Natures template

Discovered by Botanists Wilhelm Barthlott and Christoph Neinhuis from the University of Bonn in Germany, the ‘Lotus Effect’ is the name given to the self-cleaning phenomenon of the Lotus.

The leaves of Lotus plants have the unique ability to avoid getting dirty. They are coated with wax crystals around 1 nanometres in diameter that repel water. Droplets falling onto the leaves bead-up and if the surface slopes slightly will roll off taking dirt with them, so that the leaves are self-cleaning.

At the nanoscale rough surfaces are effective in repelling water than smooth ones as there is less contact between water and solid. This rough surface structure is also essential to the self-cleaning effect on a smooth surface such as glass.

Scientists are finding they can use nature as a template.