ARL Designs LLC was founded to commercialize superhydrophobic technologies developed in the labs at the City University of New York. The mission of the company is to develop innovative materials with specific surface chemistries and geometries for applications requiring self-cleaning and non-wetting properties. Superhydrophobic films and surfaces from ARL Designs are formed with high surface roughness and low surface energy so that water and other aqueous fluids including corn syrup, milk, beer and wine are maintained in the superhydrophobic state. These fluids form contact angles of more than 165 degrees with the surface and easily roll off at low angles (below 3 degrees). The surfaces are ice-phobic; droplets of freezing rain bounce and roll off these surfaces even when cooled to sub-zero temperatures, preventing the accretion of ice. In addition, the surfaces are self-cleaning. Water droplets imbibe fine particulates as they roll off the surface leaving the surface clean and free of contaminants.
