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Lotus Nanotech

Posted by Hemos on from the so-nanotech-eaters dept.

Makarand writes "The lotus, a flowering plant native to Asia whose waxy leaves repel water droplets and particles of dirt, is teaching nanotechnologists a thing or two. Scientists at BASF have found that the lotus plant surfaces have a coating of wax crystals around 1 nm in diameter. This roughness on the nanometer scale helps the plant surface to reduce the actual contact area to 2-3% of the droplet covered area making its surfaces superhydrophobic. If the surface is slanting, the droplet rolls off, instead of sliding off, picking up small particles of dirt on the way giving a "self-cleaning" effect. BASF is now working on an aerosol spray to coat a surface with such a self-cleaning nanostructure. The self cleaning shoe might soon be a reality."

11 of 161 comments (clear)

  1. Aerosol spray, eh? by RomikQ · · Score: 5, Funny

    And what if you got some of the spray onto your socks while applying it to your shoes... I can see it now - forever stinking, laundry-resistant... oh the horror!

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  2. Sweet by Soporific · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'll just be able to give myself a coating and not worry about bathing for a year.

    ~S

    1. Re:Sweet by NeoSkandranon · · Score: 5, Funny

      You'd just have to run around naked in the rain to get it to work properly =p

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    2. Re:Sweet by abhinavnath · · Score: 5, Funny

      You'd just have to run around naked in the rain...

      So take a shower, is that what you're saying? Dammit that doesn't help at all.

      Accursed lameness filter.

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  3. Somebody call Fess Parker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    making its surfaces superhydrophobic.

    Jim get the shotgun, the lotus has the hydrophoby!

    Explanation

  4. This has been around... by Space+Coyote · · Score: 3, Funny

    remember this?

    Colonel Homer's outfit when he became Lurlene Lumpkin's manager..
    "Now this is made from a space-age fabric especially designed for Elvis. Sweat actually cleans this suit!"

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  5. Re:I wonder how long by shaitand · · Score: 5, Funny

    When are we going to realize that lab rats are cancer prone in general? I think lab rat, I think cancer on a stick.

  6. Scientists Also Discovered ... by LordYUK · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... that if you turn the lotus sideways, it produces 3 resources, or "mana" if you will, before burying itself at the end of the round.

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  7. At BASF... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...we don't make a lot of the nanotech you buy, we make a lot of the nanotech you buy, deadlier.

  8. Re:self cleaning windows by citizenkeller · · Score: 5, Funny



    anybody else feels a bit strange at the thought of lotus technology applied to windows?

    </silly mode>

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  9. I have a better solution by DrSkwid · · Score: 4, Funny

    I don't clean my car, haven't done for 2 years or so and my car is white.

    The dirt seems to reach equilibrium.

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