Fluorothane is a Cytonix trademark for hydrophobic and
super-hydrophobic
fluorourethane coatings that have been proven to effectively reduce
rain
attenuation in aircraft, marine and ground radar and microwave
communication
systems.
Even in high speed aircraft, rain droplets are scattered by G-series
coatings
as spherical microdroplets having little microwave absorbtion, offering
pilots clear visibility under all rain conditions. Mobile ground and
marine
antenna systems coated with G-series materials show rain attenuations
of
only 10% compared to 50% losses for uncoated systems.
The M-series superhydrophobic coatings are the most durable available.
Fluorothane
MW and the newly introduced WX2100
can be expected to provide 150° contact angle performance in
extreme
sun and rain conditions for five to twenty years. Under heavy rain
condidtions,
ground stations using Fluorothane M-type coatings report rain
attenuation
(rain fade) losses of only 0.2 dB compared to 10 dB losses for uncoated
systems. M-type coatings are also reported to protect against snow
and ice accumulation under most conditions (also see Snow
Series).
Bringing together the toughness of high-performance urethanes and the
ultra-low
surface energy of the most advanced fluoropolymers, Fluorothane is a
superior
and cost-effective alternative to silicone or Teflon-based products.
