Super water-repellent materials are now durable enough for the real world
Wednesday, June 3, 2020 - 10:00
in Physics & Chemistry
Superhydrophobic surfaces repel water like nothing else. This makes them extremely useful for antimicrobial coatings, as bacteria, viruses and other pathogens cannot cling to their surfaces. However, superhydrophobic surfaces have one major flaw—they are extremely susceptible to cuts, scratches or dents. If a superhydrophobic surface gets damaged, the damaged area can trap liquids and the benefits of the coating are lost. Now, however, a collaboration between researchers in China and Finland has developed an armour-plated superhydrophobic surface which can take repeated battering from sharp and blunt objects, and still repel liquids with world-record effectiveness.