Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

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."

8 of 161 comments (clear)

  1. self cleaning windows by cat_jesus · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Forget the self cleaning shoe. This will be great for windows on skyscrapers.

    1. Re:self cleaning windows by Quixadhal · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Forget windows... how about self-cleaning dishes?

      Of course, I'd want the habenero-flavored coating myself...

  2. Shoe polish by NeoSkandranon · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If this becomes a reality, expect to see it in Kiwi shoe polish. Thousands of ROTC students and millions of military personnel would be a pretty good market for Kiwi Black Self-cleaning(TM) ...dunno how you'd buff it though, considering it repels water so violently

    --
    If you can't see the value in jet powered ants you should turn in your nerd card. - Dunbal (464142)
  3. Not new by DarkDust · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is Lotus effect is actually known for some time now. I saw an article about it and the (already successful) attempts to mimic this well over a year ago. My girlfried, who is varnisher, said there is already varnish avaible with such an effect but it's way too expensive to paint a car with it. And AFAIK there is already keramics avaible with this effect, being very expensive, too. But as always, prices should drop once going into mass-production :-)

  4. Uhhh, what about an Automobile... by awfar · · Score: 5, Interesting

    where massive amounts of fresh water are wasted every day to wash them (not to mention the long lines on Saturday mornings). And, this hydrophobic nature would make the body last even longer even here in Michigan(!). Or, a boat that doesn't soil so there is no need to pollute the lakes and streams with cleaners. Or, durable items that look as good as new for twice as long, reducing the human (or American) need to replace items with new looking appliances...

    This is a great innovation.

    1. Re:Uhhh, what about an Automobile... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Boats would go faster :-)

  5. The best application by TiMac · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Coat waterslides in this stuff. Imagine screaming down a waterslide that has virtually no friction. WHEEEEEEEEE!

    --

  6. Products already available! by egghat · · Score: 3, Interesting

    You need self cleaning glass? Look here.

    You need a self cleaning toilet? Look here.

    I'm sure that there will be many more examples of this great technology in the next months.

    Bye egghat.

    --
    -- "As a human being I claim the right to be widely inconsistent", John Peel