Liquipel nanocoating protects smartphones against water damage
US firm Liquipel has created a hydrophobic nanocoating for smartphones that it claims can protect against accidental spills without affecting functionality.
The patent pending Liquipel coating, which made its debut at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show yesterday, is applied via a temperature-controlled vacuum chamber into which the proprietary formulation of waterproofing particles is introduced.
Ionized particles are then added, binding the formulation to the device at the molecular level. Liquipel says the process takes less than 30 minutes to complete and doesn't affect the feel or performance of the device.
"People are taking their iPhones, Droids and other phones with them wherever they go," noted Danny McThail, Liquipel's co-president. "Their greatest fear has been getting splashed, not to mention accidentally dropping their device into the water or getting caught in the rain. Now, thanks to our process, those fears can safely evaporate."
Although the coating is non-conductive, Liquipel says currents can still flow where there is a direct connection. This means that users can still use headphones, charge the device and access microUSB or SIM cards without any hassle.
While it currently takes the company two days to apply the coating (at a cost to the customer of around $59), Liquipel says it is hoping to work with manufactures directly so that the coating can come pre-installed.
