Even freshwater contains trace salts and minerals that cause scaly buildups as they evaporate. Getting rid of the scale usually requires toxic chemicals and/or lots of scrubbing, neither of which Keep reading
Tag: superhydrophobic
“Dew Point” Deposits Droplets
Artist Lily Clark loves to work in water. One of her recent sculptures, “Dew Point,” uses superhydrophobic ceramic to grow and manipulate water droplets over and over and over. Droplets Keep reading
To Fizz or Not to Fizz
Place a drop of carbonated water on a superhydrophobic surface and it will slide almost frictionlessly, much the way Leidenfrost drops do. The drop behaves this way thanks to the Keep reading
“ColorLover”
“ColorLover,” a short film by artist Rus Khasanov, is a delightful liquid rainbow. The video’s ingredients seem to be ink, paint, oil, and a bit of superhydrophobic coating primed to Keep reading
Superhydrophobic Drag
Using air or bubbles to reduce drag on boats is a popular idea, whether using supercavitation, the Leidenfrost effect, or superhydrophobic coatings. But most of the experiments done thus far Keep reading
The Two-Faced Splash
The way a sphere enters water depends on its size, speed, and surface properties. A hydrophilic (water-attracting) sphere behaves differently than a hydrophobic (water-repelling) one. But what happens when the Keep reading
The Unsinkable Pygmy Gecko
The Brazilian pygmy gecko is a tiny inhabitant of the Amazon rainforest, growing to no longer than 24 mm. But these tiny lizards have some incredible superpowers when it comes Keep reading
When Honey Flows Faster Than Water
With its high viscosity, no one would ever pick honey to beat water in a race. But a new study shows there’s at least one circumstance where honey wins: inside Keep reading
The Best of FYFD 2020
2020 was certainly a strange year, and I confess that I mostly want to congratulate all of us for making it through and then look forward to a better, happier, Keep reading
Rolling Off a Duck’s Back
Ducks and other water fowl need protection from the elements. Fortunately for them, the structure of their feathers cleverly helps them shed water. As seen in this video, feathers have Keep reading