科学家发明节水马桶涂层

Toilets have long been a target for water conservationists concerned about the amount of liquid they use for each flush. A new coating technology could mean future loos will require much less water than their current low-flow counterparts.

Penn State University researchers are behind this innovation.

The liquid-entrenched smooth surface (LESS) coating is sprayed on in two steps. When it dries, the first spray grows molecules* that look like little hairs, with a diameter of about 1 million times thinner than a human’s. The second spray acts as a lubricant*.

The coating takes about five minutes to cure and can last for up to 500 flushes before the lubricant layer needs to be reapplied.

The researchers say toilets across the globe consume 141 billion liters of water each day. The use of the coating could potentially reduce that by up to 50 percent. The coating could also be applied to improve sanitation* for toilets that don’t use water.

(SD-Agencies)