HARMoNIC · Project

Nano-Coatings That Make Condensers Transfer Heat Up to 10x Better

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When steam turns back into water on a metal surface, tiny droplets form and roll off — that's called dropwise condensation, and it moves heat much faster than when water just sheets across the surface. This project engineered special nano-textured coatings that force condensation to happen in this fast-dripping mode rather than the slow-sheeting mode. Think of it like the difference between a freshly waxed car where rain beads up and rolls off versus an old car where rain just clings. The same coatings can also be applied to water purification membranes and surfaces that collect drinking water from humid air.

By the numbers

up to 10x

targeted improvement in heat transfer coefficient via dropwise condensation

consortium partners across 5 countries

total project deliverables completed

>300 nm

thickness of polymeric coating deposited via spray

The business problem

What needed solving

Industrial condensers in power plants and HVAC systems lose massive amounts of energy because steam condenses inefficiently on metal surfaces, forming slow-draining water films instead of fast-rolling droplets. Meanwhile, water desalination membranes degrade from biofouling, driving up maintenance costs. Existing anti-fouling and efficiency-boosting coatings lack the durability needed for continuous industrial operation.

The solution

What was built

The project built 5 types of nano-engineered surface coatings (chemical, metallic, polymeric, composite with graphene/carbon nanotubes, and membrane coatings), tested them all for heat transfer performance in custom condensation setups, and validated the best candidates through durability and aging tests. A membrane distillation test setup was also built and used to evaluate desalination performance.

Audience

Who needs this

Thermal power plant operators looking to improve condenser efficiencyHeat exchanger and condenser OEMs seeking next-generation surface treatmentsDesalination membrane manufacturers fighting biofoulingHVAC equipment manufacturers targeting energy efficiency improvementsWater harvesting system developers for arid or off-grid regions

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Power Generation

enterprise

Target: Thermal power plant operators and condenser manufacturers

If you are a power plant operator dealing with inefficient steam condensers that waste energy — this project developed nano-textured metallic and polymeric coatings that can boost heat transfer coefficients by up to an order of magnitude. The coatings were designed for durability and tested for aging performance. They were also engineered for economic scalability to large surface areas, meaning they can be applied to industrial-size condenser tubes.

Water Treatment & Desalination

enterprise

Target: Desalination plant operators and membrane manufacturers

If you are a membrane manufacturer struggling with biofouling and efficiency losses in desalination systems — this project created superhydrophobic coatings for commercial hollow fiber membranes using controlled flow-through coating methods. The coatings deliver anti-biofouling properties while maintaining high desalination efficiency. Setup and testing for membrane distillation was completed and validated across multiple surface types.

HVAC & Heat Exchanger Manufacturing

mid-size

Target: Industrial heat exchanger and condenser OEMs

If you are a heat exchanger manufacturer looking to differentiate your products with better thermal performance — this project produced multiple coating types (chemical, metallic texture, polymeric, and graphene-based composites) all tested for heat transfer and long-term robustness. The fabrication methods including chemical etching, spray deposition, and plasma texturing were designed for repeatability and scale-up to large surface areas.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to apply these coatings to our existing condensers?

The project does not disclose per-unit coating costs. However, the objective explicitly states that economic scalability to large surface areas was a key design requirement. Coating methods used — chemical etching, spray deposition, and flow-through coating — are industrially common techniques, which suggests cost-competitive manufacturing is feasible.

Can these coatings be applied at industrial scale?

Yes, scalability was a core project goal. The objective states they aimed to 'ensure economic scalability of the precisely controlled textures to large surface areas so that they can be converted to industrial products.' Multiple fabrication routes were demonstrated including spray coating, chemical etching, and flow-through methods for hollow fiber membranes.

Who owns the IP and can we license this technology?

The project was coordinated by ETH Zurich with 5 partners across 5 countries. IP is likely shared among consortium members under the Horizon 2020 grant agreement. Licensing inquiries should be directed to ETH Zurich as the coordinating institution.

How long do these coatings last under real operating conditions?

The project specifically tested durability and aging. One deliverable focused on screening the best heat transfer materials via durability and aging tests, targeting 'lifetime performance relevant to industrial surface condensers.' Based on available project data, specific lifetime numbers are not publicly disclosed in the deliverable descriptions.

Can these coatings be retrofitted onto our existing equipment?

The coating methods — spray deposition for flat surfaces and flow-through coating for hollow fiber membranes — are compatible with retrofit applications. The polymeric coating deliverable describes depositing coatings on flat metal surfaces via spray, followed by plasma texturing, which could potentially be adapted for field application.

What types of surfaces and materials were actually produced?

The project delivered 5 distinct coating types: chemical superhydrophobic coatings for capillaries, metallic textured surfaces via chemical etching, polymeric coatings via spray and plasma processing, and composite interfaces using graphene, MoS2, and carbon nanotubes in polymer matrices. All were tested for heat transfer performance in custom condensation setups.

Consortium

Who built it

The HARMoNIC consortium consists of 5 partners from 5 countries (Switzerland, Germany, Greece, Italy, UK), coordinated by ETH Zurich — one of Europe's top technical universities. The consortium is entirely academic and research-focused: 2 universities and 3 research organizations, with zero industry partners and zero SMEs. This is typical for a FET Open (future and emerging technologies) grant, which funds high-risk fundamental science. For a business buyer, this means the technology is scientifically strong but has not yet been validated by any commercial player. Any licensing or scale-up deal would be the first industrial engagement for this technology.

EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICHCoordinator · CH
FONDAZIONE ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI TECNOLOGIAparticipant · IT
NATIONAL CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH "DEMOKRITOS"participant · EL
MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EVparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDONparticipant · UK

How to reach the team

ETH Zurich, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering — search for the principal investigator of HARMoNIC project

Order a report on this consortium See EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the HARMoNIC research team at ETH Zurich? SciTransfer can arrange a direct briefing on licensing options and scale-up feasibility for your application.

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