P2i
{{Infobox company
| name = P2i Ltd
| logo = P2i strapline RGB.jpg
| logo_size = 250px
| type = Private
| area_served = Global
| key_people = Ady Moores (Group Chief Executive)
Stephen Coulson (Founder and President Information Security)
Simon Vogt(Chief Commercial Officer)
Martin Tolliday(Chief Product Officer)
Ahilan Rabindran(Group Finance Director)
| genre = Nanotechnology
| foundation = 2004
| location = Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK
| homepage =
}}
P2i is a nanotechnology development company that works with manufacturers to produce liquid repellent nano-coating protection to products for the electronics, lifestyle, life sciences, filtration and Energy, and military and institutional sectors.{{Cite web| url=http://www.p2i.com/applications |title=Applications |publisher=P2i |date= | accessdate= 2013-03-20}}
The company was established in 2004 to commercialize technologies developed by the UK MoD's Defense Science and Technology Laboratory.{{Cite web| url=http://www.sciencevale.com/news/p2i-protects-worlds-slimmest-smartphone/|title=P2i protects world's slimmest smartphone |publisher=Science Vale |date= 2013-01-16| accessdate= 2013-03-21}} In 2010 the company acquired Surface Innovations Limited, adding new technologies such as antimicrobial, super hydrophilic and protein resistance coatings.{{Cite web| url=http://www.azonano.com/news.aspx?newsID=18502 |title=World Leader in Liquid Repellent nano-Coating Technology Acquires Surface Innovations |publisher=AzoNano |date= 2010-07-13| accessdate= 2013-03-20}}
In addition to headquarters in the United Kingdom,{{Cite web |url=http://www.mepc.com/miltonpark/Milton-Business-Park/Location1.aspx |title=Location |publisher=MEPC |year=2013 |accessdate=2013-03-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915081343/http://www.mepc.com/miltonpark/Milton-Business-Park/Location1.aspx |archive-date=2012-09-15 |url-status=dead }} P2i has a processing facility in the United States,{{Cite web| url=http://savannahnow.com/mary-carr-mayle/2009-03-20/british-firm-p2i-open-office-herty|title=British firm P2i to open office at Herty |publisher=Savannah Morning News |date= 2009-03-20| accessdate= 2013-03-20}} offices in Shenzhen, China{{Cite web| url= http://www.ombugroup.com/ombu_companies/p2i|title=P2i |publisher=Ombu Group |accessdate= 2013-03-20}} and Taipei City, Taiwan,{{Cite news|url=https://www.p2i.com/blog/2017/02/16/a-new-office-in-taiwan-2/|title=Our new office in Taiwan - P2i|date=2017-02-16|work=P2i|access-date=2017-03-22|language=en-GB}} and representation in Korea.{{Cite news|url=https://www.p2i.com/contact/|title=Contact - P2i|work=P2i|access-date=2017-03-22|language=en-GB}} As of February 2016 P2i had deployed hundreds of its nano-coating systems globally, including factories in Brazil, Argentina, USA, China, India, Japan, Switzerland, Germany and the UK.{{Cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/100-million-smartphones-now-protected-by-p2i-300223062.html|title=100 Million Smartphones Now Protected by P2i|last=P2i|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en|access-date=2017-03-22}}
Technology
File:ion-mask water droplet material surface.jpg
The treatment decreases the surface energy of objects by adding a perfluorinated carbon polymer coating onto exposed surfaces. The coating reduces the disruption of intermolecular bonds within a liquid.{{cite news|last=Glass|first=Nick|title=Nano-coating provides watertight solution|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2013/01/17/tech/mobile/p2i-liquid-repellent-nano-coating/index.html?iref=allsearch|access-date=20 March 2013|newspaper=CNN International|date=18 January 2013}} Liquids thus tend to bead up instead of penetrating or absorbing into the object.{{cite web|title=Innovation|url=http://www.p2i.com/innovation|work=P2i|accessdate=20 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208231638/http://www.p2i.com/innovation|archive-date=8 February 2013|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=MOTOROLA Splash Guard Feature Demo|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGgJTrEYhQE |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140125162054/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGgJTrEYhQE |archive-date=2014-01-25 |url-status=dead|work=YouTube|publisher=Motorola|accessdate=20 March 2013}}
The treatment process coats objects using a pulsed plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus at room temperature.{{cite web|title=P2i Process - Electronics|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c83n-vkno8U|work=YouTube|publisher=P2i|accessdate=20 March 2013}}{{cite web|title=P2i - Liquid Repellent Nano-coating Technology for Electronic Devices|url=http://www.semiconductor-technology.com/contractors/electronics/p2i|work=Product Listing|publisher=Semiconductor-technology|accessdate=20 March 2013}} The coating is introduced as a vapor and ionized. This deposits a polymerized layer of the plasma monomers, which binds covalently and durably to the object's surface. The mild temperature and pressure conditions of this process permit a broad variety of items and materials to be treated.{{cite news|title=P2i Limited Achieves 27th Place in Tech Track Rankings|url=http://www.azonano.com/news.aspx?newsID=25578|accessdate=20 March 2013|newspaper=AzoNano|date=20 September 2012}} Occurring at low pressure, the coating penetrates complex three-dimensional objects, protecting it internally and externally in the same process. The coating, being very thin, does not alter the look or feel of solid objects or the vapor porosity of fabrics.{{cite web|title=Wet is Dry|url=http://www.hi-tec.com/ion-mask/wetisdry/|work=ion-mask Microsite|publisher=Hi-Tec|accessdate=20 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120704234901/http://www.hi-tec.com/ion-mask/wetisdry/|archive-date=4 July 2012|url-status=dead}}
History
Image:Ion-mask water droplet material surface 2.jpg
P2i's process is based on the research and development work of Stephen Coulson and Jas Pal Badyal at Durham University.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dur.ac.uk/jps.badyal/Publications.html|title=Durham University publications |date= |accessdate=2011-03-02}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.dur.ac.uk/jps.badyal/index.htm |title=Welcome to Professor Badyal's Research Group |date= |accessdate=2011-03-02}} Coulson's work was funded by the United Kingdom's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) which aimed to protect clothing from water and other liquids while maximizing comfort.
P2i Ltd was established as a stand-alone company in 2004, as the first DSTL technology spin-out managed by Ploughshare Innovations (the DSTL's technology transfer company).{{cite web|title=P2i|url=http://www.ploughshareinnovations.com/partnerships/p2i|publisher=Ploughshare Innovations|accessdate=21 March 2013}}
On 13 July 2010, P2i announced the acquisition of Surface Innovations Ltd, a UK-based technology company with several functional nano-coating patent families in areas such as anti-bacterial resistance and liquid attracting (super wettable).{{Cite web |url=
http://www.p2ilabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Press-release_Surface-Innovations-Acquisition.pdf |title=
P2i Water Resistant Micro Technology |date=
|accessdate=
2011-03-02 }}{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Applications and brands
{{Advert section|date=November 2019}}
P2i's technology is currently applied in the fields of electronics, lifestyle, life sciences, filtration and energy, and military and institutional sectors. {{Cite web | url=http://www.p2ilabs.com/applications.html | title=P2i Applications | accessdate=2010-03-03 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100216195646/http://www.p2ilabs.com/applications.html | archive-date=2010-02-16 | url-status=dead }}
For consumer-facing products, the company has developed sector-specific trademarked brands. The ion-mask brand {{Cite web | url=http://www.p2ilabs.com/technology_ion-mask.html | title=P2i Ion-Mask Technology | accessdate=2010-03-02 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091107124224/http://www.p2ilabs.com/technology_ion-mask.html | archive-date=2009-11-07 | url-status=dead }}
was used for lifestyle products such as footwear, outdoor clothing, and accessories like gloves and headwear. ion-mask products products were available from several international footwear companies, including Timberland,{{Cite web| url=http://technology.timberland.com/en/category/footwear#ion-mask-p2i |title=Ion Mask Technology By P2i}} Nike,{{Cite web| url=http://www.nike.com/nikeos/p/sportswear/en_US/view_post?country=us&lang_locale=en_US&blog=en_US&post=en_SG/2009/12/14/nike-sportswear-presents-the-lunar-wood-tz-debuting-at-retail-on-dec-11th-2009 |title= Nike Sportswear Presents the Lunar Wood TZ, Debuting at Retail on Dec. 11th 2009. |accessdate=2010-03-02}} Adidas Golf,{{Cite web |url=http://www.p2i.com/news/articles/adidas_Golf_chooses_ionmask_technology_performance_comfort__golf_footwear |title=adidas Golf chooses P2i's ion-mask technology to revolutionise performance and comfort in golf footwear |date=2009-10-20 |accessdate=2011-11-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312073325/http://www.p2i.com/news/articles/adidas_Golf_chooses_ionmask_technology_performance_comfort__golf_footwear |archive-date=2012-03-12 |url-status=dead }} Hi-Tec,{{Cite web | url=http://www.hi-tec.com/ion-mask/ | title=Hi-Tec Wet is Dry featuring Ion Mask | accessdate=2010-03-02 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100605102648/http://www.hi-tec.com/ion-mask/ | archive-date=2010-06-05 | url-status=dead }} Magnum Boots,{{Cite web| url=http://magnumboots.com/ion-mask/ |title=Magnum Essential Equipment featuring ion-mask |accessdate=2010-03-02}} Van Dal,{{Cite web | url=http://www.vandalshoes.com/van-dal-technologies | title=Van Dal Technologies | accessdate=2010-03-02 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100906183737/http://www.vandalshoes.com/van-dal-technologies | archive-date=2010-09-06 | url-status=dead }} Teva,{{cite web|title=Links|url=http://www.teva.co.uk/mens-links-mountain-biking-shoes/1002689,en_GB,pd.html?dwvar_1002689_color=BLK&start=2&cgid=mens-shoes-bike|publisher=Teva|accessdate=21 March 2013}} and K-Swiss.{{cite web|title=K-Swiss Kwicky Blade-Light Tech|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMltJTj2y8U|work=K-Swiss|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=21 March 2013}}
P2i's nano-coating technology{{Cite web | url=http://www.p2i.com/aridion | title=Aridion Technology by P2i | accessdate=2011-11-18 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120906112749/http://www.p2i.com/aridion | archive-date=2012-09-06 | url-status=dead }} is utilized in the consumer electronics sector, with significant application in the hearing aid industry, where the company claims its coating is applied to 70% of the world's hearing devices.{{Cite web |url=http://www.p2i.com/news/articles/P2i_showcase_award_winning_technology_as_EUHA_marks_five_million_hearing_aid_milestone_for_Aridion |title=P2i showcase award winning technology as EUHA marks five million hearing aid milestone for Aridion |date=2011-10-19 |accessdate=2011-11-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111028172800/http://www.p2i.com/news/articles/P2i_showcase_award_winning_technology_as_EUHA_marks_five_million_hearing_aid_milestone_for_Aridion |archive-date=2011-10-28 |url-status=dead }} In 2013, P2i rebranded its traditional hydrophobic layer technology, previously known as Aridion, to "Splash-proof."{{cite web|title=Dr Stephen Coulson introduces Dunkable|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrSzu5KIB3I |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130303170220/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrSzu5KIB3I&gl=US&hl=en |archive-date=2013-03-03 |url-status=dead|work=YouTube|publisher=P2i|accessdate=20 March 2013}}
P2i has established partnerships with smartphone manufacturers such as Motorola and Huawei,{{Cite news|url=http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/ask-an-expert-waterproof-phones-mwc-2017/|title=When will every smartphone survive a swim in the pool? We asked an expert|date=2017-03-12|work=Digital Trends|access-date=2017-03-22|language=en-US}} as well as other top brands in the industry, including prominent Chinese manufacturers.{{Cite news|url=https://www.p2i.com/about-us/|title=About Us - P2i|work=P2i|access-date=2017-03-22|language=en-GB}} In 2019, P2i had the capacity to treat over half a billion phones with its technology.{{Cite web|url=http://www.materialsforengineering.co.uk/engineering-materials-features/a-low-cost-nano-coating-to-protect-electronic-devices-from-water/151996/|title=A low cost nano-coating to protect electronic devices from water|website=www.materialsforengineering.co.uk|access-date=2017-03-22}}