Schwalbach, Germany--A small, family-owned German company has apparently developed a way to easily deposit 100-nm-thick films of silicon dioxide (SiO2) on almost any surface. It seems that no complicated vapor-deposition equipment is needed; instead, SiO2 molecules are dispersed in ordinary water or ethanol and the solution is sprayed on the object to be coated. When the water dries, the SiO2 film is left, having formed due to quantum forces. A search (admittedly non-exhaustive) of the technical literature turns up no reference to the technology, but the company, Nanopool, says the film is already in use in many areas, including medical and consumer industries.
From houses to wedding dresses
Upon application of the film, "houses, cars, ovens, wedding dresses or any other protected surface become stain resistant and can be easily cleaned with water," says Nanopool on its website, www.nanopool.eu. In addition, seeds coated with the film will not need antifungal chemicals and with thus grow more rapidly.
The film may not be entirely equivalent to a SiO2 film deposited using conventional ion-beam-sputtering or continuous-vapor-deposition (CVD) techniques; Nanopool describes its film as similar to a plastic due to its makeup of long chains of monomer molecules. Even so, if the properties that the company ascribes to the film are true, then so might also be this claim offered by Neil McClelland, the UK project manager for Nanopool: "Our research informs us that in all probability, we offer the most versatile coating in the world," he says.
About the Author
John Wallace
Senior Technical Editor (1998-2022)
John Wallace was with Laser Focus World for nearly 25 years, retiring in late June 2022. He obtained a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and physics at Rutgers University and a master's in optical engineering at the University of Rochester. Before becoming an editor, John worked as an engineer at RCA, Exxon, Eastman Kodak, and GCA Corporation.