Scientists find a way to get all the shampoo out of the bottle

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Source: Philip S. Brown, Ohio State University

Silica nanoparticles embedded in a piece of polycarbonate form puffy, y-shaped structures that cradle droplets of soap and prevent them from sticking to the plastic below. Researchers at The Ohio State University have made similar advances with making soap slide off of polypropylene.

The structures, which look like heart-shaped corals, are spaced a few micrometers apart across the surface of the bottle. They branch out at the top, leaving a small layer of air between them and the surface of the bottle. This prevents the soap molecules from ever touching the bottle.

Bhushan told CNBC he got the idea when some people at Procter & Gamble told him they were interested in a shampoo bottle that would not let soap collect around the lid.

"I was speaking to Procter and Gamble, and I suggested self cleaning bottles at the time I was thinking of bottles that remain free of dirt and other contaminants," Bhushan said. "And they said "well we have been thinking about self-cleaning shampoo bottles, because the shampoo collects on the cap," and that is how the work started. We have no relationship with them, but often I talk to people to figure out what it is we should be working on."

Bhushan told CNBC that the product potentially has many uses. He said the team was applying for a patent on Monday, and will be seeking funding for further research.

Though the product works well in their laboratory tests, they will have to work more to achieve a substance that can fully repel substances in real world situations such as a shampoo that has been sitting in a bottle for months, as well as products that have different ingredients.

He also said the invention has potentially many applications, including in automotive parts, or even coatings to repel oils off smartphone surfaces. Bhushan said he has worked with Sony Japan and Honda, among others, on similar materials.

An email sent to Sony seeking comment was not returned at the time of publication.

Source: http://www.cnbc.com/2016/06/27/scientists-finally-get-all-of-that-shampoo-out-of-the-bottle.html