Hydrophobic

Solar panels can’t operate efficiently if they’re caked in dirt, but cleaning them regularly can be a time-consuming process. Engineers in Germany have now developed an ultra-thin coating that can make solar panels and other surfaces self-cleaning.

Farmers will often place sheets of plastic on the ground along their crop rows, in order to help hold moisture in the soil. According to a new study, however, the use of wax-coated sand may be a cheaper and greener way to go.

Ducks have specialized feathers that keep them from getting too wet. Now, engineers at Virginia Tech have investigated the physics behind how they work and developed synthetic feathers that could help ships glide through the water more easily.

Last year, we heard how scientists had created eco-friendly soft gel particles from hard grains of pollen. Now, they've used those particles to create sponges that could soak up oil spills, then biodegrade once used up.

Adding “two-faced” nanoparticles could improve paints and coatings. With one face that attracts water and another that repels it, the particles arranged themselves in a flat layer on a painted surface and could make for paint with unusual properties.

Among other things, hydrophobic (water-repelling) surfaces can be used to keep medical devices germ-free, to help airplane wings shed ice, and to keep solar panels clean. A new process could soon make those surfaces much more durable.

The "sea skater" is one of the few insects that lives full-time in a marine environment. Scientists are now taking a closer look at how the animal repels water, with an eye towards the development of more hydrodynamic ship hulls.

As if it's not enough that fresh produce may sometimes be tainted with bacteria, those microbes can get transferred onto other fruits and veggies, contaminating them too. A new coating, however, has been designed to keep the latter from happening.

There's a problem with most bandages – because they adhere to the wound as it heals, they may reopen it when removed. A new wound dressing, however, doesn't stick to wounds, yet it does help stop the bleeding.

In environments ranging from hospitals to food preparation areas, it's vitally important to keep surfaces as bacteria-free as possible. A new material could definitely help, as it's claimed to repel even antibiotic-resistant "superbug" microbes.

Like anything else, concrete structures get dirty over time, and it's a hassle to clean them. Such chores may soon no longer be necessary, however, as scientists have developed what they claim is a self-cleaning concrete that isn't heavy – or weak.

Superhydrophobic materials, which are excellent at repelling water, can be extremely useful for a whole range of reasons. Now engineers have found a quirky new use for them – making “unsinkable” metals that stay floating even when punctured.