1) Introduction (For presentation 2)

This blog will be dedicated to discussion of Hydrophobic Self Assymbaling Monolayers (SAMs) such as Rain-x
Things this blog will cover:
An Introduction into Self assembling monolayers
Science behind SAMs and other compounds
Comparison behind the different compounds.
Best choice for consumer use.

The target audience of this blog will be college students and graduates who have at least a minimal knowledge of chemistry.

Hydrophobic Self Assembling Monolayers:

A SAM is simply defined as molecule that will readily bind to a surface (self assembling) and bind so that only one layer of that molecule forms (monolayer). The way that SAMs accomplish this is that they need to be initially reactive enough to bind to the surface and they will not bind with them selves. Reactivity allows for them to readily bind, not binding to each other allows for a single monolayer to form. The most common form of these monolayers is windshield repellents such as Rain-x

For those who have not heard of it, Rain-X is an especially helpful tool for your windshield. Rain-X and its competitors coat the surface of glass and allow water to effectively bead up and slip away. A quick demonstration shows how effective Rain-X can be on a windshield (Ignore the science of ‘pores’ in this video, the real science behind rain-x will be discussed later):

As you can see Rain-X allows for a much better water repellent effect than normal glass. This is especially helpful for cars that have broken or ineffective windshield wipers. Although not recommended, some people have even used rain-x without windshield wipers. For many consumers Rain-x is a great addition to the car. Some studies have even examined the response time of drivers using these windshield treatments. In a study by the University of Michigan, response times were found to decrease by a full second while using a treated windshield as compared to an untreated one [1]. A extra second of response time can be the difference between a crash and no crash in some situations. For many consumers Rain-x is a great addition to the car for safety and convenience.

As there are many different brands of Rain-x like products on the market today, it can be hard to choose the correct product.


References
[1] The Influence of Hydrophobic Windshield Coating on Driver Visual Performance: http://www.aquapel.com/PDF/UniversityofMichiganStudy.pdf