Today’s Spotlight uses images of the rare earth ceramic disks taken and prepared by Gisele Azimi, as well as a video clip by Gisele Azimi and Rajeev Dhiman.
Water‑shedding surfaces that are robust in harsh environments could have broad applications in many industries including energy, water, transportation, construction and medicine. For example, condensation of water is a crucial part of many industrial processes, and condensers are found in most electric power plants and in desalination plants.
Hydrophobic materials — ones that prevent water from spreading over a surface, instead causing it to form droplets that easily fall away — can greatly enhance the efficiency of this process. But these materials have one major problem: Most employ thin polymer coatings that degrade when heated, and can easily be destroyed by wear.
Read full article.
Water‑shedding surfaces that are robust in harsh environments could have broad applications in many industries including energy, water, transportation, construction and medicine. For example, condensation of water is a crucial part of many industrial processes, and condensers are found in most electric power plants and in desalination plants.
Hydrophobic materials — ones that prevent water from spreading over a surface, instead causing it to form droplets that easily fall away — can greatly enhance the efficiency of this process. But these materials have one major problem: Most employ thin polymer coatings that degrade when heated, and can easily be destroyed by wear.
Read full article.