Millions of nanosize nails form a highly repellent surface
Posted 06.03.2008 at 1:13 pm
5 Comments
Watertight: Tom Krupenkin
Previously, scientists relied on chemical modification to make surfaces repel liquids, a time-consuming process. In the end, each coating worked to repel only certain liquids, and oil-repellent surfaces simply weren’t possible to manufacture.
None Shall Pass: The heads of the nanonails support the liquid droplets University of Wisconsin-Madison
The new surface blocks almost all liquids. Researchers can also turn off the physical barrier: An electric voltage instantly draws liquids down between each spike, where they spread out along the base upon which the spikes sit. This switchable quality makes the surface perfect for controlling liquids in “lab on a chip” chemical reactors, and its super-repellent properties could help keep helicopter blades free of heavy, altitude-robbing water and ice.
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from Ojai, California
Is it just me, or does that look very easily damaged? Lab-on-a-chip maybe, but that really doesn't look like something practical for a propeller...
maybe one could put it on as a coating, like the wood repelent stuff except better. it does not say if it is very costly i imagine though it is
The film wouldn't be all that easily damaged, unless it was cut... the size of the 'nails' makes it so that any force, even drops of liquid, are displaced over large areas relative to the film, just like a bed of nails. Sounds like a great counter-top material too, along with a million other things. Car finishes? Rust proof.
400 nanometers is quite small. The wavelength of my green laser is 532nm. For all intents and purposes it's a solid material.
from Brisbane, Queensland
Awesome, windshield wipers may become obsolete in the very near future.
not only is this just cool but all the amputies coming from war will now(soon) have a normal life. Kargo 1 out of 1 people found this comment helpful Cargo second is power i wonder what kind of battery pack it requires to run one of those !