HintLabs and our strategic partner the SUPSI Institute for Mechanical Engineering and Materials Technology based in Lugano have brought natural noble materials like textiles, leather and wood to another level.
Using a nano coating via the layer by layer nano-assembly in a water based solution and spraying it (or dipping) on the surface, we can augment the funtionality of the treated part with properties not originally embedded in the material.
The beauty of this approach is that the surface treated remains visually unaltered keeping the touch and feel of the natural substrate.
The Layer by Layer approach offers numerous advantages allowing to obtain penetration through the material and enhancing multiple features such as:
- Hydrophobic/hydrophilic
- Oleophobic
- Antistatic
- Antifungi
- Flame resistance
The layer by layer nano-coating is cost effective and can be easily adopted at industrial scale because it uses existing machinery.
A bit more on the Layer by Layer advantages
The layer by layer is a multi layer nano-coating based on electrostatic interactions.
An alternate deposition of oppositely charged polyelectrolyte (water-based) solution or dispersion is required.
The coating is only a few µm in thickness. Compared to conventional coatings considering the amount of film present on the surface and the quantity diluted in the solution we can consider LbL a completely sustainable solution.
Imagine that dilution is ≤ 1 gr/L and seawater average salinity: 35 g/L
This means that the film is not perceivable leaving the beauty of the surface unaltered.
Services provided:
- Customer tailored LbL formula fine tuning (pre-study and prototyping)
- Pre and post treatment surface analysis
A bit more on the Layer by Layer advantages
