A group of scientists in China have created an ultra-slippery toilet bowl that can repel almost any type of liquids or solids.
Great! Now my poops can slide down the toilet like a chocolate river while leaving my porcelain throne squeeky clean!
Original paper says its mainly polypropylene powder, sintered and porous, has silica powder and silicon oil within.
Porous? How does that work for making a surface more slippery?
ARSFT not only with a self-supporting 3D complex shape but also with a porous structure that can accommodate considerable lubricants for an abrasion-resistant super-slippery property.
From what I skimmed, its slippery properties comes from mainly "hydrophobic silica powder distributed among polypropylene powder. Silicone oil is sprayed afterwards to protect it from abrasion and other mechanical force. Even it wears down, all components (hydrophobic silica and lubricant oil) are present on new surface because it’s built porous so the slippery property will be maintained.
The porous structure actually holds the silicone oil like a sponge, so when the surface gets abraded or worn down, there’s always more lubricant ready to seep out and maintain the slipperyness - it’s basically self-healing becuase the entire material is impregnated with the oil, not just coated.