Nanotechnologies
that simplify life – and reduce the environmental impact
Born at ETH Zurich, our nano-coatings combine clarity, longevity, and sustainability. We strive to solve real-world challenges across industries, starting off with the first durable anti-fog solution powered by renewable sunlight.
Fogging is troublesome
Traditional anti-fog coatings degrade quickly and require constant reapplication.
Losing visibility upon fogging is bothersome and can be detrimental in many situations, especially those involving sports or traffic. To date, only unsatisfactory solutions exist. These include superhydrophilic coatings or sprays and towels, both with serious shortcomings regarding durability, limited functionality, ease of use, and more. Users seek a user-friendly, long-lasting, effective anti-fog solution which requires no maintenance or extra attention.
Durable Anti-Fog Coating activated by Sunlight
Our technology delivers long-term clarity and sustainability – with zero maintenance and maximum performance.
Solabs improves both fog prevention (4-fold) as well as removal (3-fold) compared to uncoated surfaces. Unlike all existing anti-fog solutions, Solabs is integrable beneath existing standard coatings, rendering it completely guarded from environmental influences. Hence, Solabs offers the first durable anti-fog solution and unprecedented combinability with existing functional surface coatings (such as anti-smudge). On top of anti-fog, customers receive additional value: Sustainability: It only requires sunlight and is completely chemical-free. The longevity and its thinness (~10,000 times thinner than a human hair) imply minute material consumption, minimal resources and costs. Cost and integration: As the coating is fabricated with existing industrial methods, it is immediately scalable and seamlessly integratable into production without additional CAPEX. Multifunctionality: Anti-fog coatings typically reduce the surface tension of a lens, while anti-smudge coatings increase it to repel oil. This creates conflicting demands for surface behavior and prohibits simultaneous anti-fog and anti-smudge properties. Further, the selective NIR absorption offers unprecedented multifunctionality. For instance, the coating can simultaneously offer anti-fog capabilities and prevent a car from overheating (block invisible solar energy). Eye health: Solar infrared energy (which otherwise heats up the eye) is blocked and the thermal eye stress lowered. Active and passive functionality: While Solabs operates passively even in low sunlight (requiring no energy), it can also be actively triggered by an IR source (such as LED or laser) in darkness to ensure continuous functionality.
Eyewear
Solabs offers the world’s first permanent anti-fog solution for prescription, sun, and safety eyewear—eliminating the need for sprays or wipes. It combines fog-free clarity with NIR eye protection and full compatibility with premium coatings like anti-smudge, enabling unmatched lens performance and comfort.
Automotive
Combining fog prevention and thermal management in one durable layer, Solabs improves visibility and reduces interior overheating by absorbing or reflecting solar energy — with configurations already achieving up to 70% absorption. Unlike HVAC systems or traditional silver-based coatings, it requires no energy, cuts production costs, and adds anti-fog functionality. This is particularly valuable for electric vehicles, where battery range and comfort are critical.
Medical Devices
Solabs operates in the medical devices market, addressing the issue of fogging on endoscope lenses or CO2 sensors. While it operates passively in low light, the coating can also be triggered by an IR source in darkness, ensuring continuous anti-fog performance. This reliable, energy-efficient solution could offer a significant advantage over existing methods in medical environments.
Sensors
Addressing fogging on critical sensors like LiDAR systems, our coating ensures continuous performance in vital sensing applications. It operates passively in low light and can be activated by an IR source in darkness, offering reliable, energy-efficient functionality
Real Estate
Tackling the challenge of overheating in buildings, our ultra-thin photothermal coating offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional solar control glass. Applied as a transparent layer just a few nanometers thick, it absorbs or reflects sunlight to manage heat transfer—while maintaining full visibility. Easily integrated into standard window production, it combines thermal control with clear aesthetics and broad accessibility.
Chemical Reactions
Solabs is the core of a novel PV-EC system for green hydrogen production—combining broadband IR absorption, nanoscale photothermal heating, and optical filtering in a scalable, low-cost solution. Beyond hydrogen, this approach can also accelerate other light-driven chemical reactions, offering potential across a range of photocatalytic applications.
The Team behind
We work to make your life easier
