A manufacturer’s guide to nonstick, low-friction and easy-clean surfaces, with links to the latest Nanize coating guides, executive profiles and partnership updates.
A bakery tray has to release food after hundreds of heating and washing cycles. A conveyor guide has to let packages move without scuffing. A touchscreen has to stay readable after a shift of fingerprints and wipe-downs. Each surface needs a different test, even when the starting point is the same coating chemistry.
Nanize develops PFAS-free polysilazane formulations and rapid curing technology in Narvik, Norway. Depending on the formulation and substrate, the coatings can be designed to improve release, reduce sliding friction or make a surface easier to clean. We publish application guides so product and process teams can match those functions to the part they actually make, use or maintain. Explore Nanize coating applications.
Read the Eight Nanize Coating Guides
Start with the two technology guides if you are comparing chemistries or production processes. The six application guides explain what to measure on the finished product.
PFAS Free Coatings and PTFE Alternatives for Manufacturers
Polysilazane Coatings and Rapid Curing for Manufacturers
PFAS Free Nonstick Coatings for Cookware and Bakeware
Anti Soiling Coatings for Solar Panels and Module Glass
TPU Paint Protection Film Coatings for Automotive Surfaces
Low Friction Coatings for Conveyors and Industrial Equipment
PFAS Free DWR and Coatings for Technical Textiles
Anti Fingerprint Coatings for Touchscreens and Display Glass
Evaluating PFAS Free Coatings and PTFE Alternatives
Start by writing down what the incumbent coating does. PTFE, or polytetrafluoroethylene, is a fluoropolymer used in products where release or low friction matters. A PFOA-free claim addresses a named substance. A PTFE-free claim addresses that particular polymer. If your purchasing requirement is PFAS-free, ask the supplier how it defines the term and whether its declaration covers the wet formulation, cured layer or complete assembly. A coated film may also include a primer, adhesive and liner, each with its own material information.
Tie the chemical requirement to a measurable performance requirement. A bakeware supplier might compare food residue and release after repeated washes. A machine builder might compare sliding force and surface wear. An optical supplier might compare haze after abrasion and cleaning. Each application puts different demands on the same finish.
Scope the regulatory review to the article and market. For example, Article 5 of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation sets concentration limits for PFAS in food-contact packaging placed on the EU market from August 12, 2026. A buyer qualifying a pan, coated conveyor guide or packaged food product should identify the rules and evidence that apply to that specific use. Read Regulation EU 2025/40.
Polysilazane Coatings and Rapid Curing
Polysilazanes are silicon-based polymers that can form a hard, ceramic-like network as they cure. Nanize develops the formulation and curing process together to create a functional layer on a compatible substrate. The company’s published Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy results report full cure in under one minute below 100 °C on tested aluminum and steel samples without adding a curing catalyst. A manufacturer can use those results to design a trial around its own substrate, geometry and temperature limits. See Nanize’s technology and test results.
On a production line, measure the entire time from application to the next operation. Surface preparation, drying, cure, cooling and inspection can each set the pace. At a web speed of 12 meters per minute, a hypothetical 45-second treatment takes 9 meters of travel during that step. A two-minute treatment takes 24 meters at the same speed. A trial can establish the required residence time and whether the process also meets the line’s handling, adhesion and appearance requirements.
Look closely at the parts most likely to expose variation. On a molded enclosure, include recesses, edges and visible faces. On a film line, compare samples from across the web and at different points in a run. A cure result on a flat specimen and a handling check on a production part answer complementary questions.
Nonstick Coatings for Cookware and Bakeware
For a pan manufacturer or commercial bakery, release after repeated use is the buying decision. Evaluate the food that causes the most sticking and run it on both the current finish and the candidate coating. Repeat the actual heat, cool and wash sequence. Record how much food remains, how the tray looks, how much time cleaning takes and when either finish needs attention. Include abrasion at places where trays stack, utensils touch or handling equipment grips.
A useful trial connects one performance improvement to an operating decision. A bakery that spends less time scraping trays can calculate how many trays it processes on a shift and whether the time saved changes labor or throughput. A cookware brand can use the same test logic to see whether release and appearance remain acceptable over its intended use cycle. Confirm the exact coating, substrate and conditions of use when requesting food-contact documentation.
Anti Soiling Coatings for Solar Panels
Dust, pollen and other deposits can cut the light that reaches photovoltaic cells. Their effect depends on site conditions, module tilt, rainfall and cleaning practices. A solar glass coating is worth investigating where it can help preserve energy yield between washes or simplify cleaning while maintaining the optical properties the module needs.
Compare coated and reference modules under similar conditions and establish how both perform when clean. Follow changes through a representative soiling and cleaning cycle. Record energy production, weather, cleaning water, technician time and any change in appearance. Ask the module supplier how a proposed coating fits the glass construction, existing optical layers and warranty terms. Site results can then support a calculation of the value of recovered generation and any change in cleaning cost. See the IEA PVPS handbook on measuring solar resources and soiling.
TPU Paint Protection Film and Automotive Surfaces
Paint protection film provides a physical layer over the vehicle finish. A compatible coating on the film can change how its outer surface wets, cleans or retains marks. Nanize reports marker removal on selected coated thermoplastic polyurethane, or TPU, samples. The result gives film converters a defined starting point for evaluating other contaminants and an assembled film product. See the coated TPU results.
Evaluate the candidate on the film the customer installs. Track gloss, haze, stain removal and surface appearance after stretching, application around curves, exposure and washing. For a molded exterior trim part, compare adhesion and appearance at edges, fastener locations and visible faces. These tests help a manufacturer decide whether a coating works within the installation and service conditions its customers will see.
Low Friction Coatings for Industrial Equipment
Focus on the contact that causes drag, product marks or downtime. On a packaging line, that may be a guide rail where lightweight bottles rub as they change direction. On a fixture, it may be a small contact area that wears unevenly. A coefficient of friction makes sense alongside the material pairing, load, speed and surface condition used to measure it.
Run the candidate beside the current component with representative packages or parts. Measure both starting and running behavior where they matter. Record jams, scuffs, cleanup time and visible wear over a production interval. Compare the cost of applying the coating with the value of any verified changes in rejects, maintenance or replacement. The most useful first trial often concerns one identifiable wear point that plant operators can measure across shifts.
PFAS Free DWR and Technical Textile Coatings
Durable water repellency, or DWR, describes a surface finish that helps water bead and shed. A waterproof laminate also has to resist water penetration through the product construction. A textile mill evaluating a new coating can set separate targets for surface wetting, penetration, hand, stretch and care so that an improvement in one property can be evaluated alongside the others.
Nanize’s published coated TPU work is relevant to conversations about film-faced textiles and laminates. Direct application to fibers needs evidence on the intended fabric. A workwear manufacturer might compare an exposed film-faced panel for wipeability and bending, then check how the assembled garment changes after laundering, flexing and abrasion. The test plan should reflect what the fabric is expected to do after it leaves the mill.
Anti Fingerprint Coatings for Displays
On a display, a cleanable surface must also stay readable. Fingerprints contain oils, so water beading alone gives limited information about how a smudge will appear or wipe away. An anti-glare treatment addresses reflections. A touchscreen supplier can evaluate oil marks, reflections and cleanability as distinct properties on the finished cover or optical film.
Assess the display under the light in which it will be used. Record haze, contrast, visible residue and touch feel before and after wiping with the specified cleaner. Repeat the test after handling and abrasion. A public charging terminal may need outdoor readability and frequent cleaning. A handheld device may place more emphasis on touch feel and how a fingerprint looks when the screen is off.
Building Surfaces and Other Applications
Nanize also lists architectural metal and glass among its application areas. For a façade, the value of an easy-clean or anti-graffiti finish depends on how the panel is made, how dirt or paint bonds to it and how the site crew removes deposits. Evaluate a representative finished panel and record the cleaning method, the time it takes and what happens to color, gloss and adhesion. The findings can help building owners and panel suppliers compare the coating with the maintenance cycle they already use. See the Nanize application portfolio.
Plan a Coating Trial Around the Finished Part
Begin with the failing surface and the people who see it. A production engineer can explain the line and its temperature limit. An operator can show where the part actually rubs or jams. A service technician can identify the cleaning agent that reaches the surface in the field. Together they can define an observable target, such as fewer visible scuffs after a fixed run or lower cleaning time with a specified procedure.
Test the incumbent and candidate under the same conditions. Agree on the sample, the coating location, the test cycles and the pass criteria before coating a larger batch. Keep separate records for chemistry, initial performance and performance after aging. If the improvement holds, collect the cycle time, yield, rework and service information needed to judge whether the coating fits a regular production run.
Meet the Nanize Executive Team
David Hogg, CEO, brings experience commercializing technology and working in the solar industry, including as a former Suntech COO. His profile covers the work involved in taking a coating from a sample to industrial production. David Hogg and the Path to Industrial Production at Nanize.
Dr. Kingsley Iwu, CTO and co-founder, has a background in chemistry, materials science and nanotechnology. His profile explains the research behind rapid curing, adhesion and functional surfaces. Kingsley Iwu and the Science Behind Nanize Coatings.
Håvard Lillebo, CFO and co-founder, brings an entrepreneurial and financing background to the business. His profile covers the commercial milestones and capital decisions involved in scaling a materials technology. Håvard Lillebo and the Business of Scaling Nanize Coatings.
Jerry Stokes, Chief Commercial Officer, brings experience in solar and batteries to conversations with customers and industrial partners. His profile explains how co-development can turn a surface problem into a defined evaluation. Jerry Stokes Develops Commercial Partnerships for Nanize Coatings.
Recent Nanize Partnership and Event Articles
These posts follow Jerry Stokes’s commercial work in manufacturing, automotive, textiles and renewable energy, including industry conversations in Birmingham, Dublin and Chengdu.
Jerry Stokes and Nanize Seek Global Coatings Partnerships
Jerry Stokes and Nanize Target Friction on the Factory Floor
Nanize and Jerry Stokes Seek Partners for Automotive Coatings
Jerry Stokes Invites Textile Mills to Explore Nanize Coatings
Jerry Stokes Joins the Birmingham Rooftop Solar Discussion
Jerry Stokes on the Dublin Electrification Agenda
Jerry Stokes Is Set to Join Solar Industry Leaders in Chengdu
For future posts and announcements, visit Nanize Media.
Work with Nanize
Nanize is looking for customers, development partners, investors and industry event opportunities around the world. Manufacturers, coaters, converters and equipment suppliers can start with the part, its current finish and the performance target. Investors can reach out about commercialization priorities and planned milestones. Event organizers can share the location, dates, audience and opportunities for a technical talk, panel or demonstration.
To discuss a coating trial, a partnership, an investment inquiry or an event, contact Jerry Stokes, Chief Commercial Officer, at js@nanize.com. Contact Nanize.