Why Superhydrophobic Materials Never Get Wet

Raincoats, car windshields, waterproof phones: They all use a little chemistry to stay dry.

Aug 14th, 2017

Raincoats, car windshields, waterproof phones: They all use a little chemistry to stay dry. Inspired by nature, chemists use extremely water-fearing, or superhydrophobic, coatings to repel water from surfaces to keep them dry. Watch as the Reactions team uses a high-speed camera and some brave volunteers to bring the science of staying dry to life.

Today in Manufacturing Podcast

Today in Manufacturing Podcast

Today in Manufacturing has a new podcast brought to you by the editors of Industrial Media. In each episode, we discuss the five biggest stories in manufacturing, and the implications they have on the industry moving forward.

This photo provided by Sri Lankan Air Force shows the sinking MV X-Press Pearl at Kapungoda where it is anchored off Colombo port, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, June 2, 2021. Salvage experts were attempting to tow the fire-stricken container ship that had been loaded with chemicals into the deep sea as the vessel started to sink Wednesday. Water submerged the MV X-Press Pearl's quarterdeck a day after firefighters extinguished a blaze that had been burning for 12 days.

Data Recovered from Sinking Ship

The fire has destroyed most of the ship’s cargo, which included 25 tons of nitric acid and other chemicals.

I Stock 476738700

San Diego Processing Firm Pleads Guilty to Hazardous Waste Violations

The company improperly disposed of drums containing ethanol.

A Sri Lankan navy soldier clad in a protective suit walks on the mounds of debris that washed ashore from the burning Singaporean ship MV X-Press Pearl which is anchored off Colombo port at Kapungoda, out skirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, May 27, 2021.

Police Investigate Sri Lanka Ship Fire

The government seeks to take legal action against the vessel's owners after the incident caused severe marine pollution.

In this photo provided by Sri Lanka Air Force, smoke rises from the container vessel MV X-Press Pearl engulfed in flames off Colombo port, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, May 25, 2021. An explosion occurred Tuesday on a ship anchored off Sri Lanka's capital on which a fire had been burning for several days, prompting the evacuation of all crew members, officials said.

Ship Fire Rages for 6th Day

Some of the fallen containers containing chemicals are believed to have sunk.

N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper, left, elbow-bumps with Martin Meeson, CEO of Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, Holly Springs, N.C., March 18, 2021.

Biotech Firm to Build $2B Vaccine Plant

The facility is billed as the largest end-to-end biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in North America.

Shell Ap21029365642880

Court Orders Shell Nigeria to Compensate Farmers

The company is liable for two leaks that spewed oil over an area of about 60 soccer fields in two villages.

Business Teamwork Puzzle Pieces 000044718556 Medium

DuPont, Chemours Reach Agreement on 'Forever' Chemicals

The companies agreed to a 50-50 split of certain expenses, or an aggregate $4 billion.

The PFAS compounds extracted from the ground are destroyed using an ultraviolet light technology inside this trailer.

New Remediation Tech Removes, Destroys 'Forever Chemicals'

PFAS contaminate drinking water supplies serving about one-third of Americans.

The New Jersey Pinelands region in Lakehurst, N.J.

New Jersey Sues 3 Firms Over Chemicals in Drinking Water

Some of the substances at issue are known as “forever chemicals."

Deal Sale I Stock 1026040678

South African Company to Sell $2B Stake in Louisiana Plants

Sasol will retain ownership of its Lake Charles R&D center and other facilities.

Lead researcher Associate Professor Abbas Mohajerani with bricks made with cigarette butts.

Cigarette Butts Could Be Recycled into Bricks

Over 6 trillion cigarettes are produced each year — resulting in 1.2 million tons of toxic waste.