SAN DIEGO — Aculon Inc., a nanotechnology coatings and surface modification company, and global electronic materials leader Henkel Corp., have entered into a strategic partnership to support specific mobile device manufacturers with Aculon waterproofing technology. The agreement extends to Henkel the rights to manufacture and market Aculon’s NanoProof^® series of waterproofing products.

NanoProof PCB hydrophobic surface treatment was developed using a mix of Aculon's proprietary transition metal complexate (TMC) technology and fluorinated acrylic polymers. The series of NanoProof products are compatible with all common material types used in SMT parts and are sprayable or dip-based coatings that do not require a cure and have no impact on conductivity testing. While some of the NanoProof series are so thin that they are invisible to naked eye, all the NanoProof series contain a UV tracer to ensure detection at customer sites.

“Consumer expectations for handheld and wearables durability continue to rise, making waterproofing an essential feature for designers and manufacturers,” said Edward Hughes, CEO of Aculon. “Partnering with Henkel to provide NanoProof to specific mobile device manufacturers allows us to leverage Henkel’s global manufacturing and logistics capabilities, as well as the company’s technical expertise to ensure availability of advanced, IPX8-level waterproofing solutions for today’s leading device companies.”

The partnership affords Aculon and Henkel the opportunity to work with top electronic partners to bring innovative and essential waterproofing technologies to the global mobile device market.

“The Aculon–Henkel partnership is a positive development for the mobile device community,” said Dirk Cartus, Henkel Corp. Senior Vice President.  “By making available a technology that delivers robust waterproofing capability at thin film thicknesses, we can extend our PCB protection portfolio to deliver holistic waterproofing solutions. This is a win-win-win.”