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.

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

On the way to IFA 2011, Berlin

We are in full tradeshow mode here. Having not long returned from EU OutDoor in Friedrichshafen where we promoted ion-mask™ we are now heading to Berlin from the 2nd-7th September for IFA 2011, to showcase Aridion™ technology.

IFA (Consumer Electronics Unlimited) is Europe's largest consumer electronics event, presenting the latest products and innovations from all the leading brands. This will be our first time exhibiting and we can't wait.

Like previous shows, visitors to our booth (Hall 9 Booth 304) will be able to see first-hand what our Aridion™ technology can do for electronics. Delegates can also take part in live demonstrations, interact with an Aridion™ specific holographic display as well as engage with Hannibal, our corporate magician.

Hannibal

It promises to be a very exciting show. You can find out more about IFA here as well as learning more about Aridion™ in our Electronics video below:



We look forward to seeing you there! Be sure to follow us on Twitter to see how we are getting on.

Faces of Nano: P2i interviewed by TechSplurge

Earlier this week our Principal Scientist, Delwyn Evans was interviewed by Julian Taub for this TechSplurge Blog as part of the Faces of Nano series. You can read the full interview below:

FACES OF NANO: Dr. Delwyn Evans

Companies are an important part of the nanotech initiative. They take lab discoveries and apply them to consumers’ daily lives. One of the most successful nanotech companies, P2i, just won the title of Most Innovative Company in Europe. P2i manufactures technology that adds liquid repellent protection for both electronics and apparel (footwear). I interview Dr. Delwyn Evans, a chemist at P2i.

JT: Tell me about yourself, your background, and your position at P2i.
DE: I’m the Principal Chemist at P2i, and my responsibilities include the development and optimization of our nano-coating technology, representing the company at conferences and training our technical staff in the chemistry aspects of our process. Prior to P2i I worked for Abbott Laboratories as a Principal Scientist on blood glucose sensors and Cookson on residue-free solders. My degrees in Chemistry were obtained at the University of York, UK.

JT: How did you become interested in nanotechnology? How did you come to work at this company?
DE: Nanotechnology is interesting as it helps push technical boundaries set up by the limitations of incumbent technology, and when it’s commercialized, then it’s game-changing. P2i was particularly attractive as their technology can be applied to a wide range of industrial markets and so deliver serious commercial impact.

JT: How does the P2i technology work?
DE: On a general level, P2i’s process applies a nano-thin polymer coating to the surfaces of products. Depending on the customer’s requirements, a different polymer can be put onto their product so the surface can be made water repellent, oil repellent, water wetting or a range of other effects. Products are processed in a vacuum chamber and plasmas are used to activate the product surface and promote the growth of the polymer layer. As the process occurs in a vacuum, the monomer (polymer pre-cursor) can penetrate into the 3D structure of the product. At the end of the process, the chamber returns to atmospheric pressure and the treated items are removed and ready for use. It can have environmental benefits compared to traditional technologies as it only uses small quantities of monomer, and its solvent free.

JT: P2i was just named the most innovative company in Europe. What do you find to be the most innovative aspect of its technology?
DE: The adaptability of the core technology and work P2i has put in to take it from a university lab bench to a globalized industrial process. Many scientists are really surprised that the results from a PhD project can directly lead to a successful business.

JT: Where can I find P2i products?
DE: Consumers can currently find P2i-treated products on footwear and hearing aids. Many brands of shoes for sport or outdoor activities have taken up P2i’s water repellent treatment - ion-mask™. In the electronics sector, we have a technology called Aridion™, which prevents the ingress of water into devices. Over 4,500,000 hearings aids have now been processed with Aridion™. Hearing aids have their internal components protected against water ingress with our Aridion™ technology and so last longer in humid environments. We also treat bioconsumable products for lab use and filter membranes. As our technology develops further, we aim to bring a range of effects to a wider range of products.

JT: What do you see as the extent of P2i technology benefitting our daily lives?
DE: P2i technology makes great products even better. It can extend their lifetime, give them different functionality, and offer a wider choice of materials to product designers for their construction. And it can do all this with minimal amounts of chemicals, which gives it a low environmental footprint.

JT: Lastly, as someone on the cutting edge of science and technology, where do you see nanotechnology in five years?
DE: Nanotechnology will have its greatest effect in improving existing technologies and enabling new scientific areas. I expect its impact to be more subtle and gradual to end consumers, but felt more significantly in technical industries. It sounds like an oxymoron, but nano is only going to get bigger!  

(Interviewed on the 15th August, 2011 - The TechSplurge blog can be read here)

The Most Innovative Company in Europe...

Quite a statement to make, but one we feel confident to use as it was announced last week that P2i has won an International Business Award or 'Stevie' as it is more affectingly known for the Most Innovative Company in Europe category.

So what are the Stevies?

Originating in 2002 with the American Business Awards, the International Business Awards or Stevie Awards were created to honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and working people worldwide.

Overseen by a board of distinguished judges and advisors, we were selected from more than 3,000 entries, across 40 nations and through two rounds of judging by 200 business professionals worldwide.

What makes us stand out?

To be selected for a Stevie Award you need to show great performance in business globally and that is what we have achieved by changing the way people think about everyday liquid protection. As an example of this, Aridion™ our liquid repellent nano-coating for electronics has, in just two years, revolutionized the reliability of hearing aids, to the extent that one manufacturer has reported a 50% reduction in corrosion and moisture related damage. Adding to this, Aridion™ is now applied to more than four million devices and we are working with four of the six leading hearing aid manufacturers.

And our innovation does not stop there, as Dr. Stephen Coulson, CTO explains in the video below:




The awards will be presented at a gala event on Tuesday, 11th October at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and as Carl Francis; CEO explains it is an award we are delighted to have won:

“We have a highly innovative, fast growing and scalable business which is based on proprietary and game-changing technology. Innovation is part of our corporate DNA, so we are extremely proud to receive this prestigious award."

Now to plan the acceptance speech...

Aridion™ Technology: Transforming the reliability of electronic devices

Last week we looked at the beginnings of Nanotechnology. This week we turn our focus on Aridion™, P2i's nano-coating technology for electronic devices.

But first, what is P2i technology?

Our patented technology employs a special pulsed ionized gas (plasma) which is created within a vacuum chamber where a nanometer-thin (1000 times thinner than a human hair) polymer layer is applied over the entire surface of a product.

This process dramatically reduces the surface energy of a product, so that when liquids come into contact with it, they form beads and simply roll off:



Our technology is focused around two consumer brands: Aridion™ for electronics and ion-mask™ for lifestyle products. For industrial applications the technology is covered by the corporate P2i brand (which will be explored in later posts).

Aridion™ Technology: Transforming the reliability of electronic Devices

What is Aridion™ technology? Aridion™ is our coating for electronic devices. It coats every aspect of a finished product at the nanoscopic level offering a truly durable and invisible liquid repellent coating that does not affect the working components of electronic devices whilst maintaining look, feel and functionality. 

The benefits:

Protective:
Aridion™ delivers an amazing level of liquid repellency to whole devices, so that on treated surfaces, liquid forms beads and simply rolls off.

Reliable:
Aridion™ transforms the reliability of electronic devices containing delicate, expensive components at high risk of liquid damage through corrosion or electrical failure.

Durable:
The liquid repellent nano-coating is physically bonded at a molecular level, so it lasts as long as the material itself

Invisible:
The unique ultra-thin Aridion™ protective layer invisibly improves the performance of electronic devices without affecting the product's look or feel.

You can find out more by visiting the Aridion™ homepage or see the technology in action below in our video:

P2i is Best of Show at AudiologyNOW! 2011

We have just returned from what was a very successful show at AudiologyNOW! 2011 in Chicago, where we are delighted to announce that P2i won the Best of Show award!

The award which is voted for by the AudiologyNOW! attendees, celebrates the 'Best of Show' booth during the event.

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

Carl Francis, CEO, on winning the award said "We are delighted to have been awarded 'Best of Show' at AudiologyNOW! 2011. While this win is no doubt a reflection of the great booth and great team we fielded this year, it also underscores the wide acceptance and market share growth that P2i's Aridion™ technology has achieved across the whole of the hearing aid industry in just two short years."

Images of our award winning booth:

The P2i booth: Best of Show



Our booth from the foyer

Demonstrating our technology inside the booth

The award topped off what was a very successful show for P2i; offering opportunities to strengthen existing relationships with our clients as well as introducing Aridion™ technology to a host of new businesses.

You can see a collection of our images from AudiologyNOW! here. If you would like to know more about Aridion™ and the benefits it offers for hearing devices please do get in contact.

Building up to AudiologyNOW! 2011

With the success of CES and Mobile World Congress, we have now turned our focus on exhibiting at AudiologyNOW! (AAA) which starts tomorrow in Chicago.

The event, which is the world's largest gathering of audiologists, meets annually to discuss the latest developments in hearing technology and is a key market for P2i to further promote our Aridion™ technology.

Already utilized by three of the world's largest hearing aid manufacturers, Aridion™ is well known in audiologist circles having exhibited at AudiologyNOW! last year. However our booth for this year is a significant step up from our display in 2010, below:

P2i booth - 2010

As a sign of the growth we are seeing as a company the booth that P2i will have at AudiologyNOW! 2011 reflects this expansion:

P2i booth - 2011

Featuring a podium for our corporate magician and pods to demonstrate our world leading liquid repellent nano-coating technology we also have a custom 3D hologram kiosk where you can watch all our videos and see the potential applications for our technology.

But what is really exciting is that we will also be introducing our new compact Aridion™ 8 machine to the audiologists at AAA, which has been designed specifically to address the needs of smaller hearing aid manufacturers and dispensers.

Aridion™ 8 Machine

The machine, which will be on the booth for viewing purposes only, measures only 580mm (w) x 860mm (h) x 600mm (d), meaning that it allows for cost-effective and efficient processing of lower product volumes.

And because of its size all Aridion™ 8 machines can be installed at any location that has a standard power supply and are operated at the touch of a single button.

The Aridion™ 8 opens up unique opportunities for all hearing aid manufacturers to provide the protective benefits of Aridion™ to the millions of hearing aids made each year, something that we are very excited about.

Audiologists will be able to see firsthand how compact the machine is and we will have staff available to answer all questions.

AudiologyNOW! 2011 is also another benchmark for P2i and Aridion™, as there are now over four million hearing aid users benefiting from our unbeatable protection against corrosion damage.

To find out more about Aridion™ and the Aridion™ 8 machine you can visit us at Booth 1371 during the show (7th - 9th April), we look forward to seeing you there.

Presenting at BIOMEDevice 2011

As Principal Scientist at P2i I speak and present at a host of conferences, demonstrating the liquid repellent benefits of our nano-coating technology and in February, I was the final speaker at BIOMEDevice, held on the 23rd and 24th in Paris, France.

BIOMEDevice brings together the Biotechnology, Medical device and Pharmaceutical indutries for the future development of combination devices.

Being the last speaker can at times be challenging, with delegates heading to the airport or hotel as the conference comes to a close, but there was a good turnout for my presentation entitled: Cost-effective nano-coating protection of medical devices.

Due to the visible nature of our technology it is best explained through live demonstrations as this gives attendees a clear picture of the liquid repellent benefits that our technology offers. To do this I produce an untreated and treated tissue as well as a glass of water. As expected when the untreated tissue is placed in the glass it absorbs the water becoming heavy and rather useless, but when I place the treated tissue in the same glass it emerges completely dry with the water beading up and rolling off.

For further effect, I threw both tissues across the stage: the untreated curved through the air to land in a wet pile, while the treated floated gently down - this generated a spontaneous round of applause from the delegates.

You can see a similar version of this demonstration in the video below:

Overall the presentation was very well received with many delegates staying behind asking questions about our technology and it applications for the medical sector. You can find out more about P2i here - http://www.p2i.com/  

Dr Delwyn Evans

P2i @ Mobile World Congress 2011

With the success of CES behind us, we turned our attention to the Mobile World Congress (MWC) which took place on the 14-17th February in Barcelona.

MWC is the mobile industry's key event with more than 49,000 attendees in 2010 and in 2011 the event was bigger than ever making it a perfect time for P2i to introduce Aridion™ technology to key businesses and decision makers in the mobile phone sector.

Having never attended MWC before the buzz that our technology generated was incredible. Throughout the show we found that people were often returning to the booth bringing colleagues with them to see the demonstration for themselves. From this it was evident that businesses could visualize the potential benefits of incorporating our technology into their existing or new products.

Similarly to CES, we again had our holographic display, videos and the now famous tissue demonstrations. The latter proved to make appealing video footage as we were filmed numerous times, all of which can be seen via our YouTube channel. One video stood out in particular for the amount of coverage that it produced, Microsoft's Channel 9 interview with Eric Cohill, President, P2i Inc. has now been viewed over 14,000 times as well being 'retweeted' and uploaded to countless Facebook and YouTube platforms. You can see this video below:



With a host of videos and interviews (many including myself) as well as articles written about the technology, including leading Spanish technology blog Xataka Movil and Brazilian site Baixaki we have been delighted with the interest generated from our presence at MWC. To top it off many contacts were aware of us from our attendance at CES in January.

You can see a collection of our images from MWC on our Flickr page

Next up for P2i is AudiologyNOW! Where we will be showcasing Aridion™ 8, a versatile bench top machine designed specifically for the hearing aid industry - watch this space.

In the meantime if you have any questions about Aridion™ technology please do get in contact or you can visit the Aridion site.

Dr. Stephen Coulson - CTO

'Repel Wet' with Timberland and ion-mask™

With warmer months fast approaching, more and more of us are taking to the outdoors which can be a challenge to keep footwear dry and free from stains. However, thanks to Timberland and P2i there is now a solution.

Timberland, who are best known for their innovative outdoor footwear have incorporated our ion-mask™ technology alongside their Bionic® canvas to launch the 'Repel Wet' series of footwear.

The boots which are included in the Earthkeepers® collection are the first in a line of eco-friendly products utilisting Bionic® canvas. Incorporting the PET from recycled plastic bottles alongside a new double organic cotton helix structure, Bionic® canvas is 30% stronger and twice as abrasion resistant compared to standard canvases.

With the addition of our ion-mask™ technology the boots are also lightweight and breathable as well as offering water repellent and stain reducing benefits - keeping them looking newer for longer.

Timberland's Senior Manager, Emily Alati demonstrates the benefits that ion-mask™ technology brings to the canvas:





We are delighted and excited that Timberland have chosen to adopt our world leading liquid repellent nano-coating technology to a range of their footwear with two of the styles available below: 

Men's Earthkeepers™
Side Zip 6-Inch Boot

Women's Earthkeepers™
Cabot Tall Zip Boot 



You can find out more about the range here or check out our lifestyle video on the P2i YouTube channel.

If you have any questions about ion-mask™ or would like to know more about P2i please do get in contact.

   

Invisible Technology, Visible Results

Welcome to the P2i blog!

P2i is the world leader in liquid repellent nano-coating technology. We make good products great by applying innovative science.

The P2i name reflects the three core benefits provided by our technology: Perform, Protect, Improve. Applied to a wide range of products and materials, P2i technology transforms the performance of products without changing the look or feel.

Don't just take our word for it - seeing is believing: