Spray-on coating could improve your phone's waterproofing

While more smartphone manufacturers are making great efforts to make their handsets waterproof, a new spray-on material may give you more peace of mind.

A team at the Australian National University's Research School of Engineering has developed a spray-on material with water-repellent qualities. It combines two plastics, one flexible and one tough, which is quite robust.

William Wong, who is leading the team, says that this material can be applied to practically everything. "So you could have paper, cardboard, wood, clay, stone, bricks, plastics, windows, building materials of any sort. Anything you can practically think of," Wong said.

It could be used to keep windows clean or keep mirrors from fogging up. Or it’ll protect your smartphone if it happens to take a dip in water.