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If steel interacts with water for a long time, then rust will certainly appear. Unfortunately, porous protective coatings that are designed to repel moisture often make the situation worse. However, more recently, Harvard University discovered that their development of SLIPS (water-repellent porous coatings) not only protects the surface from water, but also can strengthen steel.
The development team, led by Professor Joanna Eisenberg, used the electrochemical method to create a special tungsten oxide nanocoating. The resulting ultrathin film consists of hundreds and thousands of microscopic disparate 'islands' of chemical substance. The new coating prevents liquids from connecting to steel.
In addition, since the elements in the film are not connected to each other, if any of the 'islands' is damaged, the damage will remain localized, and will not extend to the entire coating. In laboratory tests, even after the samples were deliberately damaged, liquids such as water, oil or acids could not overcome the protective film. Experiments have also shown that steel improves its properties thanks to tungsten oxide. The technology is hoped to be used in shipbuilding, medicine, or in 3D printers that work with sticky materials.
“After our research, steel is several times stronger than with any other water-repellent material that existed before,” says Eisenberg. - So far, these two concepts - mechanical strength and protection against liquids - have been at odds with each other. We need light and porous coatings, but nanostructured surfaces are naturally weaker than their more massive counterparts. Our study proves that with the competent work of engineers, it is possible to design a material that can perform several opposite functions without compromising performance. '
