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  • RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

A surface stays frost-free by showing water drops no mercy

A bio-inspired material forces water droplets to jump into the void — and thus prevents ice formation.
An aircraft in the sky seen from the ground.

Water can’t get a grip on a newly fabricated material, which might one day help to prevent ice build-up on aeroplane wings. Credit: Getty

A textured material repels water so well that any droplets that condense on its surface vault off almost immediately, standing no chance of turning into dangerous ice.

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Nature 593, 10 (2021)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-01144-2

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