Nanotechnology is defined as design and manufacturing of structures at the scale of 1 to 100 nanometers. At this sub-microscopic level, DetraPel’s nanotech formulas are engineered with a high degree of precision to offer increased efficiency, durability, and performance. This allows us to provide you with safe protective coatings that have better hydrophobicity and breathability.
The revolutionary nanotechnology behind DetraPel is based on the ‘Lotus Effect’. This refers to the water repellency exhibited by superhydrophobic lotus leaves. Lotus leaves have waxy microstructures called “papillae” that do not allow water droplets to settle onto their surface, causing them to bead up and roll right off.
An electron micrograph image of the Lotus leaf surface—water droplets adopt an almost spherical shape on the waxy protrusion of the leaf surface. (Sandia National Laboratories)
Superhydrophobic surfaces have a contact angle of 150°, which means they are exceedingly difficult to wet. Adding a superhydrophobic layer to a textile surface makes it liquid repellent, thereby preventing stain-carrying liquids from seeping into the fabric and reducing wetness in the process.
In addition to having a contact angle at or exceeding 150°, tilting a superhydrophobic surface as little as 10° from horizontal causes the droplet to roll off. This phenomenon has been used to create self-cleaning surfaces, and may be the primary function of the natural “lotus effect.”
At the nanoscale, DetraPel Fabric Protectors coat fibers safely retaining breathability of fabrics. Now, with DetraPel’s latest patent-pending VIRUSHIELD™ technology, DetraPel Fabric & Clothing Protector increases the effectiveness of ordinary fabric cotton face masks to that of surgical-grade N95 respirators.
