3 ms·
This effect could be achieved with a "standard" superhydrophobic coating (or superhydrophilic for oil-based condiments). Those can be easily done with something
by durkie 14y ago
This effect could be achieved with a "standard" superhydrophobic coating (or superhydrophilic for oil-based condiments). Those can be easily done with something like a nanostructured silica film (without having to functionalize the coating with additional chemicals), and silica is a very common food additive (fumed silica is already added to ketchup in fact to alter its flow properties)
- tomkinstinch 14y agoNanostructures may be likely, considering the group's recent (but different) patent: http://www.google.com/patents?id=JBoFAgAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4#v=onepage&q&f=false http://www.google.com/patents?id=JBoFAgAAEBAJ&printsec=a...
- schiffern 14y agoThe problem is that even benign materials can have unexpected outcomes that depend on their nano-structural properties. Carbon is safe, but carbon nanotubes can form cysts [1] and cause brain damage in fish [2]. [1] http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080520/full/news.2008.845.html http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080520/full/news.2008.845.ht... [2] http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4825-buckyballs-cause-brain-damage-in-fish.html http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4825-buckyballs-cause-...
- durkie 14y agoYou're absolutely right -- there are some materials that would be very bad candidates here. I was pointing out only that this can be achieved with structure only (no additional hydrophobic/hydrophilic chemicals), and that it can be done with materials that have already proven themselves inert when ingested in nano-scale particle sizes.