,

NANOMYTE® SuperCN Plus – A New Generation of Durable Superhydrophobic Coatings

March 26, 2014

Somerset, New Jersey – NEI Corporation announced today that it has introduced NANOMYTE® SuperCN Plus – a functionally graded coating that imparts superhydrophobic properties to the underlying substrate while providing greater abrasion resistance compared to existing superhydrophobic coatings. Surfaces treated with SuperCN Plus force liquids to bead up and roll off, shedding water instantly and leaving the surface completely dry. SuperCN Plus can be applied to a variety of substrate materials, including plastics, metals, glass, painted surfaces, and fabrics.

NANOMYTE® SuperCN Plus consists of a hard and abrasion resistant outer layer that transitions to a softer material closer to the substrate. Such a functionally graded coating represents a major advancement in the state of the art and is in sharp contrast to monolithic superhydrophobic coatings that consist of a relatively soft material that is easily abraded or rubbed away.

Both panels above were coated with superhydrophobic coatings and subjected to equal abrasion conditions. The panel on the left (commercial coating) shows abrasion marks, while the panel on the right (SuperCN Plus) shows no visible signs of wear.

Figure 1 – Both panels above were coated with superhydrophobic coatings and subjected to equal abrasion conditions. The panel on the left (conventional off-the-shelf coating) shows abrasion marks, while the panel on the right (SuperCN Plus) shows no visible signs of wear.

Superhydrophobic coatings rely on creating and maintaining a composite of micro and nano-sized surface structures that work together to trap a layer of air that can repel most liquids. Off-the-shelf superhydrophobic coatings tend to have poor durability because they are unable to protect these delicate surface structures from abrasion, resulting in rapid loss of superhydrophobicity. Due to the graded structure, SuperCN Plus maintains its superhydrophobicity and high contact angle even after moderate damage. Additionally, it exhibits good adhesion to the substrate.

Surfaces treated with SuperCN Plus show water contact angles as high as 165°. After moderate abrasion, where traditional superhydrophobic coatings begin to show significant damage and delamination, SuperCN Plus remains intact and has been shown to preserve its superhydrophobicity with contact angles over 158°.

Figure 2 – Water droplets on a metal substrate surface coated with NANOMYTE® SuperCN Plus, showing a high contact angle > 150°.

Figure 2 – Water droplets on a metal substrate surface coated with NANOMYTE® SuperCN Plus, showing a high contact angle > 150°.

Since the superhydrophobic coating is enabled by innovations in both process and materials, NEI is currently offering in-house coating services for industrial applications wherein customers can send parts of any geometry and size. The turnaround time is expected to be no more than 3 – 5 business days. If needed, the modular Super CN Plus coating process can be transferred to the OEM site.

For a video demonstration, view here.

Download Press Release (pdf) »

 


About NEI Corporation:

NEI Corporation is an application-driven company that utilizes nanotechnology to develop and produce advanced materials. The company’s core competencies are in synthesizing nanoscale materials and prototyping products that incorporate the advanced materials. NEI offers an array of Advanced Protective Coatings for metal and polymer surfaces. The coatings have tailored functionalities such as anti-corrosion, self-healing, scratch resistance, ice-phobic, and self-cleaning.

For more information, contact us.

 

 

,

New Self-healing Anti-corrosion Coating for Zinc-Plated & Galvanized Steel

March 11, 2014

Somerset, New Jersey – NEI Corporation recently introduced NANOMYTE® TC‐5001, a nanotechnology-enabled, single component, clear coating that significantly improves the corrosion resistance of zinc‐plated and hot‐dip galvanized (HDG) steel. It is amenable to dipping, brushing, and spray coating. The new coating technology is designed to protect zinc‐plated and galvanized steel surfaces from rusting under severe environmental and operating conditions. Applications of the coating technology include protecting outdoor structures (e.g., electrical grid structures, street lights, and lattice beams), hardware (e.g., rods, pipes, nuts, bolts and screws), automotive components and farming equipment. The dense barrier coating can be used as a standalone coating, as well as in combination with NANOMYTE® PT‐100, a self‐healing conversion coating. In salt‐spray tests (SST, ASTM B117), uncoated zinc‐plated steel bolts exhibited white rust in 24 hours and red rust after 168 hours. In contrast, the NANOMYTE® coating provided significant corrosion protection, even after 504 hours of SST. Typically, TC-5001-coated parts show no white rust even after 1000 hours and no red rust even after 1200 hours. SST can be used in conjunction with field testing and online life predictors for coatings on HDG, as prescribed by the American Galvanizers Association (AGA).

TC_5001_figure

NANOMYTE® TC‐5001 is part of NEI’s expanding portfolio of anti-corrosion coating systems, including pretreatments and topcoats that protect steel, aluminum and magnesium from corrosion. The coatings are economical, easy to use, and provide excellent corrosion resistance compared to state‐of‐the art offerings. “Our thin, single component, clear coating for zinc‐plated and HDG steel represents a significant advancement in the state‐of‐the‐art that could eliminate the need for using primers and topcoats,” said Dr. Ganesh Skandan, CEO at NEI Corporation. “The market focused activities of NEI are a key to serving the needs of customers who require high‐performance anticorrosion coatings. Our goal is to engage customers as partners in developing new corrosion-resistant coating products.”

The NANOMYTE® line of coatings provides an array of advanced protective surface treatments for metal, wood, and polymers. The coatings have tailored functionalities such as anti-corrosion, self-healing, scratch resistance, anti-ice, and easy-to-clean. In addition, NANOMYTE coatings are versatile and can be modified to introduce color and other features to meet performance and aesthetic requirements. NEI also offers a Materials Analysis, Testing, & Characterization service (MATCH) to help customers attain their materials performance objectives.

About NEI Corporation:

NEI Corporation is an application-driven company that utilizes nanotechnology to develop and produce advanced materials. The company’s core competencies are in synthesizing nanoscale materials and prototyping products that incorporate the advanced materials. NEI offers an array of Advanced Protective Coatings for metal and polymer surfaces.

For more information, contact:
Ms. Krista Martin
NEI Corporation
(732) 868‐3141
sales@neicorporation.com
###

View / Download Press Release (pdf)