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"You could use it on all kids of things: windshields, windows, airplane wings," said Tom Krupenkin, a professor at the University of Wisconsin and author of a study that describes the product. "There are lots of applications for this." Their material is made of nanonails, so called because they look like a sheet of roofing nails driven partially in. The nanonails stay dry and clean because the water molecules, held together by surface tension, can't slip between them. Not only does the material keep water out, but it also repels oils, solvents and other hydrocarbons. Either the next rainstorm or a quick flick of cloth would wipe the dirt away. Eventually, the material, which can be made into a shrink wrap-like film, will get dirty. When that happens you can either wipe it clean with water or just replace it, said Krupenkin. All of the researchers noted that self-cleaning fabrics will be environmentally friendly, decreasing the use of heavy-duty detergents and solvents. It will be a while before you see nanonail-coated windows, though. "These applications are very demanding," said Krupenkin. "You want to make sure that the nanonails will be there for years to come." Jeffrey Youngblood, a materials scientist at Purdue University, who is currently working on anti-fog coatings and a device that could be used to easily and safety clean up oil tanker spills, thinks self-cleaning materials will soon be ubiquitous. "We are seeing the first self-cleaning technologies now," said Youngblood. "The next ten years will bring a huge array." Related Links: Eric Bland's blog: What the Tech? |
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