OT: spray-on liquid glass

Jamey
Jamey Posts: 2,152
edited February 2010 in Commuting chat
Link stolen from another forum:
Spray-on liquid glass is about to revolutionize almost everything
Spray-on liquid glass is transparent, non-toxic, and can protect virtually any surface against almost any damage from hazards such as water, UV radiation, dirt, heat, and bacterial infections. The coating is also flexible and breathable, which makes it suitable for use on an enormous array of products.

...

The liquid glass spray produces a water-resistant coating only around 100 nanometers (15-30 molecules) thick. On this nanoscale the glass is highly flexible and breathable. The coating is environmentally harmless and non-toxic, and easy to clean using only water or a simple wipe with a damp cloth. It repels bacteria, water and dirt, and resists heat, UV light and even acids. UK project manager with Nanopool, Neil McClelland, said soon almost every product you purchase will be coated with liquid glass.

...

In the home, spray-on glass would eliminate the need for scrubbing and make most cleaning products obsolete. Since it is available in both water-based and alcohol-based solutions, it can be used in the oven, in bathrooms, tiles, sinks, and almost every other surface in the home, and one spray is said to last a year.

Liquid glass spray is perhaps the most important nanotechnology product to emerge to date. It will be available in DIY stores in Britain soon, with prices starting at around £5 ($8 US). Other outlets, such as many supermarkets, may be unwilling to stock the products because they make enormous profits from cleaning products that need to be replaced regularly, and liquid glass would make virtually all of them obsolete.

Whaddya reckon - trufax or hype? Are there any scientists here? Can I spray this on my delicate bits to avoid saddle soreness?

(Marvel as I bring the thread back on topic with a simple reference to naughty parts)
My photography // My helmet cam videos // My bike

Comments

  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    Find me the patent, and I'll tell you.

    In the interim, if you have any saddle sores, I'd advise against it.

    EDIT - I don't think it will be antimicrobial as such, just less suitable for microbial infection than, for example, textiles. I also fear that, if my windscreen is anything to go by, household cleaning will still be required in the future (although this may be done by robots).
  • cee
    cee Posts: 4,553
    I saw an advert for jif or something that contained a microfilm superdooper layer that stays after cleaning...

    it sounds a lot like this....

    basically leaves a very thin film on the surface, making it easier to clean....

    or so the advert said....

    sounds like something vaguly similar?
    Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I believe in the future of the human race.

    H.G. Wells.
  • lae
    lae Posts: 555
    It sounds pretty cool, if it works.

    How do you remove it though? What if you want to paint something?
  • merkin
    merkin Posts: 452
    Isn't suntan lotion a fairly important use of nanotechnology?
    I can't see how it will make cleaning products obsolete, my windscreen, house windows and toilet (OK, it's not glass, (honest!)) all need regular cleaning.
    Sounds like it could be developed into the perfect lube though. Doesn't hold dust, hard wearing and low friction.
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    merkin wrote:
    Isn't suntan lotion a fairly important use of nanotechnology?
    I can't see how it will make cleaning products obsolete, my windscreen, house windows and toilet (OK, it's not glass, (honest!)) all need regular cleaning.
    Sounds like it could be developed into the perfect lube though. Doesn't hold dust, hard wearing and low friction.
    Meh.

    A large chunk of nanotechnology is a rebranding of chemistry. I'm sure it the same in the bits of "nanotechnology" which are rebranded bits of things like microbiology and physics.

    Take soot, for example. That's chocked full of nanoparticles and Charles Dickens invented soot. FACT.
  • emdeef
    emdeef Posts: 98
    I think it might be this case.

    http://v3.espacenet.com/searchResults?N ... pact=false

    The text of the spec is in German. A crappy machine translation is available.
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    Good effort!
  • 77ric
    77ric Posts: 601
    from the Telegraph

    basically spray on silicon di-oxide.
    Fancy a brew?
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    No, its spray on Beschichtungszusammensetzung. :?
  • 77ric
    77ric Posts: 601
    Always Tyred wrote:
    No, its spray on Beschichtungs zusammensetzung. :?


    eh, spray on Coating Composition (according to google translation)

    yes the coating composistion is mostly silicon di-oxide.

    i could see a use for it, if it makes a bike easier to clean.
    Fancy a brew?
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    Okay, so you can usually get a sense of what the actual product might be from the detailed description of a patent (the examples).

    I can't help but notice the "80degC for 1hr" part. Not good for coating your private parts.

    As far as I can tell, its not glass, in the sense of the stuff in windows, but a sol-gel synthesis of "glassy" (i.e. amorphous) silicon carbide - the material commonly used in sandpaper and drill bits.

    Impressively low temperature, though, I must say.
  • dirtyrim
    dirtyrim Posts: 1
    Sounds suspiciously like varnish, rebranded via the w@nkword marketing mangle-a-tron.
  • 77ric
    77ric Posts: 601
    Always Tyred wrote:

    I can't help but notice the "80degC for 1hr" part. Not good for coating your private parts.

    i wouldn't recommend that, no.

    ouch
    Fancy a brew?
  • snellgrove
    snellgrove Posts: 171
    Spray on glass... good protective breathing equipment required I suspect, wouldn't wanna breathe in any of that - can't be all that good to coat the insides of your lungs :lol:
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    snellgrove wrote:
    Spray on glass... good protective breathing equipment required I suspect, wouldn't wanna breathe in any of that - can't be all that good to coat the insides of your lungs :lol:
    Not sure about that. I never did any of this kind of synthesis myself, but I beleive that they are usually water based solutions.

    Now, drinking the stuff, that might not be great.

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