Superhydrophobic –or water repellent–materials are much sought after. Their remarkable ability to shed water is actually mechanical in nature–not chemical. Surfaces with a highly textured microstructure, like a lotus leaf or a butterfly wing, shed water naturally because air trapped between the high points prevents the water from contacting most of the solid surface.
The result is that a drop sitting on the surface will have a very high contact angle and be nearly spherical. Instead of wetting the surface and spreading out, it can slide right off, as seen in the animation below. Here researchers have treated the coins with a spray-on coating that creates superhydrophobic microscale roughness. Similar coatings are commercially available, but such coatings are delicate and lose their hydrophobicity over time as the microstructure breaks down.
Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa5srmwa3js
PR:
https://cecs.anu.edu.au/news/new-material-revolutionise-water-proofing
Article:
http://phys.org/news/2016-09-material-revolutionize-proofing.html
Story via FYFD
#physics #superhydrophobic #science #scitech
Could be applied for even better and lighter wetsuits for those who love to explore the oceans and lakes of our world
ReplyDeleteI need such coating on my visor :)
ReplyDeleteI played with neverwet. They say it's not for textiles and they're right, it makes them hard and stiff and doesn't tolerate flexion very much. It also wears out sooner. but it does keep your fabric shoes nicer looking longer.
ReplyDeleteThey say 'NEVERWET FABRIC' is for textiles: Great for shoes, outdoor patio furniture, backpacks, gloves, camping gear, and more
ReplyDeleteIdeal for leather, suede, polyester, cotton/poly blends, and canvas.
Not if you read the fine print on the CAN! It's an advertising point negated by the legal fine print.
ReplyDeleteOn this particular product? Wow, now, that's much worse than just stiff coating, it's deliberately misleading advertising (and I would try to return the purchase) - did you try contacting them?
ReplyDeleteOlgierd Ziolko No, I didn't care. I read it before I bought it and knew plenty of people had used it on shoes and such. I just didn't bother trying to use it on clothes because there the stiff would be awful.
ReplyDelete