Surfaces with differently shaped nanoscale textures may
yield improved materials for applications in transportation, energy, and
diagnostics
When it comes to designing extremely water-repellent
surfaces, shape and size matter. That's the finding of a group of scientists at
the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory, who
investigated the effects of differently shaped, nanoscale textures on a
material's ability to force water droplets to roll off without wetting its
surface. These findings and the methods used to fabricate such
materials—published online October 21, 2013, in Advanced Materials—are highly
relevant for a broad range of applications where water-resistance is important,
including power generation and transportation.