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ARES ["Air-retaining Surfaces"] studies novel ship coatings, by means of which an air layer is permanently retained under water, which considerably reduces frictional resistance of surfaces. At the same time, release of toxic substances from ship paints and biofilms (fouling) and corrosion is prevented by the air envelope between the ship and the water. Coordinator Thomas Schimmel, who works at the Institute of Applied Physics (APH), the Institute of Nanotechnology (INT), and the Material Research Center for Energy Systems (MZE) of KIT[*], and his group develop air-retaining surfaces under water based on the salvinia effect.
The salvinia effect studied by physicist Professor Thomas Schimmel of KIT and botanist Professor Wilhelm Barthlott of Bonn University in close collaboration with fluid mechanics expert Professor Alfred Lederer of Rostock University enables certain plants, such as the aquatic fern Salvinia molesta, to breathe under water. For this purpose, the aquatic fern is covered with special hairs that resemble small whisks and are characterized by a special chemical heterogeneity: while the individual hairs are water-repellent, each single hair has a water-attracting tip that adheres to water and permanently stabilizes the retained air layer.
[*] KIT: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.
The project reports the team has demonstrated a 20% reduction in friction between ships and water, an efficiency gain with large implications for global shipping.
(Score: 2) by Spamalope on Friday April 12 2019, @08:48AM (2 children)
You'd have the hull coated with tiny hairs. Assuming they were somehow durable enough, how would you keep it clean?!? Things grow on boat hulls as soon as they hit the water... It'd have to prevent any algae and barnacle growth or the coating would fail before the ship while the ship was loaded with cargo the first time.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 12 2019, @01:26PM
> You'd have the hull coated with tiny hairs.
I wonder if there is any relation to the drag reduction from riblets? This
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405451816300484 [sciencedirect.com]
looks like a nice overview (full text at the link).
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday April 12 2019, @01:43PM
My impression from the article was, the hull doesn't hit the water. Those things that grow on boat hulls in water, won't get the opportunity, unless they figure out a way to dangle their respiratory organs down into the water. I don't reckon microscopic critters can achieve that feat. Larger critters might, but they may not enjoy the experience, so not try. But, most larger creatures that attach themselves to hulls are microscopic when they begin life, and start searching for something to anchor themselves to.