Materials engineers at Purdue University have created a new type of coating that attracts water yet beads oils, promising potential applications such as "self-cleaning" eyeglasses and antifogging car windshields and ski goggles.

The coating consists of a single-molecule-thick layer of a material called polyethylene glycol, where each molecule is tipped with a Teflon-like "functional group" made with fluorine. Water molecules pass through theTeflon-like layer, which acts as a barrier to the larger oil molecules. The water is then attracted to the polyethylene glycol immediately adjacent to the glass surface.

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