Mobile & tablets by Ben Sullivan| 30 January 2014 Nanotech firm says that all mobile devices can be 100% waterproof in 5 years. CBR finds out how P2i is testing its 'invisible barrier' against all liquids.

Revolving shower machines, a giant salt bath, and a metre-deep tube that's going to need to hold many bladders' worth of urine. These are just some of the ways Didcot-based tech company P2i is showing how its nano-coating technology is providing absolute safety for electrical devices from the dangers of liquid.

Water damage is one of the main causes for smartphone dysfunctionally, and in turn causes headaches for network operators worldwide as damaged phones increase the risk of customers leaving the lengthy contracts they are now increasingly locked in to.

P2i says it has the answer, and yesterday I was given the opportunity to tour its UK base to talk, and see first hand, the exciting future of nano-coating.

Dr Stephen Coulson started off by submerging his own phone in water, and then setting the timer. The pack of tissues in the photo has also been treated with nano-coating. Not very useful for blowing your nose...

P2i, this week celebrating its 10th birthday, was originally manifested within the Ministry of Defence, which was looking for clothing protection from nerve gases. Since then, under the helm of founder Dr Stephen Coulson, P2i has been developing a process called nano-coating which effectively makes a tiny, ultra-thin shield between a surface and liquid - making the surface hydrophobic.

As you can imagine, network operators are very interested in working alongside phone manufacturers with this technology. A phone that is, to use P2i's trademark phrase 'Dunkable', will not suffer any returns or warranty payouts for water damage, ultimately increasing revenue for operators.

The first 'Dunkable' devices will launch later this year, and the technology differs itself from regular splash-proof coatings. The barrier, which is 1000 times thinner than a human hair, enables manufacturers to reach an IPX7 water protection rating, which is classed as 'submerged for 30 minutes at 1 metre deep'. It was also noted that one customer has asked P2i to test the IPX7 standard with urine, as dropping your phone down the toilet is apparently a lot more common than you first think. CEO Carl Francis admitted: "We're not exactly sure where we're going to get that much urine."

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How nanotechnology is urine-proofing your smartphone