Porcupinefish Spines Inspire Sturdy Water Repellant

Sep-18-19 The spines of the porcupinefish have inspired a sturdy water repellant material that can hold up to repeated use.

Many hydrophobic materials rely on a coating of tiny needles to repel water, but these needles can be easily broken or abraded—reducing efficiency. To offer a sturdier alternative, a team from the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan took inspiration from the flexible needles of the porcupinefish to create tiny, pliable needles made of a mix of zinc oxide and a silicon polymer. The needles make up the matrix of the material, resulting in an extremely hydrophobic surface that can withstand being bent, cut or abraded.

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[NEWATLAS.COM]
[ACS.ORG]

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