New Super Surface Hates Water AND Oil!

Posted by Alex in Science & Tech on November 16, 2008 at 2:53 pm


MIT researchers led by chemical engineer Robert Cohen and mechanical engineer Gareth McKinley have created the world’s first superoleophobic and superhydrophobic surface (let me translate for you: the "super surface" repels both water and oil):

A group of MIT researchers have created an improved set of design rules for making any surface impervious to any liquid, be it water or gasoline. Such materials could eventually have promise as fingerprint-repelling coatings, fuel filters, self-washing car paints, and stain-resistant clothing. [...]

They started with a polymer developed by the Air Force that contains large numbers of oil-repelling fluorine groups. The MIT researchers made the material even more oil resistant by using lithography to pattern it with overhanging microstructures. These tiny structures create air pockets that help suspend liquids and prevent them from penetrating to the surface. The MIT researchers found that the surfaces are both superoleophobic and also superhydrophobic, or water repelling. Because they repel everything, they’re called omniphobic.

Link – via Blue’s News

Photo: Anish Tuteja/Wonjae Choi


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14 comments to "New Super Surface Hates Water AND Oil!"

  1. FishBottleT
    November 16th, 2008 at 4:52 pm

    Imagine the possibilities.

  2. silentwatcher24
    November 16th, 2008 at 5:05 pm

    i wish i was omniphobic.

  3. SomeGirl
    November 16th, 2008 at 5:49 pm

    But what about Mustard?

  4. philosophile
    November 16th, 2008 at 6:45 pm

    Hrm...It sounds like the weaving is just making it hydrophobic, and if thats the case, then it could still get wet.... sorta like those canvas umbrellas that water bead off of, but they eventually soak through given a hard enough downpour.

  5. unohav_1
    November 16th, 2008 at 6:55 pm

    This could lead to an anti-graffiti surface. Although alot of graffiti is purely awesome, some just makes areas trashy and this could greatly help that.

  6. mrmuggles
    November 16th, 2008 at 8:07 pm

    What about a t-shirt or pants that you don't have to dry!? It would be nice! :D

  7. lovemeordie236
    November 16th, 2008 at 9:25 pm

    An IPod screen that's fingerprint-proof!

  8. mustard
    November 16th, 2008 at 9:27 pm

    imagine...skid mark resistant underwear.

  9. Ali S.
    November 17th, 2008 at 12:55 am

    This could a really cool wetsuit application or oil clean up possibilities. Neat!

  10. noahstrickland
    November 17th, 2008 at 10:20 am

    very cool

  11. Rocky Rook
    November 17th, 2008 at 12:18 pm

    "skid-mark resistent underwear" LOL!

  12. sw
    November 17th, 2008 at 12:38 pm

    wait, how would this be useful in oil clean up? it's nonabsorbant.

  13. MENLOHEAVYWEIGHT
    November 17th, 2008 at 1:34 pm

    how do you apply this technology to making a woman who is less clingy

  14. heavy metal
    November 19th, 2008 at 2:23 pm

    it is ridiculous to claim "world's first....", there were papers published by others on the creation of both water and oil repellent surface/coating already years ago...., the concept of Fluorinated mateirals and lithography were already there, even the picture used here looks similar to the pic in those paper....

    S. Shibuichi, T. Yamamoto, T. Onda, K. Tsujii, J. Colloid Interface
    Sci. 1998, 208, 287.

    Q. D. Xie, J. Xu, L. Feng, L. Jiang, W. H. Tang, X. D. Luo, C. C.
    Han, Adv. Mater. 2004, 16, 302.

    H. Yabu, M. Takebayashi, M. Tanaka, M. Shimomura, Langmuir
    2005, 21, 3235.


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