In a laboratory at the University of Rochester, researchers are using lasers to change the surface of metals in incredible ways, such as making them super water-repellent without the use of special coatings, paints, or solvents.
In a laboratory at the University of Rochester, researchers are using lasers to change the surface of metals in incredible ways, such as making them super water-repellent without the use of special coatings, paints, or solvents.
The commercial applications of the technology range from de-icing of commercial airplanes and large trucks, to rust and corrosion prevention of exposed metal surfaces, to cleaner, anti-microbial surfaces for surgical and medical facilities.
But to make the technology commercially viable, the lasers must become much more powerful.
John Marciante, an associate professor of optics, and the University’s Institute of Optics, is working with venture capital-backed technology company, FemtoRoc Corp., to develop those more powerful lasers. His contract with the company, expected to take six years, has a research budget estimated at $10 million.
Continue reading at University of Rochester.
Image via University of Rochester.
