1. Low Maintenance Nanotechnology Treatments
What is Nanotechnology?
To explain Nanotechnology we have to start at the size we are talking about.
We all know by now that Nano is a Greek word and means dwarf. It does not mean we are dealing with dwarfs but it be-
came a common word for everything which is smaller than 1 Micron or 1 millions of a millimeter. 1 Micron is 1000
Nanometer. A human hair is about 50,000 - 100,000 nanometers across.
1 Nanometer is about 10 - 15 atoms next to each other.
If a nanometer were somehow magnified to appear as long as the nose on your face, then a red blood cell would appear
the size of the Empire State Building, a human hair would be about 20 kilometers wide, one of your fingers would span
the continental United States, and a normal person would be about as tall as six or seven planet Earths piled atop one an-
other. Pretty small things in fact.
Nature made nano materials a long time before mankind started making them on purpose. There are lots of natural sources
of nano materials. They are all around us. Enzymes and viruses are all in the nanosphere.
There are natural and anthropogenic processes that release nanoparticles into the atmosphere. Natural sources include vol-
canic activity, natural fires, chemical reactions in the atmosphere, or sea spray leading to salt particles.
Mother Nature knows best! To transform these Nanoparticles into useful products, Nanotechnology companies
are looking at Mother Nature. Copying the ideas of others is usually frowned upon, but when it comes to the work of
Mother Nature, scientists are finding they can use nature as a template.
Nature is skilled at fabricating organic structures at the nano scale. Best and most known example of a self cleaning sur-
face is the so called Lotus effect.
Lotus leaves in particular have the unique ability to avoid getting dirty.
(Discovered by Botanists Wilhelm Barthlott and Christoph Neinhuis from the University of Bonn in Germany)
Lotus blossoms (the easiest to clean) are coated with tiny hydrophobic particles. When water contacts these particles, it
does not wet the leaves. Instead, it simply rolls off, taking with it any dirt in its path.
To transfer the Lotus-Effect into coatings, it is necessary to create a hydrophobic surface with very low surface tension,
along with the appropriate nano-structure.
The nano particles have self-assembly properties. The particles self-assemble into a very tiny nanoscopic mesh which cov-
ers the surface of the substrate. Due to the technology it is possible to create mono layer treatments, only one nanoparticle
thick!
Utilizing this technology, it is possible to create products and substrate properties with new and unseen smart surfaces.
Environmental Benefits: Surface treatments can significant reduce the use of chemical cleaners and save
water and maintenance costs. Less cleaning cycles on a Yacht means also less risk of contamination on Harbors
and Bays. While exposed surfaces still need cleaning the cleaning frequency can be expanded.
Lotus Hydrophobic Effect Natural Lotus Effect of a Leaf
Office: 619-819 91 77
Handy: 619-205 2126
E-mail: info@sea-shield.com
www.sea-shield.com