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Researchers Invent Nanotech Waterproofing for Planes
Posted by Kit Eaton at 8:37 PM on August 15, 2008
The Air Force's Office of Scientific Research has funded a study that's found a novel waterproofing technique that could prevent ice formation and corrosion from damaging parts of an aircraft, like optical sensors. The transparent coating has a nanoporous surface that is superhydrophobic, which makes water droplets form and roll or bounce-off the aircraft's skin rather than collecting, which is how ice formations happen. Better still it can be crafted to send the droplets in particular pathways across the coating, meaning it may also work as a cheap and simple water-collection system for desert environments: this was inspired by the way the Namib Desert beetle gathers moisture. We wonder though... is it as good as Golden Shellback? [AirForceLink]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
scarbrtj
Posted 9:23 PM 15/8/08
Air Force GO® Aircraft, now with superior stain fighting powers.
[www.cnn.com]
scarbrtj
PastorDoodah
Posted 9:23 PM 15/8/08
To encourage the formation of drops big enough to collect before they evaporate again?
PastorDoodah
Elliuotatar
Posted 9:10 PM 15/8/08
Why would you need to specially shape the nano coating to collect water in desert environments, when you could just shape the whole surface in such a way that the water rolling off it is funnelled to a particular location?
Elliuotatar
warxsnake
Posted 9:47 PM 15/8/08
@Elliuotatar: not sure but maybe because the coating allows them to sculpt or form those pathways at the nano "level", whereas doing so and the aircraft's hull or optical sensors, exhaust panels, etc, cannot be done at the nano level. And I'm guessing any pathway that is made larger than that starts compromising aerodynamics and maybe even stealth properties of the aircraft. No idea..
warxsnake
Git Em SteveDave displays attention-grabbing vanity
Posted 9:56 PM 15/8/08
@Elliuotatar: This way allows you to retain the most surface area, whereas it's compromised when you begin to shape and twist it?
Git Em SteveDave displays attention-grabbing vanity
frigg
Posted 12:28 AM 16/8/08
@Elliuotatar: Because nano-anything means "funding approved." Next up, a NSF-funded Camel Harness employing nanotechnology-based fibers 30-35% more comfortable for camels while feeding on Namib Desert beetles.
frigg
Smith
Posted 12:26 AM 16/8/08
My sister is superhyrophobic.
Smith
aec007
Posted 1:11 AM 16/8/08
I have that coating in my car. I but it at Pepboys.
It's called RainX.
:P
aec007
Cedhed
Posted 1:42 AM 16/8/08
This has real potential to save a lot of lives if it can help prevent icing on aircraft.
Icing is a terribly dangerous situation as it adds huge amounts of weight to the airframe, and more importantly, distorts the shapes of the wing's airfoil and propeller. Many many people have died due to airframe and wing icing.
Seriously, one of the scariest situations as a pilot is to look out at your wing and see ice forming on your leading edge. Commercial jets have anti ice systems that work pretty well, but GA birds rarely do.
Cedhed
FiveLiters
Posted 2:13 AM 16/8/08
...and in other news,the Army is also coming up with applications "inspired" by the dung beetle,the New Beetle,and Beetle Bailey.
FiveLiters
Felix26591
Posted 3:31 AM 16/8/08
Because in dessert recolectors, it;s better if the water rolls of quickly before they evaporate so this would be good for that because the water wouldn;t stick to the surface but all the water would roll down and have a greater quantity of water collected
Felix26591
Will Entrekin
Posted 5:44 AM 16/8/08
I'm sure this comes as a welcome relief to all the airlines currently going under because of astronomical fuel prices. Can't fly anymore, but hey, at least it's waterproof.
Will Entrekin