Coatings
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The unique arrangement of nanoscale bumps coating a moth’s eye have inspired all kinds of interesting technological advances. Joining them is a new type of anti-icing surface that could make its way onto airplane wings, or possibly eyewear.
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3D printing may indeed allow for the creation of intricate objects, but what happens if you want to apply a coating to all of those nooks and crannies? Well, a newly-adapted technology should let you do so easily, with a minimum of waste.
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There's always a risk that implanted medical devices will get colonized with bacteria, causing infections and sometimes even needing to be removed. Such complications could soon be less likely, though, thanks to a new graphite nanoplatelet coating.
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Given the current worldwide push for water conservation, it's certainly ironic that people are still flushing great quantities of the stuff down their toilets. They may soon be using much less, however, thanks to a slippery new toilet bowl coating.
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As many a fancy-refrigerator-owner will know, fingerprints tend to be highly visible on stainless steel. A new transparent coating could help, however, as it goes about reducing the appearance of prints in three ways.
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Humans weren’t built for space travel. The immune system takes a beating, leaving us more vulnerable to infection. Astronauts have now tested a new antimicrobial coating on board the International Space Station (ISS), and found it kept space-faring bugs at bay for well over a year.
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In cold places, ice and frost can be more than an annoyance – it can be downright dangerous for cars and planes. Now researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago have developed a new anti-icing material that can apparently keep ice at bay much longer than existing technologies.
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Goggles, glasses and windshield can fog up if there’s a difference in temperature or humidity. Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a new anti-fog coating that warms up the surface without needing electricity.
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Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a self-healing coating that can patch up its imperfections in a matter of seconds. It can do so even when underwater or in chemically-harsh environments.
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As stuffy offices get even more stuffy in a hot summer, aircon units will very likely be switched on. But aircons use a lot of power. Engineers have created a see-through coating for windows that's reported to reflect up to 70 percent of heat coming in from the sun.
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We've already seen lubricant-infused coatings that repel almost all substances – such coatings could be used to keep airplane wings ice-free, or to stop bacteria from accumulating in kitchens. However, what if you want to repel all substances except one? Well, scientists have now got that covered.
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Our phones follow us everywhere – which often puts them in the line of fire for spilt drinks or rain. But now a team at the University of Michigan has developed a durable, clear coating that could help phones – or any surface, for that matter – repel almost any liquid.
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