Hygiene:
Lotusan and
Lotus Effect
Nature uses physical properties of
structures to achieve the desired
function rather than synthesising
new chemical compositions.
The German botanist Professor
Wilhelm Barthlott discovered the
lotus effect when he observed that,
although lotus grows in muddy
ponds, lotus leaves can remain
constantly clean for photosynthesis
to take place. Lotus effect refers to
the phenomenon produced by the
ultra-hydrophobic surface of lotus
leaves in which nanoscopic
protruding epidermial cells minimise
water adhesion and allow water
droplets to carry dirt away.
Lucy Zuo