P2i’s plasma process reduces the surface energy of a material, so that when liquids come into contact with it, they form beads and simply roll off. When applied to solar cells, P2i’s multi-patented technology can prevent water, frost and dirt from forming on the surface, radically improving performance.
Furthermore, it is said to be durable and has the potential to extend the range of environments in which solar cell arrays can be deployed.
P2i’s nanometre-thin polymer coating is applied in a vacuum chamber using a special pulsed ionised gas (plasma). It is molecularly bound to the entire product surface, making inseparable from the product surface.
The coating is one thousand times thinner than a human hair, and as the application process is solvent-free and uses only tiny quantities of protective monomer, there is minimal waste and no adverse impact on the environment, P2i says.
P2i’s flexible platform technology can be optimised to meet very specific functional requirements, making it a good fit for the complex demands of the solar energy industry.
P2i
P2i Ltd was established in 2004 to commercialise liquid-repellent treatments developed by the UK’s Ministry of Defence.