The microscopic 'umbrellas' that make ANY 構成要素 waterproof: Scientists develop new method to stop surfaces 吸収するing liquids

  • University of California?scientists?developed a 最高の-repellent?構成要素
  • It uses 'umbrellas' a fifth the width of human hair to 増加する surface area
  • This 妨げるs a variety of liquids from sticking to the surface
  • Small grooves also 妨げる liquids from getting in between the umbrellas
  • The method can be 雇うd to make any 構成要素 waterproof
  • It has a number of uses from 薬／医学 to electronic 回路・連盟s?

By Jonathan O'Callaghan for MailOnline

Published: | Updated:

A 非，不，無-stick surface that can repel liquids has been developed using tiny 'umbrellas' to 増加する the surface area of a structure.

以前, liquid-repellent waterproof surfaces relied on plastic 塗装s such as Teflon, which degrade at higher 気温s.

However the new method makes the surface of a 構成要素 ‘rough’ ーするために 妨げる water 残り／休憩（する）ing on the surface - and could have a variety of uses from 外科 to electronic 回路・連盟s.

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University of California scientists have developed a super-repellent material. It uses 'umbrellas' a fifth the width of human hair to increase surface area. This prevents a variety of liquids including water, methanol and solvents like FC-72 (all shown above) from sticking to the surface

University of California scientists have developed a 最高の-repellent 構成要素. It uses 'umbrellas' a fifth the width of human hair to 増加する surface area. This 妨げるs a variety of liquids 含むing water, メタノール and solvents like FC-72 (all shown above) from sticking to the surface

The 研究, published in the 定期刊行物?Science, was carried out by a team of scientists at the University of California.

Their method 伴う／関わるs etching surfaces, in this 事例／患者 silica, with tiny structures to make them 似ている a ‘bed of nails’.

Each nail 長，率いる 対策 a mere 20 micrometers across, which is about one fifth the width of a human hair, and 限界s the surface area that liquids can 接触する with.

This means that when a liquid comes into 接触する with the surface, instead of spreading out, it remains as a droplet - a 所有物／資産／財産 known as ‘superomniphobic’.

THE SPRAY THAT CAN MAKE YOUR PHONE WATERPROOF

支援する in July a company called Impervious 明らかにする／漏らすd their spray that can make any 装置 waterproof.?

The nanospray 含む／封じ込めるs 分子s 1,000 times smaller than a hu man hair, but each 分子 is 最高の hydrophobic - making anything it is sprayed の上に water-抵抗力のある.

It can be sprayed の上に the 審査する of any 装置, or can be used to waterproof the entire gadget.

The thin 層 of 保護 it 供給するs also 妨げるs the 審査する from 存在 scratched.

When 適用するd, the 会社／堅い （人命などを）奪う，主張するs gadgets can be 潜水するd in three feet (one metre) of water for 30 minutes.

Each 長，率いる of the nails is also undercut, 似ているing an umbrella, which stops liquid from seeping into the gaps between them.

On this engineered surface, even 完全に wetting liquids roll around like a ball and slide 権利 off when the surface is 攻撃するd.?

What what’s more, as the surfaces don’t use a 塗装 they can 生き残る 最高気温s - up to 1,000°C (1,830°F).

And the 構成要素 isn’t just repellent to water but also liquids with a much lower surface 緊張, known as fluorinated solvents.

Of the 非常に／多数の touted uses, the surface could be used for 医療の 器具s so that 血 and other fluids do not 固執する to them.

It could also be used in electronic 回路・連盟s to 妨げる them 存在 攻撃を受けやすい to wet 天候.

‘Usually 人工的な surfaces repel water because of the che mical composition of the 構成要素, but in our 事例／患者, the repulsion is 完全に by mechanical means,’ 熟考する／考慮する co-author Dr Chang-Jin Kim told Live Science.

The 影響 can also be used on other 構成要素s such as mental, tungsten and plastic.

For now, though, the 過程 to make the structures is やめる impressive, although the 研究員s said the technique could be 集まり-produced.

The 研究員s said it could be 有能な of 継続している a long time in an outdoor 環境, such as on buildings or 乗り物s, because its repelling 所有物／資産／財産s would not degrade from 紫外 light （危険などに）さらす and extreme 気温s.

And it could 改善する biomedical 装置s because its repelling 所有物／資産／財産s would not degrade because of 損失 from biofluids.

Methanol is seen here beading on the hydrophobic material (right) as compared to Teflon on the left.?‘Usually artificial surfaces repel water because of the chemical composition of the material, but in our case, the repulsion is completely by mechanical means,’ said study co-author Dr Chang-Jin Kim

メタノール is seen here beading on the hydrophobic 構成要素 (権利) as compared to Teflon on the left.?‘Usually 人工的な surfaces repel water because of the 化学製品 composition of the 構成要素, but in our 事例／患者, the repulsion is 完全に by mechanical means,’ said 熟考する／考慮する co-author Dr Chang-Jin Kim

Of the numerous touted uses, the surface could be used for medical instruments so that blood and other fluids do not adhere to them. It could also be used in electronic circuits to prevent them being vulnerable to wet weather, or perhaps even in car windows (stock image shown) to prevent water sticking to them

Of the 非常に／多数の touted uses, the surface could be used for 医療の 器具s so that 血 and other fluids do not 固執する to them. It could also be used in electronic 回路・連盟s to 妨げる them 存在 攻撃を受けやすい to wet 天候, or perhaps even in car windows (在庫／株 image shown) to 妨げる water sticking to them

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