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Self-repairing screen coating soon to hit the streets

by Alistair Lowe on 9 April 2012, 09:29

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With protective layers such as Gorilla Glass and new flexible OLED technology able to withstand minor scratching or perhaps a fall, do our mobile devices really need any more screen protection?

The answer, of course, is yes. Despite the best efforts of Corning, Samsung and others, screens still scratch and, when they do, it's typically very noticeable as the damage bypasses the natural protection inherent in technologies like Gorilla Glass.

To come to the rescue, chemical RnD firm Toray has announced that a new self-repairing coating will soon find its way onto the screens of upcoming notebooks. The new protective film is wet-applied onto a PET surface, which is typically 125 micrometres thick, creating an ultra-thin layer that can be stacked on to display surfaces.

Toray self-repairing film

Whilst the film's self-repairing properties improve at higher temperatures, typically the surface can repair itself in under 10 seconds at room temperature and is capable of repairing itself around 20,000 times in succession; though, of course, cannot self-repair if a scratch penetrates the PET surface itself. The film is competitive with other hard-coating offerings when it comes to light transmittance and haze, which are at 90 per cent or higher and 1.0 per cent or lower, respectively.

Toray is also targeting mobile OEMs, its coating has the added advantage of adding some cushioning to displays, however does reduce the hardness of the surface and so we wonder how, if at all, it may affect touch performance.



HEXUS Forums :: 6 Comments

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interesting!!!

I had to fit hundreds of screen protectors whilst working for Geek Squad. This might put an end to that trade. Although, I'm sure some people will still try to protect their screen protector :)
hmm I wonder if they could put this on spectacle lenses
I'm clumsy, very clumsy… but my Sensation has NO scratches on it's screen after nearly a year without cases, screen protectors or anything. I just look after it and keep it a clean pocket, why do so many people find this so hard?
A clean pocket?

No such thing if you have kids……:p
My iphone hasn't got 1 scratch on it's screen, which has been unprotected for 2 years, however the back of it is scratched where the case has trapped small bits of fluff and dirt, could have gotten away with no case at all really.