Plants Lotus

The lotus effect in material science is the observed self-cleaning property found with lotus plants' leaves. In some Eastern cultures, the lotus plant is a symbol of purity. Although lotuses prefer to grow in muddy rivers and lakes, the leaves and flowers remain clean. more...

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Botanists who have studied lotus leaves have found that they have a natural cleaning mechanism. This cleaning mechanism was discovered by Professor Wilhelm Barthlott, the director of the Nees-Institue for Biodiversity in Bonn, Germany.

The microscopic structure and surface chemistry of the leaves prevent them from getting wet. Water droplets roll off a leaf's surface like mercury, taking mud, tiny insects, and contaminants with them. This is known as superhydrophobicity, or more commonly, the lotus effect. Water droplets on taro leaves exhibit similar behavior.

Some nanotechnologists are developing methods to make paints, roof tiles, fabrics and other surfaces that can stay dry and clean themselves in the same way as the lotus leaf. This can usually be achieved by treatment of the surface with a fluorochemical or silicone treatment. It is also possible to achieve such effects by using combinations of polyethylene glycol with glucose and sucrose. Clothing that repels water has already been developed and marketed by brands such as Gap and Dockers; it uses a fabric named Nano-Care. Water repelling glass panels have also been brought onto the market for use on the roofs of conservatories.

In one method, an aluminium surface is made superhydrophobic by immersing it in sodium hydroxide for several hours followed by spin coating a layer of perfluorononane to a thickness of 2 nanometers. This procedure increases the water contact angle from 67° to 168°, an effect that can be explained by Cassie's law. Electron microscopy shows that the aluminium surface resembles that of a lotus surface, with a porous microstructure containing trapped air.

StoCoat™ Lotusan® is an exterior coating (paint) that mimics the microstructure of the lotus leaf surface, gaining similar water-repellent and self-cleaning properties, termed the Lotus-Effect®. Water does not adhere to the surface, but rolls off the paint, picking up and washing away debris in the process. By remaining dry, the coating also resists mold, mildew, and algae. Though hydrophobic, the coating is highly permeable to water vapor.

Read more at Wikipedia.org