Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT-H) here have developed water repellent structures by using an industrial waste product 'fly ash'.
Such "super hydrophobic" (super water repellent) structures has significant industrial applications such as anti-fouling paints, anti-sticking surfaces for antennae, self-cleaning coatings for automobiles, stain-resistant textiles, anti-soiling architectural coatings and among others, the Institute said in a release here on Thursday.
The practical implications of the work by the IIT Hyderabad team are compelling.
Not only is the water repellent product much cheaper than other superhydrophobic coatings developed so far but also serves towards up-cycling an industrial waste material - fly ash - into an industrially useful product, which serves the double purpose of side-revenue and waste management.
This research was jointly undertaken by Dr Mudrika Khandelwal and Dr Atul Suresh Deshpande, Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering, IIT Hyderabad.
Their research paper, co-authored with Ms Urbashi Mahanta, was recently published in the reputed peer-reviewed journal Chemistry Select.
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