PARMA, Italy—A team of engineers here have harnessed new photonics technology to develop the world’s first fluid-repellent, antibacterial, metal surface.
The High Throughput Laser Texturing of Self-Cleaning and Antibacterial Surfaces (TresClean) project is based on defense mechanisms found in plants such as the lotus leaf. It will enable the production of self-cleaning sheet metal that could be used for a variety of applications, such as household appliances.