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 Namib Desert Beetle lives in one of the hottest places in the world, yet it still collects airborne water. Taking a page from the beetle's playbook, Virginia Tech biomedical engineers created a way to control condensation and frost growth.
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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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