Skip to main content

Lotus Effect ,Self Cleaning and Nanotechnology


The lotus plant (Nelumbo nucifera) is a very interesting plant. Although it grows in muddy waters, its leaves always appear clean. The lotus effect refers to self-cleaning properties that are a result of ultrahydrophobicity as exhibited by the leaves of Nelumbo.
By using reflection electron microscopy (REM) observation and investigations into the surface have shown that the surface of the leaf has a special, characteristic roughness. Main properties of the surface of the lotus leaf are systematically arranged and water-repellent. Moreover, nano-size wax crystals form three-dimensional structures.
The high surface tension of water causes droplets to assume a nearly spherical shape.Thanks to minimal surface area of sphere, and this shape therefore demands least solid-liquid surface energy. On contact with a surface, adhesion forces result in wetting of the surface.
Thanks to the combination of waxes' water-repellent chemical properties, lotus leaf is extremely non-wettable, a state called ultrahydrophobia or super-hydrophobia. This combination gives it not only super-hydrophobic characteristic but also self-cleaning character.
The first commercial product made in collaboration with industry was a silicone resin house paint which has since become widely used and in which silicon nanoparticles form micro-structured surface. Also, composite materials made up of nanoparticles in a coating matrix make it possible to manufacture the surface structure required for the "Lotus-Effect".
Posted by 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Molybdenum Trioxide Nanoparticles/Nanopowder and Applications

General Information about Molybdenum Trioxide                                                     Molybdenum trioxide is chemical compound with the formula MoO3. Its chief application is as an oxidation catalyst and as a raw material for the production of molybdenum metal.  Molybdenum Trioxide  is a very light blue powder. Molybdenum Trioxide Nanoparticles/Nanopowder and Their Applications                                                    Like many  nanoparticles/nanopowder , Molybdenum Trioxide nanoparticles/nanopowder are used as catalysts. These catalysis reactions include hydrogenation catalysis and cracking catalysis. Molybdenum Trioxide nanoparticles/  nanopowder are useful for...
Post a Comment
Read more

Cadmium Sulfide Nanopowder and Its Applications

Cadmium sulfide is the inorganic compound with the formula CdS. Cadmium sulfide is a yellow solid. It occurs in nature with two different crystal structures as the rare minerals greenockite and hawleyite. As a compound that is easy to isolate and purify, cadmium sulfide the principal source of cadmium for all commercial applications. Its vivid yellow color led to its adoption as a pigment for the yellow paint "cadmium yellow" in the 18th century. Cadmium Sulfide Nano Powder, CdS (99.9+%, 20 nm)  shows unique physical, chemical and structural properties from the bulk. The melting point, electronic absorption spectra, band gap energy crystal structure, and other properties of cadmium sulfide nanoparticles are affected by size. Thus, cadmium sulfide on the whole is an attractive system for practicing synthetic chemistry for nanocrystals and for understanding the chemistry, growth history of nanomaterials and also for various technical applications. Colloidal dispersions of ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Carbon Nanotubes Doped with Graphene Nanopowder and Applications

Carbon nanotubes and graphene are different forms of carbon atom based materials. They have different properties and can be used in various applications. But what happens if we use them as a hybrid structure? The excellent mechanical, physical, and chemical properties of low-dimensional carbon materials like graphene and carbon nanotube have enabled them as promising building blocks for three-dimensional nanoarchitectures. In this regard, extensive interests have been attracted to synthesize graphene and carbon nanotube hybrid structures. Earlier works suggested that  Carbon Nanotubes Doped with Graphene Nanopowder (52 wt% Graphene )  is a promising solution for quick energy dissipation, which could enhance interface thermal conductivity of the ‘building blocks’ for future nanoscale mechanical and electrical devices. In the electricity perspective, it is found that ‘CNT pillared-graphene’ system would extend the excellent electrical conductivity of graphene and nanotube to ...
Post a Comment
Read more