Scientists in London have developed the dream kitchen -one which is capable of self-cleaning and destroying bacteria without any soap or sprays.
The researchers from University College London (UCL) have created paints and plastics that react with anything landing on them, driving off stains, repelling water or producing micro-doses of toxic molecules to assassinate microbes. The selfcleaning and self -sterilising materials can be used in hospitals and in homes – especially kitchens and bathrooms. The researchers were partly inspired by the self-cleaning glass used in modern buildings, which is coated with titanium dioxide catalysts that destroy dirt.
They have combined this with a “fluorinated silane” with properties similar to Teflon, which makes any water landing on it form a sphere, rather than soaking in. The spheres then pick up specks of dirt and carry it away, cleaning the surface. — ECJ
