FYI: What Material Is Most Afraid Of Water?
Macroscopic Droplets Courtesy Kripa Varanasi"Water can slide off like ketchup." Researchers have been trying to create ultra-hydrophobic materials--materials that repel water--because condensation of vapor can interfere with the energy efficiency of industrial processes. That includes nuclear power generation, water harvesting, transportation, desalination and air conditioning. But with the right material, those resource-heavy processes could become less costly. Enter MIT. Researchers there developed Lubricant Impregnated Surfaces (LIS), a material that is so hydrophobic, droplets of water slide right off of it. "We can show that water can slide off like ketchup," lead researcher Kripa Varanasi says. If you've ever eaten a hot dog, you know that this must be one slippery material. brightcove.createExperiences(); Even calling it a material is, well, slippery. LIS is more accurately defined as an interaction between two materials: a lubricant, such as oil, and a hydrophobic surface. The surface is covered with microscopic bumps, each...