Could water proofing be on the way for Mobiles?

The age old problem of dropping your phone in the toilet, sink or even cups of coffee may no longer be a problem for mobile phone users.

Scientists in Canada have developed a protective coating which is only a few atoms thick, which is impervious to air or water. The film which can help protect the electronics of the phone, meaning that they could theoretically be submerged in water for long periods of time.

Many electrical devices have coatings that are sprayed on the components which can protect them from airborne water vapour and to make them splash resistant. These though can make the components bulky and imperfections can actually allow water to penetrate and damage the mobile phone, meaning that they are not entirely water tight.

The science of this new protective coating means that the atomic components of the film, which would make it 6000 times thinner than the width of a human hair, would prevent water from getting into the electric components of the mobile phone. It has been suggested by a recent study that a device which has this coating could last for up to 6 months submerged under the water.

This film could potentially be made transparent which would then enable it to be used on the displays of mobile phones. This could lead the possibility of using mobile phones under water without causing damage and saving people a lot on their mobile phone insurance excess!

Mobile phone technology is constantly developing and taking forward leaps as each year passes as mobile phone manufacturers compete to release the latest in smartphone technology. With the mobile app market expected to grow by 1000% between now and 2015 the ever developing market shows no signs of slowing down.