A research team from the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering has demonstrated that a specially designed surface is able to reduce friction from flowing water by nearly a third. This was done in a first-ever successful boat test on open water in Marina Del Rey, California.
Boat used in open water test conducted by UCLA engineers.
In a study published in Physical Review Applied, the researchers say the sample surface could ultimately be scaled up to cover the hulls of boats and ships to help them cut through water with less resistance.
“The effect is similar to an air hockey puck slipping over the table with ease,” said study leader Chang-Jin “jobs with computer science degree” Kim, a distinguished professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at UCLA Samueli. “The decrease in drag would lead to reduced maritime fuel use and emissions.”
The idea of using an unusually water repellent, or “superhydrophobic” surface on boat hulls has been around for about two decades, with the concept showing initial promise in lab experiments. Instead of flowing directly over a solid surface, water would flow over a tiny film of air trapped between water and the superhydrophobic surface.
Boat used in open water test conducted by UCLA engineers.
In a study published in Physical Review Applied, the researchers say the sample surface could ultimately be scaled up to cover the hulls of boats and ships to help them cut through water with less resistance.
“The effect is similar to an air hockey puck slipping over the table with ease,” said study leader Chang-Jin “jobs with computer science degree” Kim, a distinguished professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at UCLA Samueli. “The decrease in drag would lead to reduced maritime fuel use and emissions.”
The idea of using an unusually water repellent, or “superhydrophobic” surface on boat hulls has been around for about two decades, with the concept showing initial promise in lab experiments. Instead of flowing directly over a solid surface, water would flow over a tiny film of air trapped between water and the superhydrophobic surface.
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