Scientists at the KIT Institute of Microstructure Technology have discovered a new material, which is being called “fluoropore” and has the ability to repel both water and oil droplets. The development of this new class of highly fluorinated super-repellent polymers at the KIT is now receiving 2.85 million Euros of funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The phenomenon of repelling water, for which the lotus flower is well known, has been used in many products already. However, the lotus plant is not able to repel oil. Oil-repellent surfaces however, need to have a different chemical structure, which is why flouropolymers are required. Dr. Bastian Rapp explained this idea, stating “when combining the chemical properties of flouropolymers with the roughness of the lotus plant, surfaces are obtained, from which both water and oil droplets will roll off.” However, due to the sensitivity to abrasion, Rapp works on developing a new class of fluorinated polymers that repels water and oil, which are far more robust in practical application. This project is being called “Flouropore”. This discovery is both groundbreaking and important because it allows for protective coatings against any type of staining. In terms of practical use, “flouropore” could be used on car finishings, house fronts or shoes, in order to prevent staining of any kind.
Submitted by Max Haupt
No comments:
Post a Comment