When a material is superhydrophobic (SHP), it repels water with the slightest tilt, push, or wind pressure. When a material has been made superhydrophobic, rust, ice and bacterial contamination are less likely to form there, and surfaces are easier to clean.
Changing Materials
Lasers & Plasma
Laser Surface Functionalization
Laser Surface Functionalization
Making permanent textures on materials to repel or attract water or oil
Diamond Like Coatings
Diamond Like Coatings
Depositing diamond layers to protect them against the harshest conditions
Laser Shock Peening
Laser Shock Peening
Hardening surfaces deeply below the surface for more resilience and durability
When a material is superhydrophilic, water-based liquids are pulled forcefully against the surface. This can be used for water-oil separation, to dry materials without heat, or to help with the adhesion of paints, coatings and epoxies.
When a material is oleophilic, it attracts oil-based substances to its surface, even spreading the oily substance without pressure. This application is helpful for separating oil and water in situ, or for preventing oil-based epoxies, lubricants and sealants from falling away from materials needing protection.
Materials that are oleophobic repel oily substances from their surface without breaking them down. This is helpful in applications where oily contaminants can damage surfaces or products, to prevent downstream contamination, or potentially improve the flow of oily materials in pipes and tubes.
A surprising effect of our fast laser treatment is the ability to change the color of the surface of materials without adding chemicals or damaging the surface. While this might seem an expensive or complex method compared to paints, in some areas, this method is considered quite helpful because it does not add any weight (like in aviation or space) or any toxicity (for food and beverage preparation) or some medical devices.
Certain textures can be applied to any material that will either reduce heat from friction or increase the surfaces’ ability to evacuate heat, without spending extra energy on cooling. The implications for HVAC, semiconductors and other areas are being explored by FLITE today.
Nanotextured surfaces, especially when designed at multiple scales, can actively kill harmful bacteria, viruses and spores. This is done without toxic chemicals, or using silver, zinc or copper particles – great for food and beverage applications, or medical devices for long-term implantation.
Many of these textures and benefits can be applied in complete transparency on the surface of materials, including both glass and plastic. In some cases, we can even improve the transmission of light by reducing glare, which is helpful for cameras, sensors and other optical applications.
Why choose us
The Important Differences
FLITE’s approach is very different compared to conventional coatings and surface preparation techniques. Here’s why you should be looking at FLITE to improve your products and solve your chronic technical challenges.
100% green
Our technologies use laser and plasma energy to make these permanent changes, reducing or eliminating the need for toxic chemicals.
Works on any material
Our methods have been demonstrated on glass, plastic, metal, ceramics, semiconductors and composites.
Works in open air
Our techniques don’t require special chemical environments, full vacuum, or other complex lab conditions to work – they can be adapted for any lab, factory or field conditions.
With or Without Coatings
If you are using a great coating, we can show you how that coating can be enhanced with surface texturing to make stronger, safer products.
Property of Univ. Of Rochester
More offers
Extra services
Industrial Solutions that Complement our Technologies
Laser ablation
Let us integrate a laser cleaning solution for your maintenance challenges, so that we can get rid of old coatings and rust without the damage associated with grit blasting or water jetting.
Collaboration Services
Want something unique created just for you? Show us your creative product designs and ideas, and we’ll work with you with our library of techniques and methods.
Laser carbonisation
We can apply laser techniques that harden glass, plastics and other materials at the surface without adding weight or sacrificing transparency
Consulting Services
For innovation challenges, let FLITE help you with our extensive background in functional coatings and deep network in the innovation sector (labs, startups and accelerators around the world).
Micron scale 3D printing
For complex small parts that might be difficult to treat with lasers, with our partners at Nanogrande, we can work on texturing your mixed-material product with micron-scale precision.
FLITE was created in 2018 to take advantage of the emerging science of surface functionalization. Researcher leaders around the world have been exploring new surface textures and their effect on ordinary materials.