Coatings

Latest Innovations

Method for Delaying Frost Growth on Heat Exchangers

A meniscus-...

A meniscus-guided solution coating technique to produce pharmaceutical nanothin films. This is a new way to manufacture personalized multilayer combination drugs, which can be beneficial to types of cancer where mono-chemotherapy is ineffective. This new technology enables a uniform deposition of thin films down to a few nm in thickness, easy alternation of the film morphology (modulation of dissolution rate) and polymorphism (control of bioavailability), and a layer-by-layer production of dosages comprised of multiple active pharmaceutical ingredients. The method is cost-competitive, scalable, and high-throughput.

Improved Condensation of Organic Fluids on Lubricant-infused Surfaces

Dr. Nenad Miljkovic from University of Illinois has developed an invention which improves the condensation of organic fluids. Vapor condensation is an ubiquitous process...

Dr. Nenad Miljkovic from University of Illinois has developed an invention which improves the condensation of organic fluids. Vapor condensation is an ubiquitous process applied in a wide range of industrial processes including power generation, distillation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems and natural gas processing. Over the past several decades, water-repellent or hydrophobic surfaces have been developed for water condensation. However, this approach does not work with low-surface-tension fluids such as alcohols and hydrocarbons. Other approaches, such as omniphobic surfaces, fail for condensation applications. Starting from regular metal tubes (e.g. copper), Dr. Miljkovic and coworkers developed scalable nanostructured lubricant infused surfaces (LIS) that can sustain rigorous condensation conditions.

Coating for Anti-fouling and Anti-corrosion on Metals

Dr. Nenad Miljkovic’s research group has developed a new technology to reduce the susceptibility of metallic surfaces to fouling/scaling. The invention is a thin (<~100...

Dr. Nenad Miljkovic’s research group has developed a new technology to reduce the susceptibility of metallic surfaces to fouling/scaling. The invention is a thin (<~100 nm) multi-layered solid-state coating that reduces the surface energy  and nucleation site density of metals such as aluminum, copper, and more. The technology has been demonstrated to reduce scale accumulation by 95% as compared to uncoated surfaces and eliminates the intrinsic durability issues of oil-based coatings.

Applications for the technology include the reduction of scale build-up on air conditioning and refrigeration systems and the prevention of coke deposition for aviation applications.

Ultra-scalable and Resilient Etched Metal Enhancements for Enhanced Refrigerant-Side Heat Transfer in HVAC Equipment

Dr. Miljkovic has developed microstructured aluminum (Al) tubes with increased heat transfer rates of 240% during refrigerant flow boiling. Highly conformal are generated...

Dr. Miljkovic has developed microstructured aluminum (Al) tubes with increased heat transfer rates of 240% during refrigerant flow boiling. Highly conformal are generated by a scalable etching technique. The cost-effective techniques used to create etched-Al microstructures stand to significantly reduce manufacturing cost and time required for current enhancement approaches such as extrusion, drawing, and welding. At the same time increased performance is ensured on the thermal side. In addition, the fabricated etched structures are highly durable due to structure formation based on the base metal, and therefore do not suffer from thermal expansion coefficient mismatch issues, as is the case with other enhancements.

An Ultra-Thin Hydrophobic Coating for Efficient Heat Transfer

Hydrophobic coatings are water-resistant and can be used to condense steam for efficient heat-transfer. Certain applications require ultra-thin coating, which the current...

Hydrophobic coatings are water-resistant and can be used to condense steam for efficient heat-transfer. Certain applications require ultra-thin coating, which the current coats are prone to delamination upon surface damage. 

In a collaborative effort between the Evans and Miljkovic lab, a new ultra-thin hydrophobic coating has been developed. This coating can be easily applied to existing materials to protect surfaces against water damage. Unlike previous coatings, this invention is capable of self-heal, thus enhancing its durability and lifetime. 

Pictured below: top row is previous coatings, bottom row is this invention.

Method to form a thin film depositions

 

Inventors from the University of Illinois have developed a method to form thin film depositions from a variety of sources, using Vacuum UV light.

This low...

Inventors from the University of Illinois have developed a method to form thin film depositions from a variety of sources, using Vacuum UV light.

This low temperature method is fast and allows for a low defect and uniform film deposition on almost any surface. Moreover it is capable of forming films from vapor, solid and liquid precursors.

Applications include mioelectronics, optoelectronics, semiconductor surface and metals passivation, coating of materials with low melting point, dielectric materials, and potentially hydraulic rams to prevent oxidation of materials.

Visibly Transparent IR Reflective Coating

Heat management technologies have been integrated into fabrics and textiles for decades, dating back at least to NASA's use of reflective aluminum-coated nylon to keep...

Heat management technologies have been integrated into fabrics and textiles for decades, dating back at least to NASA's use of reflective aluminum-coated nylon to keep astronauts warm in their spacesuits. This material, however, and the various analogues that have been introduced to date, feature limited optical and aesthetic variability: all have incorporated a telltale shiny metallic surface that reflects not only the infrared wavelengths relevant to heat management, but optical wavelengths as well. This limitation is an unwelcome constraint in the apparal industry, where aesthetic control is paramount, and is even more problematic for applications that include both visual and thermal shielding (e.g., camouflage). 

Researchers have developed a visibly transparent, IR-reflective coating suitable for application to textiles. This coating allows for passive heat (IR) management in two modes: (1) cooling, by reflecting heat away from an object/wearer when the coating is oriented toward the environment; and, (2) heat retention, by reflecting heat back toward an object/wearer when the coating is oriented toward the object/wearer. The optical transparency of this metallic, nanostructured layer confers unprecedented flexibility in the aesthetic and useful visual properties (e.g., fluorescent safety colors, camouflage colors/patterns) of materials.

Benefits 

  • Visibly transparent
  • Passive operation (no energy input required)
  • Made from low-cost materials
  • Durable
  • Reversible, allowing for both heating and cooling functions 

Applications

  • High-performance, reversible clothing
  • IR-resistant, camouflaged tarpaulins for military equipment and facilities
  • IR-resistant uniforms and tactical gear

Publication 

https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202201432