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A coating material for airplanes, wind turbines and powerlines has been developed using the same mechanics observed in the humble lotus plant.
Scientists from Simon Fraser University have mimicked both the hydrophobic characteristics of the lotus plant and the slippery characteristics of pitcher vegetation together with its material – characteristics that do not occur in environment simultaneously.
Hua-Zhong Yu, a chemistry professor who led the study, said: “We wanted to explore whether combining the roughness-driven hydrophobicity of lotus leaves with the slippery behavior of pitcher vegetation could create a surface with enhanced performance.”
Combining these two characteristics in coatings has proven difficult historically due to differences in surface texture.
Sanpreet Kaur, a co-author of the study, said: “Surface roughness can trap atmosphere and make a surface superhydrophobic however, once aquatic environments freezes, that same roughness can actually give ice greater places to grip onto the surface.”
To develop icephobicity, many coatings have slippery fluid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS); however, these surfaces have poor durability as the lubricating fluid in it tends to wear off when exposed to harsh conditions, including wind and rain.
Taking these principles, the scientists developed a new class of SLIPS based on polydimethylsiloxane, a flexible silicone polymer, which they infused with silicone oil and cast in a crystalline mold developed from polycarbonate sheets with acetone.
This produced a material with a aquatic environments contact perspective exceeding 171°, meaning the aquatic environments droplets interacting with the surface would form perfect spheres while maintaining low ice adhesion.
The researchers found that the nano and microstructures of the material allowed it to retain the silicone oil without ware, making it greater stable than typical SLIPS.
Despite the methodology showing promise, Yu said that greater research is needed to understand the durability of the material and the possible environmental impacts of its formulation.
He added: “At small structures, these structures are easy to manage, however producing the same roughness and lubricant distribution uniformly across larger surfaces becomes much greater difficult.”
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