Luna Innovations has announced an agreement granting UltraTech International an exclusive license to commercialise Luna's new textile repellent technology that can protect first responders from pathogens and industrial workers from contaminants, as well as address the common problem of keeping fabric clean.

Under the agreement, Luna will license exclusive rights to UltraTech to bring the technology to production and market it through its global sales channels.

The commercialisation potential for the technology is broad, the company reports, as it may be sold as a standalone product that can be applied to textiles or as treated fabric with the technology embedded.

Repellent technology

The proprietary chemical technology uses a nanostructured textile coating to create an omniphobic treatment that repels both water- and oil-based liquids, so they roll off without penetrating the underlying fabric, Luna reports.

This technology is said to provide protection against contaminants and can also make clothes last longer and reduce laundering. This could result in a potentially significant cost savings for both households and large organisations, such as the US military and oil and gas operations.

Innovative

The innovation first came about from research that Luna completed under a US Army contract awarded through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programme to develop self-cleaning uniforms based on the use of omniphobic coatings, which are coatings that do not allow water, oils, solvents, or chemicals to wet the surface. Now Luna has found a partner to take its technology to market.

“This commercialisation agreement is important for two key reasons,” said My Chung, CEO of Luna. “First, it represents a commercialisation success story for us, with the recognition that our breakthrough technology is now ready for the commercial marketplace. Additionally, it demonstrates how Luna's involvement in the SBIR programme guides the development of our technology to solve specific needs, which can then be applied to meet commercial market demands.”

Introducing to the market

“Luna's technology effectively complements our current advanced technology product offerings,” commented Mark Shaw, Co-President of UltraTech. “We're pleased to partner with Luna, a leader in technology development, to advance their patent-pending textile treatment that we expect will have many commercial and military applications. With our experience in introducing new products and a global sales channel that matches needs with solutions, we look forward to bringing this innovative coating to market.”

Luna's fluid-resistant coatings are based on hierarchical particles composed of commercially available materials. The particles are part of a water-based solution coated onto textiles to create omniphobic fabrics.

The self-cleaning coatings can be applied over other treatments to a variety of synthetic and natural fabrics using conventional textile finishing processes on a large scale. Fabrics treated with the technology are breathable, lightweight, self-cleaning and durable under harsh conditions, the company reports.

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