News tagged with surface coatings

Graphene enhances many materials, but leaves them wettable

Graphene is the thinnest material known to science. The nanomaterial is so thin, in fact, water often doesn't even know it's there.

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Jan 23, 2012 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (12) | comments 1 | with audio podcast

One-third of car fuel consumption is due to friction loss

No less than one third of a car's fuel consumption is spent in overcoming friction, and this friction loss has a direct impact on both fuel consumption and emissions. However, new technology can reduce friction by anything ...

Technology / Energy & Green Tech

created Jan 12, 2012 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (11) | comments 9 | with audio podcast

Hey, bacteria, get off of my boat!

Submerge it and they will come. Opportunistic seaweed, barnacles, and bacterial films can quickly befoul almost any underwater surface, but researchers are now using advances in nanotechnology and materials science to design ...

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Oct 31, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Self-healing membranes: Nature shows the way

Lianas whose stabilization rings of woody cells heal spontaneously after suffering damage serve as a natural example to bionic experts of self-repairing membranes. Empa researchers have borrowed this trick ...

Technology / Engineering

created Sep 23, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 1

Inspired by teflon, researchers create super durable proteins

(PhysOrg.com) -- More than 50 years ago, NYU-Poly alumni John Gilbert was asked to evaluate a newly- developed material called Teflon. His experiments using the fluorinated polymer as a surface coating for ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Jul 04, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 2 | with audio podcast

Innovative anti-biofouling technologies can make shipping more eco-friendly

Organisms that stick to the lower structures of ships increase fuel consumption and costs of maintenance substantially. Currently, the organisms are killed with toxic biocides, but these chemicals need to ...

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Jun 23, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

UIC engineer tests improved 'icephobic' coatings

(PhysOrg.com) -- While scientists and engineers have developed several products that repel water and, to a lesser degree, snow and ice, considerable room remains for something "new and improved."

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Jun 02, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Researchers develop the first permanent anti-fog coating

Researchers under the supervision of Universite Laval professor Gaétan Laroche have developed the very first permanent anti-fog coating. Dr. Laroche and his colleagues present in the online edition of Applied Materials an ...

Chemistry / Materials Science

created Mar 16, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 5

Fabrication of mosaic nanofilters for molecular transport, separation of macromolecules

A team led by Dr. Sherif El-Safty, Exploratory Materials Research Laboratory for Energy and Environment, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS; Japan), fabricated tight mosaic cage silica nanotubes ...

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Jan 10, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

All sprayed at once: Ultrathin coatings made through simultaneous spraying of interacting substances

(PhysOrg.com) -- Coatings functionalize surfaces or protect them from processes such as corrosion, abrasion, and weathering, and may provide an aesthetic appearance—automotive coatings and non-stick frying pans are good ...

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Nov 24, 2010 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (3) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Playing snooker with atoms

Scientists speak of sputtering when energy-rich ions hit a solid object and cause atoms to be released from its surface. The phenomenon can be exploited to apply microscopically thin coatings to glass surfaces. ...

Technology / Engineering

created Sep 10, 2010 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Researchers 'design' therapeutic coatings of silver

(PhysOrg.com) -- Swiss researchers have demonstrated how they can adjust process conditions to influence the properties of novel plasma polymer coatings containing silver nanoparticles. Tailor-made films can ...

Nanotechnology / Bio & Medicine

created Jul 05, 2010 | popularity 4 / 5 (2) | comments 1

Perfectly non-reflecting

(PhysOrg.com) -- A new nanocoating ensures a perfectly non-reflecting view on displays and through eyeglasses. The necessary surface structure is applied to the polymeric parts during manufacture, obviating ...

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created May 04, 2010 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (12) | comments 5 | with audio podcast

Living buildings could mop up carbon dioxide

(PhysOrg.com) -- Architecture could help us tackle climate change, if we start to design our buildings with 'living' materials, according to Dr Rachel Armstrong, UCL Bartlett School of Architecture.

Other Sciences / Other

created Nov 27, 2009 | popularity 1 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Giving cockroaches the slip (w/ Video)

(PhysOrg.com) -- A breakthrough by scientists at Cambridge University may terminate the threat of termites, cockroaches and other pests such as ants and locusts - responsible for billions of pounds worth of ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Oct 13, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (13) | comments 5