A New Water-Resistant Coating for Electronic Devices is developed

Despite the continuous improvements in electronic technology every year, many electronic devices remain to have one glaring weakness. They stop functioning once they become wet. There are some devices that are specifically designed to be water-proof, but there aren’t really many of them. For instance, most cellphones and laptops on sale today aren’t designed to withstand against water seeping in to its circuitry and causing damages.

Whatever the reasons are why water-resistant electronics are not the standard yet, we know that such resistance is definitely achievable. Many have done it already through varying techniques. A recent attempt is by Daikin Industries from Japan. The company is developing a liquid coating that protects vital electronic parts from water. Below is a video of the technology in action.

The video demonstrates how effective the coating is in protecting the circuit board of the device. Even though the circuit is fully submerged in water, the device continued to function without any problem. As was stated in the video, the coating was developed by dissolving fluoropolymer in fluorinated solvent. The liquid coating itself is indistinguishable from water. It is transparent and colorless. It also seems to flow like water, suggesting that it has a similar viscosity as water.

The narrator and the company representative in the video mentioned several key advantages of the fluoride coating.  Firstly, it dries as a thin film. This means that the dimensions of the device will virtually be unchanged despite the addition of water-resistant capabilities. Secondly, the coating is eco-friendly and non-flammable. Its low toxicity means that it is not a detriment to the environment. It is also reassuring to know that it won’t cause your device to catch fire as well.

Unfortunately, the coating isn’t intended to provide full water-resistance. It was designed to merely increase a device’s resistance to water and moisture damage. It is very possible that the device will be damaged if it is exposed to water for an extended period or if it is submerged in deep water. For light moisture exposure, though, the coating should be very effective.

Daikin industries is planning to release the product for commercial use by December this year, so it won’t be too long until it is used for real world applications. This is not good news for those who fear an invasion by autonomous robots in the future. Throwing buckets of water at these violent robots will probably not be a good idea anymore.

Source:  DigInfo TV, Daikin Industries