SBIR Phase II: Durable Super-Hydrophobic Nano-Composites

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This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to further develop and commercialize a new class of durable, water-resistant nanocomposite coatings identified and explored during the Phase I project. The unique processing conditions used to make these nanocomposite coatings produce a virtually invisible, conformal, nanometer-scale film that is comprised of surface bound nanoparticles and offers superior water barrier properties while still permitting through-film electrical connections. The newly developed coating has the potential for great commercial impact and can be thought of as a "game changer" for certain consumer electronic markets. The innovation and research plan for Phase II centers on two critical issues for commercial integration: 1) the overall processing efficiency of the material and 2) issues of long-term reliability and chemical interaction with existing platforms. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be felt in a number of consumer, military, and medical products. It is estimated that about 1.2 billion mobile handsets are produced annually and that 8% of all the damages that occur to handsets are from liquid ingress. If fully adopted by the industry, this coating could reduce the liquid ingress damage to nearly zero, resulting in significant savings to consumers. Additionally, medical hearing aids would benefit from the oleophobic protection provided by this material, and its use would result in a decrease in the number of units returned annually for corrosion, water damage and ear wax contamination (this number currently stands at 11 million). Finally, the integration of our protective coating into other existing electronics products will add significant value to these products and will make them more durable and attractive to consumers globally.