Nanotechnology studies and engineers materials at very small scales, commonly around 1 to 100 nanometres. One nanometre is one billionth of a metre. At this scale, a material’s structure and surface properties can influence how it interacts with water, oil, dirt and other substances.
The field combines materials science, chemistry, physics, biology and engineering. Researchers use both ‘top-down’ methods, which refine larger materials, and ‘bottom-up’ methods, which assemble smaller building blocks into useful structures.
In surface treatment, a very thin functional layer can change how a material behaves while keeping much of its original appearance and feel. Depending on the formulation and substrate, a coating may reduce wetting, improve cleanability or provide other specific properties.
Ceracoat develops different products for different substrates. Absorbent materials such as textiles, untreated wood and porous stone require a different approach from non-absorbent materials such as glass, glazed ceramics, painted surfaces or metal. A product should always be selected for its intended application.
Many Ceracoat treatments are designed to create an unobtrusive protective layer and make routine care easier. Their performance depends on the formulation, surface preparation, application, curing and conditions of use. Consult the individual product instructions for the relevant method and limitations.
Wetting describes how a liquid spreads across a solid surface. The contact angle is one way to describe this behaviour: a larger water contact angle generally indicates greater water repellency, while a smaller angle indicates greater spreading. Hydrophobic treatments encourage water to bead; hydrophilic treatments encourage it to spread into a film. Ceracoat’s self-cleaning solar coating uses the latter approach, together with photocatalytic activity.
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