Dynasylan^® SIVOCLEAR from Degussa repels water perfectly from car windscreens

Dynasylan^® SIVOCLEAR from Degussa repels water perfectly from car windscreens - TÜV confirms: "Highly effective"

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

A heavy downpour of rain can soon push a car’s windscreen wipers to the limits of their performance, while spray water thrown up from the vehicle in front causes an additional deterioration in visibility. The result is a safety risk that can all too easily lead to a serious accident. Now, research scientists at the Aerosil & Silanes Business Unit of Degussa AG, Düsseldorf, have developed Dynasylan^® SIVOCLEAR, a coating which ensures that drivers keep a clear view of the road ahead even in such tricky situations.

The silane-based coating is liquid-repellent and has the added benefit of making it easy to remove dirt or insects from the windscreen. These properties were also confirmed recently in a study by the Thüringen TÜV (a national technical inspection association). Their findings: "The water-resistant behavior of Dynasylan^® SIVOCLEAR, in spray water thrown up by closely leading or passing vehicles is impressive." Furthermore, they found that the coating had "excellent wear resistance" and that it “remained extremely stable for a long period of time."

When applied to the windscreen, Dynasylan^® SIVOCLEAR, guarantees better visibility when driving in rain. Especially at speeds above 70 km/h, this represents a clear enhancement in safety. Easy-to-clean systems from Degussa have to meet extremely high demands. They need to be resistant to UV radiation and weathering as well as non-abrasive, invisible, non-toxic and easy to apply. Their durability is currently about one year or 20,000 kilometres. Researchers at Degussa are working on extending this durability to 50,000 kilometres or three years.

Vehicle windscreens are not the only application for Dynasylan^® SIVOCLEAR. Other glass surfaces, such as conservatories, canopies and skylights, can also be kept clean with Dynasylan^® SIVOCLEAR. Not to mention shower cubicles, wall tiles and bathroom ceramics. Often, simply spraying with water is sufficient to eliminate traces of soap and lime scale. If the stains are more stubborn, a damp cloth is all that is needed. Dynasylan^® SIVOCLEAR, means aggressive cleaning agents are no longer required.

Silanes, which are part of Degussa’s Aerosil & Silanes Business Unit, are mainly used as adhesion promoters and crosslinking agents to increase the stability and strength of paints, coatings, and polyolefins. Thanks to their impregnating properties, they are utilised in the construction industry to protect surfaces against corrosion, weathering or graffiti.

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In the automotive field, Degussa is active in the four competency fields of assembly, coating, polymer engineering and reinforcement to make cars more beautiful, more ecological, more efficient and safer. Polymer solutions for developing innovative vehicle systems, designing material and fuel structures, components for coating materials, for adhesives and seals enable us to make a significant contribution toward future mobility.