Taking a page from the beetle's playbook, Virginia Tech biomedical engineers created a way to control condensation and frost growth on airplane parts, condenser coils, and windshields.
The researchers used photolithography to pattern the nature-inspired chemical arrays. The material mimics the Namib Desert Beetle, whose bumpy shell attracts moisture while sending water down its smooth sides.
The researchers developed their frost-controlling chemical pattern on a surface about the size of a centimeter. According to the Virginia Tech engineers, frost-free zones can be expanded to larger areas.
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