Super Hydrophobic Coating

I just bought a Rust-Oleum spray can(s) of this coating. I got it at Ace Hardware, and my interest was to put on a PCB to prevent water film build up in wet conditions.

This coating is so good, you can put it on shoes and then walk through water without their getting wet. Very useful as a coating for shoes and hats.

A technical point is it repels oil as well as water. We tend to think of hydrophobicity along one axis, but actually fluorocarbons repel both oil and water.

I don't know the electrical properties of this coating, but it looks very useful for electronics in very wet or dirty environments.

Reply to
haiticare2011
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There are other brands of super hydrophobic coatings:

  • Ultra Ever Dry
  • Rust-Oleum (already mentioned), NeverWet
  • Liquipell

They seem to have in common that:

February 24, 2013, Ultra-Ever Dry hydrophobic coating repels almost any liquid:

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Quote: "... A single coating is reported to last anywhere from 2-8 months in direct sunlight and outdoor conditions before a top-coat re-coating is needed. Indoor and protected outdoor applications put longevity at approximately one year or more. ..."

Rustoleum Never Wet:

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Quote: "... What is not said in the video...you need special protection, respirator, nitrile gloves, eye protection ect. You do not want to have skin contact. The smell would make it almost impossible to use on anything in your home. ... Not safe for food (test were completed by the FDA)..in fact you should not touch it so don't even think about eating it...because you will die. Xylene (bottom coat) and Acetone (top coat)

It don't make anything smooth, so if your thinking about putting it on a slip-n-slide to go super fast, running your hand across the material you can feel the highs/lows giving it a bumpy feel and in fact will cause much more drag. ..."

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Quote: "... [from comment]

  • Sprays clear and dries to a flat light haze
  • Durable formulation, ideal for indoor/outdoor conditions ... The base coat...is mostly Acetone (so says the contents label). ... So be wary when you are using this product and ALWAYS WEAR GLOVES & A RESPIRATOR! Perfect for outdoor use but I cannot say I would use it extensively in the home. ..."

Mar 21, 2013, The Internet-demanded, partially scientific testing of Ultra-Ever Dry (in HD!). We pit the coating against a toilet, a Slip-n-Slide, and one editor's dignity.

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Quote: "... The Ultra-Ever Dry coatings in their liquid state are based on xylene (bottom coat) and acetone (top coat) and emit powerful amounts of fumes. Applying the coatings to anything inside a house or apartment is absolutely out of the question. Even outdoors, coming anywhere near the stuff requires nitrile gloves and a P100-rated respirator fitted with organic vapor filters.

Bottom line: if you're planning on getting some Ultra-Ever Dry for yourself and applying it, please take the appropriate safety precautions. Many people had previously indicated that they'd love to spray this stuff all over their bathrooms. I sure as hell wouldn't do that in my house. ... This confirmed that the bottom coating was almost all polymer, presumably because it's used to bond a material to the surface. ... The top coat, in contrast, contained the promised silicon dioxide. But it also contained a hint of how that material was made to repel water: a fluorinated hydrocarbon was also present. ... You don't want to put it on anything that's going to come in contact with your body. You don't want to put it on anything you're going to cook with, eat with, or anything you have to see through. You also shouldn't put it on plants, pets, or your children, no matter how awesome you might think the results would be. ..."

"Ultra Ever Dry"

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Quote: "... Personal Protection Equipment: Always wear the following equipment when applying:

  • Respirator - NIOSH approved half-face respirator P100 rating with organic vapor cartridge
  • Safety glasses/goggles
  • Nitrile gloves ...
  • Pumps must be compatible with solvent in coating. Xylene for bottom coat and Acetone for top coat. ..."

February 24, 2013, Ultra-Ever Dry hydrophobic coating repels almost any liquid:

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Quote: "... A single coating is reported to last anywhere from 2-8 months in direct sunlight and outdoor conditions before a top-coat re-coating is needed. Indoor and protected outdoor applications put longevity at approximately one year or more. ...

... In addition to the "do not breathe this" warning a rather toxic grocery list of chemicals makes up the ingredients ... However, according to Ultra-tech there are no known environmental concerns. The coating is stated to be safe for use in "nonfood" (i.e. not your lunchbox) contact areas of food processing plants and meets FDA and USDA regulations for those types of applications. ..."

ultra ever dry under water cell phone:

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Ultra Ever Dry Application:

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And now to something new - this super hydrophobic coating is water based:

June 18, 2014, LiquidOff: Nontoxic, nonhazy hydrophobic fabric spray. NeverWet may soon be facing some hydrophobic competition in the form of LiquidOff, an eco-minded fabric spray made to repel water without leaving a haze behind.

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Quote: "... Harold Stewart is a 23-year-old electrical engineer who quit his full-time job with the Department of Defense last month. What could possibly prompt a smart young man to leave behind a stable income? A hydrophobic spray. Stewart is the entrepreneur behind LiquidOff, a hydrophobic and oleophobic spray currently raising funds on Kickstarter. ... The breakthrough was in deciding to make LiquidOff water-based in order to reach the goals of a safe and eco-friendly product. ... LiquidOff comes in a spray bottle and it's geared for use on fabrics and leathers. Shirts, pants, and shoes are all prime targets. Unlike rival NeverWet (which is aimed mainly at wood, metal, and concrete) the water-based spray leaves no haze behind. ... Users spray LiquidOff on fabric or shoes and allow it to dry. Its lifespan for nonwashable items like shoes or furniture is between three and five years. ..."

LiquidOff - Repels Almost Any Liquid - Superhydrophobic Coating:

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LiquidOff Nanotechnology Self-Cleaning Solution - Prepare to be AMAZED!!!:

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Glenn

Reply to
Glenn

...

Correct link:

And now to something new - this super hydrophobic coating is water based

- but is unfortunately only useable on leather and textiles:

June 18, 2014, LiquidOff: Nontoxic, nonhazy hydrophobic fabric spray. NeverWet may soon be facing some hydrophobic competition in the form of LiquidOff, an eco-minded fabric spray made to repel water without leaving a haze behind.

formatting link
Quote: "... Harold Stewart is a 23-year-old electrical engineer who quit his full-time job with the Department of Defense last month. What could possibly prompt a smart young man to leave behind a stable income? A hydrophobic spray. Stewart is the entrepreneur behind LiquidOff, a hydrophobic and oleophobic spray currently raising funds on Kickstarter. ... The breakthrough was in deciding to make LiquidOff water-based in order to reach the goals of a safe and eco-friendly product. ... LiquidOff comes in a spray bottle and it's geared for use on fabrics and leathers. Shirts, pants, and shoes are all prime targets. Unlike rival NeverWet (which is aimed mainly at wood, metal, and concrete) the water-based spray leaves no haze behind. ... Users spray LiquidOff on fabric or shoes and allow it to dry. Its lifespan for nonwashable items like shoes or furniture is between three and five years. ..."

LiquidOff - Repels Almost Any Liquid - Superhydrophobic Coating:

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LiquidOff Nanotechnology Self-Cleaning Solution - Prepare to be AMAZED!!!:

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Possible uses if proven non-toxic and environmentally friendly:

  • electronics and wires can not short circuit from water - and no electrolytic corrosion.
  • inside and outside of cars... no corrosion.
  • airplanes outside; wings... no de-icing needed anymore - no corrosion.
  • water tubes get lower friction and no corrosion.
  • walls, roof, leaking roofs, isolation can not get wet - hence no fungus?
  • umbrella and parasol can not get wet - hence no fungus?

Glenn

Reply to
Glenn

On Thu, 3 Jul 2014 07:00:08 -0700 (PDT), snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com Gave us:

In high voltage, it would be nice if it could be used as a bulk medium, as in potting. Or if it has a VERY high volt per mil insulative rating.

Problem using it as a pre-coat is that it would likely inhibit an adhesive bond with any added potting compound. So it would be the only thing one could use. Probably great for about 1000 volts or less. A normally potted supply in this range could be made without potting.

Reply to
DecadentLinuxUserNumeroUno

On Thu, 03 Jul 2014 16:49:22 +0200, Glenn Gave us:

The thing to put on the slip-n-slide is (only when new or completely dry) "Rain-X".

Hard to find in quart bottles or by the bucket though, and that would be many tens of dollars.

But anyway, an ultra thin wax is what you need. Maybe floor wax would work.

Be Careful about what the 'vehicle' is for the wax. Could be a solvent and be bad for the surface you are considering applying it to.

Rain-X is great, but should be tested before use.

Great for pool cue shafts too, but will erode away the original lacquer in some cases, so it must be applied sparsely and quickly.

Reply to
DecadentLinuxUserNumeroUno

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