Forever clean? Metal–organic 'micromushrooms' repel all
Friday, April 11, 2014 - 10:54
in Physics & Chemistry
A clever chemical transformation yields surface-bound microstructures that efficiently drive away oil- and water-based contaminants. Natural surfaces that repel water, such as lotus leaves or butterfly wings, often have a rough, microscale texture that traps air beneath the liquid droplet. By mimicking these biological structures, researchers have developed 'superhydrophobic' coatings that are highly resistant to wetting. One trick unknown to nature, however, is the ability to repel hydrocarbon-based oils that have much lower surface tension than water and tend to spread out rather than bead up.