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Scientists Create Permanently Slick Surface So Ketchup Won't Stay In Bottle
HughPickens.com writes Much of what we buy never makes it out of the container and is instead thrown away — up to a quarter of skin lotion, 16 percent of laundry detergent and 15 percent of condiments like mustard and ketchup. Now Kenneth Chang reports at the NYT that scientists have just solved one of life's little problems — how to get that last little bit of ketchup (or glue) out of a bottle. Using a coating that makes the inside of the bottle permanently wet and slippery, glue quickly slides to the nozzle or back down to the bottom. The technology could have major environmental payoffs by reducing waste. Superhydrophobic surfaces work similar to air hockey tables. Tiny peaks and valleys on the surface create a thin layer of air between the liquid and the coating. The air decreases friction, so the liquid almost levitates above the surface, just like the hockey puck floats above the table. LiquiGlide's approach is similar, but it uses a liquid lubricant, not a gas. "What could be a solution that provides sort of universal slipperiness?" says Dr. Varanasi. "The idea we had was, Why not think about trapping a liquid in these features?" Dr. Varanasi and Mr. Smith worked out a theory to predict interactions among the surface, the lubricant and air. Essentially, the lubricant binds more strongly to the textured surface than to the liquid, and that allows the liquid to slide on a layer of lubricant instead of being pinned against the surface, and the textured surface keeps the lubricant from slipping out. "We're not defying physics, but effectively, we are," says Smith.
I've seen these sorts of videos for at least 5 years now. Where are the commercial products?
We just mixed a little vinegar in to get the last of the bottle and slop it on our french fries.
"Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
and like BPA plastic coatings I'm sure it'll be completely harmless to us... for now...
I thought they did this years ago.
https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
We already knew it existed, as reported on Slashdot back in May of 2012:
http://science.slashdot.org/story/12/05/23/2240213/mit-creates-superhydrophobic-condiment-bottles
The news here is that it's finally being commercialized.
So, if you could do this on the outside of condoms you'd put Wet and Astroglide out of business. ;-)
Introducing, everslide ... our slipperiest condoms evar.
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
First, everything is a chemical.
But more importantly, there is no such thing as superfluous genitalia.
https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
We don't need more chemicals in our packaged food products.
Brace yourself, but most people who consume packaged food products have little concern over any chemicals in them.
Does it cause cancer in California?
I hate to break it to you, but your packaged food products are already 100% comprised of chemicals. https://youtu.be/xV_4EA-wrPc?t...
Multi layered packaging (such as ketchup bottles or juice cartons) is already notoriously difficult to recycle. Can't imagine this helps... At least you can rinse out the leftover ketchup.
How about coating the insides of our arteries with something like that!
quiquid id est, timeo puellas et oscula dantes.
The corollary to this is most people who consume packges chemicals have very little concern if there is any actual food products in them.
I recently saw "imitation American-style cheese food slices". Now, "American" "cheese" isn't legally cheese in most of the world. So what the fsck is imitation artificial cheese?
I'm not even sure it had any dairy in it.
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
'Reducing waste', from the point of view is actually 'reducing sales'. Product that is 'wasted' is merely product bought and never used. Reducing this 'waste' will reduce their sales volume.
I'm sure they're all eager to jump on something that will reduce sales, no matter how much consumers would like it.
"These people look deep within my soul and assign me a number based on the order in which I joined" --Homer re:
Slices of actual cheddar?
When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
I literally cannot wait for that.
https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
sci fi novel "The Mote in God's Eye" had frictionless toilet that didn't need water. I already thought of way of keeping sewer odor out of house without water trap.
I know it may not seem like much, but multiply it by millions of bottles sold and it adds up to a hefty hit on their bottom line.
You are completely correct. In the past Heinz has even been caught cheating by underfilling their ketchup bottles.
Don't be a dickhead
I recently saw "imitation American-style cheese food slices". Now, "American" "cheese" isn't legally cheese in most of the world. So what the fsck is imitation artificial cheese?
I'm not even sure it had any dairy in it.
"American" cheese is a very mild cheddar with a low melting point. It is actual cheese.
Suppose you have almost empty bottle of ketchup. The following procedure works
1) close the bottle, turn it upside down with one hand
2) tap the bottle (2 or 3 times) to the other hand, while holding it upside down, to move the ketchup from the bottom to the (inside) walls of the bottle
3) Stand the bottle on its cap
4) let it stand for ~20 minutes
5) most of the ketchup will slowly slide to the bottom, leaving the sides almost clean - try it to see it
6) carefully open the cap while still upside down, empty the ketchup on a plate
7) enjoy the ketchup
This procedure leaves only ~1% - at most - in the bottle. Could not believe how well the ketchup slide down. All it needs is a bit of time - really 20 minutes or so, it is not instantaneous.
"16 percent of laundry detergent"
If you're wasting that much laundry detergent you're doing something very wrong. I use liquid and when the bottle runs dry I take a few cupfuls of water out of the washer and put it in the bottle, give it a few shakes and then dump it straight into the wash. I doubt more than 0.1% manages to stick to crevices in the pour spout. Even if you didn't do that I have a hard time believing that more than 3% sticks to the sides of the bottle. With your average bottle 16% is more than 5 loads worth of detergent still in the bottle.