For More Information
E-mail:
solutions@lunainnovations.com
Phone:
1.540.552.5128 (Blacksburg)
Water droplets beading up on a Lotus leaf.
Technologies at Luna Innovations
Ultrahydrophobic Coatings
Producing surfaces that repel water (hydrophobic) offers huge opportunities in the area of corrosion inhibition for metal components, chemical and biological agent protection for clothing, antifouling for marine vehicles, among many other applications.
Luna Innovations is developing ultrahydrophobic coatings that are simple to apply using conventional techniques, and are cost-effective for widespread use in military and commercial applications. Luna’s ultrahydrophobic coating technologies will have improved corrosion resistance on aluminum and the ability to scale to large substrates (such as spray coating for aircraft).
Biofouling--an attachment of undesired biomaterials, such as marine organisms, to a surface--is a general concern in the marine, biomedical and oil industries, among other fields.
Marine biofouling prevents the attachment of marine organisms on ship hulls that results in increased fuel consumption, decreased speed/efficiency, and also a means to transport non-indigenous species. Current antifouling coatings have slow and controlled release of toxins such as metals (tin, copper or zinc) or organic biocides.
Luna’s ultrahydrophobic coating technology may also be used in bioresistance, the ability of a surface to prevent the absorption of biomaterials and can be a solution to biofouling.
