Water Bouncing on a Superhydrophobic Carbon Nanotube Array

Spill proof nanotube impregnated carpet and upholstery cold be big business.

I mean, we gotta find a commercial use for carbon nanotubes eventually right? :D

j/k
 
Certainly the coolest water droplet video ive seen all day.

Seriously though it was pretty darn neat.
 
I wonder how it would work to coat the hull of a boat with this stuff.
 
wtiger said:
I wonder how it would work to coat the hull of a boat with this stuff.
Click to expand...

Spewn said:
I was thinking that too, any kind of water vehicle really, like submarines etc.
Click to expand...

Contrary to what you may believe you achieve less drag in water when surface tension is broken rather than maintained. Water flows faster past itself than it does any other material. Waxing a hull actually decreases performance. It's used to slow the oxidation of the gel coat.
 
Spewn said:
I was thinking that too, any kind of water vehicle really, like submarines etc.
Click to expand...

If they could put this into swimsuits, they'd set even more world records at the Olympics than the last new swimsuits did.
 
Interesting, i didn't realize carbon retained that property when it was turned into a nanotube.

I'm not really sure if it would make things go faster tho. I can't remember how it was explained in science class but i've always thought that it was easier for something wet to slice through water than something that's water repellant.
 
Sly said:
Interesting, i didn't realize carbon retained that property when it was turned into a nanotube.

I'm not really sure if it would make things go faster tho. I can't remember how it was explained in science class but i've always thought that it was easier for something wet to slice through water than something that's water repellant.
Click to expand...

What I'm thinking is that the space between the carbon molecules, while large enough for individual water molecular to fall through, isn't large enough to overcome the hydrogen bonding force within the water droplet. Essentially, the droplet wants to stay in a large drop rather than breaking apart to smaller droplets to "fill the gaps" in the nanotubing.

As far as using it to make water vehicles to faster, essentially the bottom of a boat or whatever will be skimming the surface of th water, instead of being entrenched in it. This would lead to faster boats since the density of air is less than water.
 
HydroBudz said:
Contrary to what you may believe you achieve less drag in water when surface tension is broken rather than maintained. Water flows faster past itself than it does any other material. Waxing a hull actually decreases performance. It's used to slow the oxidation of the gel coat.
Click to expand...

Hence your name. You seem to know your stuff.
 
I smell a new line at REI of superhydrophobic wear... a jacket will cost you $800 but any rain that hits you will bounce off!
 
Very cool, who knows when we'll see some of this tech used though.

lol at the REI jab, I love the store, but my god, some of those prices.
 
So... if you ate this stuff, would your "waste" bounce when it hits the water in the toilet?
 
HydroBudz said:
Contrary to what you may believe you achieve less drag in water when surface tension is broken rather than maintained. Water flows faster past itself than it does any other material. Waxing a hull actually decreases performance. It's used to slow the oxidation of the gel coat.
Click to expand...

Yep, a shark's rough skin actually helps them swim faster.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top