SinodosChemistry

An amazing advance in coatings technology is the new superhydrophobic coatings that exhibit self cleaning properties. Super Hydrophobicity is expressed in contact angle values that demontrate how well is a water drop in contact with a solid surface. Different methodologies exist on turning a hydro phillic surface into a super hydrophobic one but all of them depend on two properties; surface roughness and surface free energy. As the surface energy is lowered, surfaces are turned into hydrophobic ones. Such minimization of energies can occur either by structural changes [for example introduction of surface roughness] or chemical ones [chlorination of surface or other chemical modifications].

3D printing or additive manufacturing is propably the next industrial revolution, ready to burst. 3D printing allows for literally any object, of any size, to be manufactured without the use of industrial equipment. For any object to be manufactured only a few steps are followed. First, a designer creates the necessary 3D designs of the object. Then, the computer aided softwate [CAD] guides the 3D printer into creating the object in a layer by layer fashion. It has been recorded that huge saving of materials, up to 50% is achieved by using additive manufacturing methodologies. 3D printing materials are somehow limited at the time being, but are increasing in numbers quickly. They currently involve ABS, some thermoplastics, resins, and others.