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Durham University researchers have
developed a process for treating surfaces
with an electrical discharge (plasma) that has
led to a wide variety of applications - from
waterproofing of hiking boots and hearing
aids, to enabling mobile phones to continue
working after being dropped into the bath.
The industrial challenge was to develop a technique that
created ultrathin, super-repellent surfaces for a variety of
materials on a commercial scale - in a single step, without
use of solvents and using low energy consumption.
Researchers at Durham University developed surface treatment
techniques that use very low amounts of material in order to
minimise environmental impact, resulting in a quick, single step
process that is both cheap and low energy.
The discovery has been directly converted into a now widely-
used industrial coating process through three valuable start-
up companies (Surface Innovations Ltd, Dow Corning Plasma
Solution Ltd and P2i Ltd).
P2i Ltd was spun-out from a project addressing the challenge
of making soldiers’ protective clothing more effective whilst
maintaining comfort in hot and dehydrating conditions. P2i Ltd
have further commercialised the research, raising over £40
million in investment - resulting in the waterproofing of over 100
million mobile phones, 3 million pairs of footwear, and 75% of
the world’s hearing aids.
This discovery has been
directly converted into a
now widely-used industrial
coating process
Super-repellent surfaces
100m
This research has
resulted in the
waterproofing of
mobile phones
Case Study: Industrial Innovation