Indian researchers unveil water-resistant film to boost life of energy systems (GS Paper 3, Environment)
Why in news?
- Researchers at Shiv Nadar University have unveiled flexible and durable films that could help in harnessing clean energy and its conservation.
Details:
- The superhydrophobic film designed by them promises to enhance the efficiency and longevity of various engineering systems, including solar panels, flexible electronics, and optical equipment.
- The key challenge addressed by the scientists is the performance limitations imposed by atmospheric contamination, such as pollutants, salt-laden aerosols, and rain, which often lead to substantial functionality loss in these systems.
- The team's research focused on creating films that repel water and other liquids, protecting devices from environmental damage.
Key Highlights:
- Through a simple and eco-friendly biofuel-based flame treatment, the researchers successfully crafted superhydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films.
- The treatment resulted in the formation of coral-like wrinkled morphologies with in-situ synthesised functionalised nano-silica particles.
- What sets these films apart is their exceptional water-repelling capabilities, boasting a water contact angle greater than 160 degrees, ensuring remarkable dewetting characteristics.
- The films also exhibited low hysteresis (less than 5 degrees) and sliding angles (less than 5 degrees), making them highly effective in resisting liquids, including blood.
- Hysteresis refers to the lag or delay in the response of a system to changes in the forces or parameters influencing that system. In the context of superhydrophobic films, low hysteresis is desirable.
- The film's adhesion with water is incredibly low, surpassing that of the famed Lotus leaf.
Unique feature:
- The secret to these films' exceptional performance lies in the Coral-like structures formed from agglomerated nano-silica particles, providing a negative capillary pressure.
- This unique feature results in extreme dewetting and low adhesion characteristics, making the films resilient in harsh physical and chemical environments.
Way Forward:
- The developed films demonstrated outstanding resistance, enduring more than 20,000 droplet impacts and over a year of weathering without severe damage.
- This breakthrough opens the door for the creation of non-wettable, self-cleaning structures, even those with intricate shapes.
IIT-M and Munitions India to develop smart ammo for 155mm artillery guns
(GS Paper 3, Defence)
Why in news?
- IIT-Madras and the Government-run Munitions India Limited (MIL) have partnered on developing 55mm Smart Artillery shells.
- It will be guided by the Indian constellation of NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) satellites, formerly known as Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).
Key Highlights:
- IIT Madras, Department of Aerospace Engineering will be developing the smart ammunition, which will later be manufactured by Munitions India Limited, a Government-run firm engaged in the Production, Testing Research and Development and Marketing of a comprehensive range of ammunition and explosives for the Army, Navy, Air force and Paramilitary Forces.
- The objective is to increase the accuracy of 155 mm shell within a Circular Error Probable (CEP) of 10 metres.
- At present, ammunitions developed in India have a CEP of 500 m. Another key goal is to increase the lethality at the terminal impact point.
Salient features:
- Based on the specifications of this proposed artillery shell, it can be fired from 155mm artillery guns, without any changes in the gun system.
- Unlike conventional shells, it will have its control surfaces that will help in manoeuvrability-fin-stabilised, canard-controlled, guided shell. It is expected to have a minimum range of 8kms and a maximum range of 38km.
- This Smart shell also offers three modes of detonation, such as - point detonation, height of burst, delayed detonation.
Way Forward:
- In two years, the Indian Army could get their hands on indigenously-designed and developed 155mm Smart Artillery shells that offer 50 times more accuracy than existing ones.
