Simple insights into what is lotus effect and how it works

1. Nanotechnology
Self Cleaning Coatings
Inspired by Lotus Effect

2. Lotus Effect
 Cleanliness – Swacch Bharat Mission
 Nelumbo nucifera leaf
 Self cleaning
 Wilhelm Barthlott (Bonn, Germany)
 Bumps, Wax & Contact Angle
 Biology inspired design – Biomimmetics
 Superhydrophobic surfaces
 Superhydrophillic surfaces
Lotus SEM Image Colocasia SEM Image

3. Fabrication of surfaces
 STEP 1
 Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), Epoxy
Resin, Nano Zn, ZnO
 STEP 2
 Lotus leaf Wax, Silica - self assembly in
the presence of ethanol vapours
STEP 1
STEP 2

4. Results
SEM image of Epoxy Resin Sample
Final Sample
Micro patterned Silica
Micro tubules

5. Working
 Contact Angle
 Superhydrophobic Surfaces
 High contact angle
(Greater then 150o)
 Dirt particles are carried with
droplets
 Superhydrophilic Surfaces
 Very less contact angle
(Less the 30o)
 Phototcatalysis on TiO2
Schematic Diagram Actual Results

6. Applications
 Self cleaning clothes, paints (coatings), spectacles,
windows, tiles, solar panels
 Drag reduction
 Antifogging coatings
 Photo-catalysis
1. For the treatment of sewage water
2. High wetting of the TiO2 surface
3. High conversion of organics to CO2 & H2O
 Chemical engineering
1. Fouling of Heat Exchanger
2. Calendria Evaporators, Falling Film Evaporators
3. Instrumentation (LIG thermometer)
4. Condensers
Maple Syrup on NanoTex

7. Conclusion
Lotus Effect is the future of the Self-Cleaning
technology. Rather it can help Chemical Engineers
to improve the performance of the Evaporators,
Condensers & Heat Exchangers

8. References
 Lotus Effect: Surfaces with Roughness-Induced Superhydrophobicity, Self-
Cleaning - Prof Bharat Bhushan, Yong Chae Jung
 Self-Cleaning materials – Peter Forbes (Scientific American, 2008)
 Lotus-Inspired Nanotechnology Applications - B Karthick and Ramesh
Maheshwari
 Synthesis of mesoporous ceria/titania thin films for self-cleaning
applications - Houcine Bouzid
 Nanostructured Zn and ZnO nanowire thin films for mechanical and self-
cleaning applications - Ummar Pasha Shaik, Debarun Dhar Purkayastha, M
Ghanashyam Krishna, V. Madhurima
 Self-cleaning & Super hydrophilic wool by TiO2 /SiO2 nanocomposite
Esfandiar Pakdel, Walid A. Daoud , Xungai Wang
 Bio inspired self-cleaning surfaces with super hydrophobicity,
superoleophobicity, and superhydrophilicity Shunsuke Nishimoto, Bharat
Bhushan
 www.wikipedia.com
 www.sciencedirect.com
 www.lotusleafcoatings.com

9. Thank You !!!