Everyone knows the lotus effect. It often occurs in our everyday lives, whether it's leather shoes that are being waterproofed or cars that have just come out of the car wash and have had a special wash. But where does the term lotus effect come from?
What is bionics actually?
Let's start with bionics. The term bionics consists of "biology" and "technology" . It involves observing natural phenomena and applying them to technology. The lotus effect is the flagship phenomenon for this. In addition to the lotus effect, there are several other phenomena that we have copied from nature. For example, the burr that is behind the Velcro fastener or the structure in bird bones that is used to build towers and bridges. Little material is needed here, but a very high level of stability is achieved.
Where does the lotus effect come from?
As the name suggests, the lotus effect was discovered in the lotus plant. The large leaves of the lotus plant have so-called wax crystals. Due to this nubby structure, the water has a smaller contact point than on a smooth surface. The water therefore rolls off the surface and takes the dirt with it. We can therefore also call the lotus effect a " self-cleaning surface ".
Applications of the Lotus Effect
The range of applications is very wide. There is facade paint, various waxes or impregnation sprays that produce this effect. The future is expected to bring self-cleaning car paints and windows to save cleaning. Unfortunately, this idea has not yet been realized because the surface is always matte, which is not always desirable. There is also the idea of sealing the wings of airplanes to save time when de-icing in winter. Can we actually benefit from this phenomenon in our homes too? Yes! There are countless products that produce this beading effect after application. These can be used in the home for the bathroom, ceramic hob or window pane, as well as in the car to seal the windshield.
Practical helper for all cleaning tasks
All in all, these cleaners cannot completely prevent dirt, but they do make cleaning faster and easier , as the dirt cannot stick particularly well to the rough surface and is therefore easy to remove.
