Reducing Frost Formation by Mimicking Leaf Surfaces

Mar-10-20 Researchers at Northwestern University have discovered that they can reduce frost formation by up to 80% by mimicking the jagged peaks and valleys on leaves.

They discovered that the concave regions of the leaf (the veins) have much less frost than the convex regions, which leads to the conclusion that it is the geometry and not the material that controls frost formation.

Frost can be more than a nuisance, creating drag on airplane wings and reducing the efficiency of fridges and freezers.

The small amount of condensed water that gathers in a leaf's valleys evaporates, resulting in a frost-free zone. Using this information, researchers were able to design a textured surface that, while not totally frost-free, can be defrosted with much less use of energy.

More Info about this Invention:

[PHYS.ORG]
[NORTHWESTERN.EDU]

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