hydrophobic

Dusty data—hydrophobic ceramic surfaces significantly reduce adhesion of simulated lunar dust

By Lisa McDonald / August 11, 2023

Dust mitigation is a priority for space agencies to prevent damage to equipment during surface missions on the moon, Mars, and other celestial bodies. Researchers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and NASA Langley Research Center used laser ablation to pattern two ceramics with hydrophobic surfaces, which led to a reduction in the adhesion of simulated lunar dust.

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Penguins shed more materials secrets—feathers inform design of icephobic membranes

By April Gocha / February 26, 2016

Researchers at the Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology at Beihang University (Beijing, China) say that in addition to being superhydrophobic, penguin feathers also owe their ice-shedding abilities to anti-adhesive qualities.

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What works for penguins could work for planes: Secrets of the feather show how to prevent ice formation

By April Gocha / December 21, 2015

New research shows that when it comes to anti-icing surfaces, the animal world’s most dapper creatures have a few tricks on their flippers.

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Video: Structure and function—Surface properties are the secret to smarter materials

By April Gocha / August 5, 2014

Materials’ surfaces are really important because they influence how something interacts with the rest of the world—and big advances in the understanding and fabrication of surfaces mean big advances in how those surfaces can function.

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Rare earth oxides found to produce superhydrophobic ceramics

By Eileen De Guire / May 3, 2013

Video of REO hydrophobic surfaces in action. Credit: MIT News Office; YouTube. I meant to write about this topic several months ago when the editors of Nature Materials published a…

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Extreme caution suggested: Superhydrophobic surfaces may have weak icephobic properties

By / January 20, 2011

A recent paper from GE Global Research and MIT mechanical engineering researchers casts doubt on the effectiveness of superhydrophobic surfaces ability to block ice formation on aircraft, wind turbines, communications…

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