A soft, jelly-like coating can prevent destructive bubbles from ever forming on ship propellers and industrial pumps.

The Takeaway

Cavitation occurs when high-speed movement creates tiny vacuum bubbles that explode with enough force to pit and destroy solid metal. Current solutions usually involve making the metal tougher to withstand the damage. This new hydrogel coating works differently by making it physically harder for the bubbles to even start forming. It changes the surface energy so that the water stays liquid instead of turning into a gas. This could save billions of dollars in repair costs for everything from massive cargo ships to hydroelectric turbines.