EasyJet Airline Company plans to apply a revolutionary nano-technology coating on all of their aircraft in order to reduce carbon emissions by up to two per cent and also the fuel consumption.
Measuring less than a micron in thickness, the ultra-thin coating is already being used on US military aircraft but it is for the first time that it has been tested on commercial airliners.
Right now, the company has coated eight airplanes and wants to compare them with the rest of the 194-strong fleet at the beginning of next year.
Generally speaking, this technology is a polymer that enables a high performance solution to cross-link and bond with the surface materials to which it is being applied.
The paint applied on the aircraft has microscopic “hills and valleys” that fill up with debris and dirt. The polymer contains hard, durable acrylic elements, forming a barrier to prevent penetration by contaminants.
The UK suppliers of the coating, tripleO, claims this substance weighs only 113 grams, reducing drag by up to 39%. Once the tests will be finished and the results positive, certainly other airlines will use the nano-coating, making the aviation industry become greener.
