Today’s technologies for waterproofing mobile electronics rely on age-old concepts such as O-rings and seals, which typically make the devices bulkier — moving in the opposite direction from consumer demand for small, sleek, easy-to-carry phones and tablets. Superhydrophobic coatings offer an alternative for imparting water-resistance without the additional bulk. However, practical issues, including the poor durability of such coatings, have limited their use.
Engineers at the Australian National Univ. have developed a coating that is not only superhydrophobic but durable as well. The coating, which is also transparent and resistant to ultraviolet radiation, could be used to waterproof mobile phones, prevent ice from forming on airplanes, and protect boat hulls against corrosion.
Superhydrophobic coatings that both repel water and self-clean often rely on chemical and topological properties. For instance, the lotus leaf has inspired the development of many waterproof materials. The outermost surface of the lotus leaf is covered with tiny bumps called papillae that are coated with epicuticular waxes. The papillae and waxes form a hierarchy of micro- and nanoscale structures...
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