Lasers Create Surface So Hydrophobic That Water Bounces Off Like a Ball

In the analysis, research and study of hydrophobic surfaces, team of researches and scientists are more focusing modifying the physical nature of different surfaces rather than depending on true and tried method for applying a hydrophobic coating.

In recent experiments the engineers of UCLA created a artificial superomniphobic surface, which repelled all known liquids with the help of modifying a surface and this modified surface was made-up of nano-scopic nails rather than applying any different or special kind of omniphobic coating.

Now the researchers and scientists of the University of Rochester have used the special technique in which they used a lasers to create a special surface, which is more hydrophobic, so that a single droplet of water can bounce multiple times up and down on it in the same way as ball bounce multiple times up and down on earth or any tuff surface. This incredible breakthrough can lead to everything from waterproof electronics to non-stick kitchenware and more.

Super hydrophobic surfaces and coatings have a wide range of different uses, which can vary from simple use to complicated use. It can make the surface safer to drive cars and bikes in wicking rain from a windshield and it can also prevent the rust from compromising the integrity and nature of a structure.

It’s obvious that practical applications are the rare because it can be temporary coatings or can increase the visibility while driving through a storm because water smoothly slides off the glass or rub some Rain-X on your windshield. According to Chunlei Guo, who is professor of optics and also the co-author of the study, “In this experiment it’s clear that this material is very strongly water-repellent, and its real that water is getting bounce, whereas in later stages it lands on surface again and get bounced off again, and then it will roll off from the surface”.

However; Chunlei Guo and Anatoliy Vorobyev, discovered a laser-patterning technology, which etch nanoscopic structures on different surfaces. It’s clear that the surface etched pattern is very hydrophobic, which help the water in bouncing and again it falls back down to the surface.

In the experiment, to create the effect team of researchers used the lasers to etch nanoscale structures for metal surface which repel the water because it is etched in at such a microscopic level and it cannot rub off, so it will never lose the water-resistance. When it comes to scaling up so production of these surfaces, take around sixty minutes to create one by one-inch sliver surface.

Now the team is busy to explain and make it happen that how to apply the laser-patterning technique on other surfaces. Superhydrophobic surfaces are good to keep it dry and clean, but some of the surfaces exhibit self-cleaning properties as experiment showcase that whenever water drops than water slide over the surface and due to that it keep surface clean and away from dust.

In airplane etched these nanostructures surfaces can avoid the dangers of water freezing on the surface of water as well as on the wings.