appearance and can be applied to any device.  

How do electronics become waterproof? 

The term waterproof is itself confusing as there are varying scales of 'waterproofness' that can be measured to determine how well electronics perform in and around water. This scale is known as the Ingress Protection Rating (IPX) and is based on a scale of 0-8 where 0 means it has no protection and 8 means it can handle continuous immersion in water. For example, an electronic device that has an IPX7 rating is protected against water submersion to a depth of 1m for no longer than 30mins. The level of water protection a device is capable of is usually highlighted by the manufacturer either on the device or in the manual.

For a smartphone to pass IPX6 and above, the devices physical appearance is normally compromized and this can be seen through the development of ruggedized handsets that feature protective rubber and plastic casings, as below:

Sonim XP3 waterproof phone

Fast forward to today and what was clear from the coverage at CES and MWC is that there is a strong desire for devices to be able to withstand water or other liquids. But unlike the above, the devices that are now appearing and claiming to be waterproof are not basic phones but instead are the latest smartphones on the market. What's more, these devices do not appear to have a protective case at all.

How are these new devices waterproof?

Well the answer is quite simple, gaskets and O-rings. Before water can reach the valuable internal components where all our data is stored there are barriers in place in the forms of gaskets and O-rings.  For quick reference a gasket is a mechanical seal which fills the space between two or more surfaces to prevent leaking while an O-ring is designed to be compressed between two parts creating a seal. While both these barriers stop water from penetrating inside the device they can still alter physical aspects of the device making them bulky as well as expensive to produce and purchase.

There is also another problem, these seals can be comprised by general use and over time the parts can move or be damaged should the device be dropped. If just one of these barriers were to break, water would then be able seep inside towards the circuit board and internal components, resulting in device failure and loss of data as the inside becomes exposed to water.

Why repellency over waterproof?

Firstly, we need to be clear what repellent means when talking about electronics and how it differs from waterproof. That is where Aridion™ comes in.

The key difference is that electronics treated with Aridion™ will still allow water to get inside. Does that mean the end of the devices life? Not necessarily, as Aridion™ molecularly bonds to both the inside and outside of the entire device ensuring that each and every exposed surface is coated. This means that any water that does come into contact will move away from the surface rather than sticking to the device and if water does get inside, the internal components are also treated, producing the same effect.

This type of protection allows the device to be created without having to compensate for a protective casing, gaskets or O-rings. What is important to remember however is that even though the water is repelled, the coating does not make the device waterproof as it is not designed to withstand submersion.

You can get a better idea of how the coating is applied and works in this video:

Aridion™ provides water protection by removing the buildup of corrosion. Corrosion occurs not just when a phone is submerged but in high humidity and moisture environments such as saunas, in the bathroom when having a shower or traveling through different temperatures. All these factors can lead to internal moisture buildup which over time can corrode the circuits. Aridion™ protects against this as it stops the water/moisture from sticking to and in between the components which would result in electrochemical migration. Electrochemical migration is the movement of metal ions between conductors and if this happens the device short circuits.

So what is the difference?

In the simplest terms, for a device to be waterproof it has to either be completely sealed and ruggedized (making them bulky) or alternatively it must have barriers in place which stops water from penetrating through. The disadvantage with that being these seals can break resulting in the device becoming susceptible to water and corrosion damage.

Water repellent does not mean waterproof but it does mean protection from splashes, spills, corrosion and water damage brought on by the scenarios mentioned earlier (humidty and moisture) as well as those 'caught out in the rain' moments we have all experianced.
If you would like to know more about Aridion™ technology and the benefits it offers you can here.

The following video which was filmed at MWC with our CTO Dr. Stephen Coulson visibly demonstrates the benefits that Aridion™ offers to electronics devices:

Aridion™ is applied during the manufacturing process and is already applied to over 9 million devices including the Motorola RAZR and XOOM 2.

Returning from Mobile World Congress 2012

Having attended Mobile World Congress (MWC) for the first time last year we returned to Barcelona bigger and better.

Our booth at MWC 2012

With such a great show in 2011 we hoped that this year would bring similar results and we were not wrong, in fact the the buzz and coverage we recieved surpassed all our expectations.

Before MWC officially kicked off we attended ShowStoppers, a media only event that allowed us to demonstrate our Aridion™ technology to media and journalists from around the world as well as answering any questions they had. Over the course of the day we were interviewed by leading technology sites including Mashable and BBC Technology.

MWC which ran from the 27th February to the 1st March, the pattern continued as we carried out almost hourly interviews and demonstrations and you can see a collection of these interviews and videos by liking our Facebook page and clicking the links. We were also the topic of conversation for many podcast sites and you can listen to The Fonecast interview with our CTO, Dr. Stephen Coulson here and clicking on the Electronics tab.

In addition to this, MWC was also the venue to announce the winner of the Smart UK Project award. The Project was set up to find Britain's most innovative mobile company and despite not winning the award we were delighted to be a finalist from 79 initial company entries. You can watch the summary of the Smart UK Project awards here.

The show was a great success and you can see some of the images from our booth below:

Hannibal our magician performs to the crowd

The team

If you have any questions about our Aridion technology and how it protects your electronics from water damage, you can email us at info@p2i.com.

Next up for us is AudiologyNOW! in Boston.

ion-mask™ heads to ISPO

After a very successful International CES our focus now turns to showcasing our ion-mask™ technology at the 2012 ISPO tradeshow in Munich, Germany.

ISPO which takes place from the 29th January - 1st February is considered the leading international sports business network with around 2,000 exhibitors and over 60,000 delegates from more than 100 countries.

Last July we attended a similar show; the EU OutDoor show in Friedrichshafen where we demonstrated the game changing benefits that ion-mask™ can offer to footwear, textiles and accessories and you can see how we got on in the video below:

Come and see the technology for yourself!

At ISPO 2012 we will be located in Hall B6, Booth 122 where we will again be highlighting our world leading ion-mask™ technology via videos and hands-on demonstrations of treated and untreated footwear, tissues and fabrics.

ion-mask™ has already been adopted by leading lifestyle brands including: Timberland, KSwiss, Hi-Tec, adidas, Van Dal, Scott, Teva, Fox gloves and Bollman Hats to name a few. Attending ISPO is an opportunity to further expand the range of products that ion-mask™ protects. You can see a collection of videos featuring ion-mask™ here.

Throughout the show we will be uploading images and posting comments live from the booth so do 'Like' us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to be kept up to date.

See you there!

CES validates P2i as liquid repellent world leader

In January last year we attended International CES in Las Vegas where we showcased Aridion™, our liquid repellent technology for consumer electronic devices and you can read how we got on here.

For 2012 we went back to CES with an even bigger booth and a major electronic manufacturer incorporating Aridion™ into their production process.

International CES, which took place from the 10th-13th January is the world's largest tradeshow for consumer electronics as well as a showcase for the latest technologies. The 2012 event was the largest in it's 44 year history with over 153,000 attendees and more than 3,100 exhibitors gathering to see the latest technological developments.

Throughout the four days our booth maintained a continous flow of delegates keen to see a demonstration of Aridion™ technology as well as discovering how it can protect electronic devices from liquid damage and corrosion. What was also great is that many delegates who visited us last year came back to our booth, this time bringing a crowd with them interested to see the technology first hand.

Images from our booth over the four days

While the booth was busy with delegates, our technology was also picked up by a host of media and like last year, we receieved a great deal of press coverage from all kinds of sources including; PC World, Gadgetsteria, PC Advisor, Gagagadget, Nerd Reactor, Mobile Magazine, EBN News and Fox News to name but a few! There are also video features still to be posted from popular technology sites including Tech Bargins. These will be promoted on our Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts once live.

The combination of media coverage, a consistantly busy booth and Hannibal, our corporate magician entertaining the crowds, once again made CES a great success for us and validated our position as the world leaders in liquid repellent nano-coating technology for consumer electronics. We are now in further discussions with leading electronic brands about applying Aridion™ to a new range of consumer devices so watch this space.

You can see a collection of our images here as well as watching a short video we have put together showing some of the highlights from our booth:

You can find out more about Aridion™ by visiting: www.p2i.com/electronics and if you have any questions about how Aridion™ works do get in contact by commenting below.

P2i

P2i at CES 2012: Day two

Day two at CES is almost over and it has been great with many delegates amazed by our technology and by our tissue demonstrations. Over the two days we have also received a lot of media coverage as well as interviews and below is a list of just some of the articles that have been posted:

Nerd Reactor: CES 2012 - Dropped your phone? P2i could have saved you
PC Adivsor: P2i's Aridion safeguards smartphones against water
Gagagadget: Toilet-proof your gadgets with P2i

As you can see the coverage we are receiving is superb with many individuals and businesses interested in the opportunities that our technology presents. Throughout the day delegates have also been filming the demonstrations so we expect to see them up on YouTube very soon. We will post another update tomorrow but here are some more images from our booth:

www.p2i.com/aridion

Returning from Filtration 2011

Following on from our last post we have recently returned from Filtration 2011 (INDA) in Chicago where we were exhibited for the first time.

Having never attended a show of this type before we were excited to see how our nano-coating technology for filtration would be received over the two days (16-17th November).

According to the organizers this year's show saw significantly increased visitors and exhibitors compared to last year and we were delighted that a great many of them stopped at our booth (below).

Over the two days delegates were able to take part in hands-on demonstrations as well as ask questions about our technology and the benefits it offers to filter media across a range of platforms including; Air Compressors, Aviation and Diesel Fuel, Gas Turbines and Hard Disk Venting.

With INDA proving such a success we are looking forward to more Filtration shows in the new year.

You can see a collection of our images from the show on our Flickr page as well as watching our Filtration video below:



If you have any questions regarding our technology for filter media you can contact us here.

The difference between water resistant and repellent technologies

We recently came across the EMU Australia footwear brand who produce and sell a great range of sheepskin boots around the world but what caught our attention was the following banner on their website:

It is a great visual image that really states the fact that their boots are water resistant. Exploring the site further, EMU have also produced a video showcasing their water resistant sheepskin against a competing UGG boot. You can see the video below:



Before watching the video we initially thought that it was our technology, as the EMU video is similar to a version that we produced back in 2009 that focused on our ion-mask™ water repellent technology (see further down). In the EMU video, they demonstrate the difference between their water resistant sheepskin boot and that of a standard UGG boot. You can clearly see a distinction between the two as the water uptake is significantly reduced on EMU's water resistant sheepskin while the UGG boot completely absorbs the water leading to a stained, heavy and uncomfortable boot.

However, even though the water resistance does keep the EMU boot from absorbing the water, if you look closely you can clearly see that there is a layer of water that remains on the boot once it is pulled out, giving it a shiny but wet look. Over time, this could potentially damage the surface, resulting in the absorption of water and eventual staining. This is when we realized that it was not our technology and that ion-mask™ could be a great solution.

Why ion-mask™?

Earlier, we mentioned a video we produced back in 2009 which carried out the same test as EMU demonstrate above but showcases our liquid repellent nano-coating technology. Although the boots in our demo are made from suede and not sheepskin the principles are the same:



The ion-mask™ treated boot completely repels the water by ensuring the water beads up and rolls off the boot leaving no layer or residue, which can occur with water resistant boots. The untreated version absorbs the water the instant it is submerged. We have also carried out this test using sheepskin boots and you can see the result in the following image:

ion-mask™ treated (Left) / Untreated (Right)

Again, the repellent benefits of ion-mask™ act as an invisible shield forcing the water to bead up and roll off while the untreated version is completed soaked. Adding ion-mask™ to sheepskin boots means total liquid repellency without any leftover layers or streaks that is visible with only a resistant protection in place. An ion-mask™ repellent coating ensures that they remain dry, lightweight and most importantly comfortable.

While EMU's water resistant sheepskin boots do offer protection they still allow water to remain on the boot which over time can lead to staining and absorption. With the addition of ion-mask™ this is no longer a problem and as it is applied on the nanoscale you don't even know it is there.

If you want to know more about ion-mask™ you can here.

Aridion™ to take centre stage at EUHA 2011

It is conference time again and today we are in Nuremberg, Germany where the 56th International Congress of Hearing Aid Acousticians (EUHA) is taking place from the 19th-21st October.

EUHA is Europe's largest hearing aid tradeshow and this will be the first time that we have had a significant presence here.

Over the coming days, from our booth (G-14) we will be showcasing our Aridion™ technology to specialists in the hearing aid and acoustic industries.

With Aridion™ now serving three of the world's largest hearing aid manufacturers and over 5.5 million devices treated we are hoping for a very successful show and will be tweeting live which you can following via our Twitter account.

If you would like to know more about Aridion™ you can here as well as watching the video below:



We will post an update next week following up on how the show went.

Best Use of Technology Award

What a year we are having! Back in August we won the 'Most Innovative Company in Europe' award from the International Business Awards (Stevies) and we are delighted to announce that we have won another prestigious award.

On Tuesday the 4th October at the Fast Growth Business Awards (FGBA) in London, UK, we were delighted to win the 'Best Use of Technology' award.

In what was a competitive category we won the judging panel over with our 'huge scope and potential, turnover growth and strong profit margin' which you can read in more detail via the Winner's Archive.

What do the awards represent?

The awards are organized by Growing Business magazine which is the UK's leading magazine for entrepreneurs and cutting edge businesses. The event was attended by over 300 entrepreneurs, business journalists and industry leaders. 

What won us the award?

To be in contention for the 'Best Use of Technology' award, we had to demonstrate growth and success, customer satisfaction as well as showcasing a link between the use of technology and growth, something we have achieved successfully with our Aridion™ and ion-mask™ technologies.

Peter Rankin, P2i's Operations Director who accepted the award on our behalf, reflects on what this recognition means to P2i and how our technology enables continued growth for the future:

This award now sits alongside our other achievements, which include:

- International Business of the Year 2011

- Business Hero Award for 'Borderless Business'

- ISPO BrandNew Sportwear Award

CEO, Carl Francis also reflected on how our growth has established a world leading company "This award recognizes the expertise and diversity of our liquid repellent nano-coating technology across a range of market sectors, from consumer electronics to footwear and accessories. The possibilities for nano-coating are endless as P2i continues to build on our cutting edge technology by moving into other functional nano-coatings."

You can see images from the event on our Flickr page as well as keeping up to date with everything P2i through our newsletter.