How Does NeverWet Do What it Does? Hydrophobicity Explained

NeverWet products have been spotlighted by several big-name companies, such as Tesla and Totes, as revolutionary technology. But what’s the secret to our products’ continued success? Today, we want to dive into the scientific breakthrough technology that NeverWet products implement and explain how our products are a cut above the rest.

What is Hydrophobicity?

The technical definition of “hydrophobic” is literally “the fear of water”. Hydrophobic surfaces and materials repel water molecules. NeverWet is classified as a “superhydrophobic” material, making the surface it coats nonpolar.

Nonpolar molecules do no produce a static electric field, which is what usually attracts water molecules. Without a static electric field, the water molecules form more hydrogen bonds with themselves and the nonpolar molecules clump together. This creates the “water beading” effect that we see upon surfaces treated with one of NeverWet’s unique coatings.

How Does NeverWet Implement Hydrophobicity?

Water sits on surfaces coated by NeverWet technology in an almost perfect sphere. The contact angle of water molecules on a surface is the angle of the leading edge of a water droplet as measured from the center of the droplet. For example, a surface with a contact angle of 180˚ would mean that the water droplet sits on that surface as a perfect sphere.

Surfaces with a contact angle greater than 90˚ are considered hydrophobic surfaces, while surfaces with a contact angle greater than 150˚ are considered superhydrophobic. For comparison, Rain-X® treatments have a contact angle of 110˚, which makes it a hydrophobic surface. The typical contact angle for NeverWet coatings is 160-175˚, making it a superhydrophobic surface.

NeverWet offers a variety of innovative products that are still evolving (i.e. multi-surface coatings, glass coatings, fabric coatings); new uses for NeverWet technology are constantly being discovered. Get yours today, and discover what NeverWet coatings can do for you! Visit our website or send us an email today to find where you can purchase any of our unique NeverWet products. We look forward to hearing from you!