LIQUID GLASS NANOTECHNOLOGY (a comment on nanotechnology)
GIOIETTA KUO
senior fellow, American center for international policy studies. amcips.org
kuo@amcips.org
2-3-10
We have all heard of nanotechnology, but so far few of us can point to a particular field where its application has radically changed our lives. Finally something wonderful has to come onto the market which is about to revolutionize the way we live. It sounds too good to be true: a nontoxic spray invisible to the human eye that protects almost any surface against dirt and bacteria, whether it is hospital equipment or ancient monuments and expensive fabrics. The spray is in the form of ‘liquid glass’ – a fluid that flows over surfaces as if it were flexible thin glass covering everything. The secret of this spray is that it forms an ultra-thin film between 15 to 30 molecules thick – about 500 times thinner than human hair. On this nano-scale, which is one millionth of a millimeter, liquid glass turns into a highly flexible invisible barrier that repels water, dirt and bacteria just like glass, yet is resistant to heat, acids and UV radiation. Liquid glass is composed of almost pure silicon dioxide, the chemical constituent of quartz or silica, basically like ordinary glass. It is therefore quite inert and has no known harmful impact on the environment. In essence molecules of silicon dioxide from quarts sand are added to water or ethanol, when sprayed to the surface the coatings form a bond due to quantum forces. It works by forming a highly water-repellent invisible hydrophobic layer that generates strong electrostatic forces that bind it to the material in question. So the treated surfaces can be easily washed clean with plain water. When bacteria land on the glass surface, they cannot divide replicate easily. The age of chemical free cleaning has come.Successful tests on liquid glass have been made on a fantastically wide range of uses. Here are some applications and negotiations are underway for their marketing:* Agriculture
Wood treated with liquid glass was found to be resistant to termites. Vines were treated against fungal attacks. Seeds coated with liquid glass are less likely to be attacked by fungal spores.
* Hospital equipment
Liquid glass produces coating of nonstick antiseptic surfaces. Useful for medical implants, catheters, bandages.
* Ancient stone monuments
Protect against weather, mildew.
* Domestic bathrooms
Treated surfaces may be cleaned with water. No need for the strong cleaning agents and scrubbing that we do today.
* Fashion industry
Fabrics treated can be made stain and dirt resistant and yet be allowed to ‘breathe’.
* Spraying nose cone of high speed trains results in easy cleaning.
It is obvious that the ‘easy-clean’ properties of liquid glass is making the variety of potentially toxic and scrubbing agents redundant. This product is already available in Cypress and will soon be available in DIY shops in Britain.