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Scientists Create Permanently Slick Surface So Ketchup Won't Stay In Bottle

Posted by samzenpus on from the greased-lightning dept.

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.

15 of 172 comments (clear)

  1. How is this new? by dorpus · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I've seen these sorts of videos for at least 5 years now. Where are the commercial products?

    1. Re:How is this new? by xnerd00x · · Score: 5, Insightful

      There is absolutely no incentive for Heinz to put this into their bottles. This means people will spend less on average on ketchup per year since they can get every last bit out of the bottle. 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.

    2. Re:How is this new? by gstoddart · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You're thinking about it all wrong.

      You turn it over, half the bottle dumps onto your food. You have to buy twice as much. Effectively they can increase food waste, and therefore sales, under the guise of environmentalism. Sure, we'll help you get every last drop ... just all at once.

      I know the last thing my wife wants is for me to have the mustard come out of the bottle any faster. I always end up with far too much as it is. ;-)

      If the ketchup came out faster we'd be doomed.

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    3. Re:How is this new? by fustakrakich · · Score: 5, Insightful

      They'll sell smaller bottles for the same price, and they'll enjoy lower shipping prices. Win-win, kinda.

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    4. Re:How is this new? by cayenne8 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I'm wondering, is this the next round of BPA /phthalates that we find are bad for us?

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    5. Re:How is this new? by DutchUncle · · Score: 4, Informative

      You have it backwards. Heinz is buying Kraft. http://fortune.com/2015/03/24/...

  2. Ketchup was never a problem ... by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 4, Informative

    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.
    1. Re:Ketchup was never a problem ... by Jeremi · · Score: 4, Funny

      4. ???

      (4) is "realize you should have been holding the bottle more tightly during step 3 -- go to find the mop and broom"

      --


      I don't care if it's 90,000 hectares. That lake was not my doing.
  3. Again? by StikyPad · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I thought they did this years ago.

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    https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
  4. The news isn't that it's been created... by berchca · · Score: 5, Informative

    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.

  5. Wow ... by gstoddart · · Score: 4, Funny

    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.
  6. Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia by StikyPad · · Score: 4, Funny

    First, everything is a chemical.

    But more importantly, there is no such thing as superfluous genitalia.

    --
    https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
  7. But by synapse7 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Does it cause cancer in California?

  8. Re:Oh sure... by fustakrakich · · Score: 4, Funny

    the coatings are derived from edible materials

    Allegedly so are hotdogs and white bread.

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  9. Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia by gstoddart · · Score: 4, Funny

    Brace yourself, but most people who consume packaged food products have little concern over any chemicals in them.

    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.