How polysilazane chemistry creates functional surfaces.
A drop of water beading on a surface is easy to see. The work behind that behavior begins with the chemistry of the coating, the material beneath it and the way the film cures. Dr. Kingsley Iwu, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Nanize, leads the technical side of developing coatings that change how surfaces interact with water, residues and the parts they touch.
Nanize’s leadership profile lists Iwu’s undergraduate training in chemistry, master’s and doctoral degrees in materials science, and specialization in nanotechnology. His name appears alongside Nguyen Hong Quang, Vivek Kumar Singh and Anisa Yaseen on Nanize’s U.S. patent 12,129,396 B2 for polysilazane compositions, issued in October 2024. The invention credits reflect a research effort that joins polymer chemistry with the practical requirements of a coated part.
What happens as the coating cures
Polysilazanes are a family of polymers with silicon and nitrogen in their backbone. As a suitable formulation cures, reactions can link the polymer into a dense network rich in silicon-oxygen bonds. The resulting film can have a hard, ceramic-like character. Formulation and surface preparation help determine how well it adheres and which properties the finished surface offers.
Nanize uses Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, or FTIR, to follow changes in the chemical groups present during curing. In a published example, the company reports curing coatings on stainless steel and aluminum in 30 seconds at 70 °C. Its spectra show the disappearance of certain silicon-hydrogen and nitrogen-hydrogen signals and the development of a strong silicon-oxygen-silicon signal. A short cure at that temperature gives manufacturers a reason to evaluate other substrates with tight limits on heat exposure.
Designing for the surface a customer will use
An electronics maker looking for a more easily cleaned display cover has a particular set of priorities. The cover has to stay clear and pleasant to touch after repeated use. A candidate coating can be assessed for fingerprint removal alongside haze, glare and adhesion. Cleaning cycles can show whether those properties persist with the wipes and liquids the customer uses. The intended glass or polymer matters because each interacts differently with the coating and its cure.
An industrial part can pose a different problem. A guide that rubs against a product may need lower sliding friction, while a nearby fixture may primarily need to release residue during cleaning. Each project calls for a different comparison against the current surface. Measuring friction under a representative load or comparing residue after repeated use gives the technical team a specific target for formulation work.
The chemical and application tests answer different questions. FTIR helps establish what happened to the coating during cure. Adhesion, wear and cleaning tests establish how that finished part behaves over time. Together, the results help Nanize and its partners decide which formulation and application process to pursue.
Technical collaboration with Nanize
Nanize welcomes manufacturers, materials laboratories and development partners interested in evaluating PFAS-free surface chemistry. Researchers and engineers can contact Iwu with the substrate, the properties they need and the conditions the part will face. Technical conference organizers and investors interested in materials research can also start a conversation with the company.
Dr. Kingsley Iwu, Chief Technology Officer | ki@nanize.com | www.nanize.com
Sources Nanize leadership · Nanize coating technology · Innovation News Network coating feature · Polysilazane compositions patent · Nanize applications