Researchers have created a metal “foam” that is lighter than water. Ships made of it would float even with a hull breach. But that’s not too likely bc the metal is also very strong, able to withstand 25,000 psi, and the structure of the foam also acts a shock absorber. Needless to say, this can have a lot applications, especially for machinery intended for aquatic environments.
Researchers have also created a new type of glass film that is both superhydrophobic (water will literally bounce off of it), much like water on lotus leaves - as well as substantially reducing reflective glare, much like moth corneas. Their innovation will have wide ranging benefits, but perhaps most excitingly for solar panels. As the article notes:
the suppression of reflected light translates into a 3-6 percent relative increase in light-to-electricity conversion efficiency and power output of the cells. Coupled with the superhydrophobic self-cleaning ability, this could also substantially reduce maintenance and operating costs of solar panels. In addition, the coating is highly effective at blocking ultraviolet light.
The self-cleaning is due to water bouncing off the panels - taking dirt and debris with it.
‘What do the leaves of a lotus plant and the feet of a gecko have in common? Superhydrophobicity.’
1. If the contact angle of a surface is greater than 150o, the material is classed as superhydrophobic.
2. The superhydrophobic property is often referred to as the ‘lotus effect’, because the leaves of the lotus consist of micro-and nano-scale papillae that are coated in a hydrophobic wax. This double structure creates low surface energy and a contact angle of up to 170°.
3. The lotus effect also makes these leaves self-cleaning, as water droplets act like miniature vacuum cleaners, carrying away dirt and bacteria as they roll over the surface.
4. The properties of man-made superhydrophobic materials were reported in the 1970s and 1980s, and research has accelerated since the 1990s.
5. Superhydrophobic materials can be made by coating, by nanostructuring, and applying nanoparticles to a surface or a combination of these methods.
For more on the history of superhydrophobic materials, read Maria Felice’s Material of the Monthpiecehere
