Microscopic features on a wall can have an enormous influence on macroscopic flows along it.
Researchers led by Jonathan Rothstein tailored the microscale structure of a hydrophobic material—polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), akin to the rubbery polymer used to caulk bathtubs—to create air pockets that allow the flow to “slip” (shear free) at the liquid–air interface. The greater the area covered by air pockets, the greater the overall reduction in shear stress.
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