STTR Phase II: Superhydrophobic Coatings for Water Repelling and Corrosion Control

这个小型企业技术转移(STTR)第二阶段项目将开发一种高度憎水和防腐的超疏水纳米纹理涂层。该涂层将应用于特定的助听器表面(即麦克风端口、接收器、接头、电池和外壳)，以提供防水屏障，防止潮湿和其他环境污染物。来自潮气、汗水和雨水等来源的水渗透到助听器中会干扰声学性能，并导致助听器腐蚀、电路故障和故障。声波的传输需要开口。电池周围有接缝，锌/空气电池本身不能密封，因为它们需要氧气才能发挥作用。由于助听器上的所有开放区域和接缝，水经常渗入助听器内部也就不足为奇了。人们的寿命更长、更健康，他们希望在参与划船、徒步旅行、跑步、打高尔夫球和其他形式的锻炼时能够听到声音。这种防水防腐涂层将使助听器制造商能够提供更耐用、更可靠的仪器，使全国220万助听器用户能够经受住积极生活方式的严酷考验。更广泛的/商业影响项目将是更耐用的助听器，这将潜在地减少与助听器维护相关的成本。助听器并不是唯一受到积极生活方式和环境污染影响的电子仪器。手机、耳机、数码相机、手表、笔记本电脑和其他电子设备可能会受益于防水防腐涂层技术。

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project will develop a superhydrophobic nanotextured coating that is highly water repelling and anti-corrosive. The coating will be applied to specific hearing aid surfaces (i.e., microphone ports, receiver, joints, battery, and case) to impart a water resistant barrier that repels moisture and other environmental contaminants. Penetration of water into hearing aids from such sources as moisture, sweat, and rain interferes with acoustical performance and causes corrosion, circuitry malfunction and breakdown of the hearing aid. Openings are required for the transfer of sound waves. A seam is located around the battery and the Zinc/air batteries, themselves, cannot be sealed because they require oxygen to function. With all of the open areas and seams in a hearing aid, it is not surprising that water often penetrates into the interior of the hearing aid. Individuals are living longer and healthier lives and they want to be able to hear while they participate in boating, hiking, running, and golfing and other forms of exercise. The water repellent anti-corrosive coating will allow hearing aid manufactures to offer more durable and reliable instruments, that stand up to the rigors of an active life style for the 2.2 million hearing aid users nationwide. The broader/commercial impact project will be more durable hearing aids and that will potentially reduce the costs associated with hearing aid maintenance. Hearing aids are not the only electronic instruments that suffer from active lifestyles and environmental contaminants. Cell phones, earphones, digital cameras, watches, laptops, and other electronic devices could potentially benefit from the water repellent anti-corrosive coating technology.