Scientists Create World's Most Water-Repellent Surface Using Novel Technique

Newly developed ultra-slippery coating, created using nanotechnology and self-assembling monolayers, offers breakthrough applications in multiple industries including cooking, transport, and optics.

• Scientists at Aalto University have developed an ultra-slippery coating through nanotechnology and self-assembling monolayers, challenging existing theories about friction between solid surfaces and water.
• The breakthrough coating features a liquid-like layer of molecules covalently tethered to the substrate, forming a layer of lubricant between water droplets and the surface, enabling the droplets to slide off with ease.
• With the new technique, the surfaces achieve slipperiness at both low and high monolayer (SAM) coverage, a contrary finding to the previous belief that low coverage would increase friction.
• Potential applications for the technology include heat transfer in pipes, de-icing and anti-fogging solutions, microfluidics, and creation of self-cleaning surfaces.
• The main limitation of the coating is its thinness which causes it to disperse easily after physical contact. The team hopes to improve this flaw and further optimize the surface in upcoming experiments.

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