Sharklet material is bio-inspired and was developed by Dr. Anthony Brennan, materials science and engineering professor at University of Florida, while trying to improve antifouling technology for ships and submarines at Pearl Harbor.
What problem is sharklet technologies trying to solve?
Sharklet Technologies uses an engineered microscopic topography inspired by sharkskin to reduce the ability of bacteria to adhere to surfaces without the use of biocidal toxic chemicals.
When was Sharklet created?
October 2007
Founded in October 2007, his small, 35-employee company successfully copied the fierce predator’s mathematical skin (dermal denticle) micro-patterns to build an invisible germ-fighting film that can be embossed onto a wide array of surfaces.
Who discovered Sharklet?
Company History
uses the Sharklet micropattern to control bacteria and other microorganisms. Originally discovered by Dr. Anthony Brennan at the University of Florida, Sharklet Technologies, Inc. licenses the technology to develop medical devices and consumer applications utilizing the Sharklet pattern.
How is Sharklet made?
The surface topography is made of millions of microscopic diamonds that disrupt the ability for bacteria to adhere, colonize, or develop into biofilms. The Sharklet pattern is manufactured onto adhesive-backed skins that may be applied to high-touch areas to reduce the transfer of bacteria among people.
Where is sharklet used?
Sharklet, manufactured by Sharklet Technologies, is a bio-inspired plastic sheet product structured to impede microorganism growth, particularly bacterial growth. It is marketed for use in hospitals and other places with a relatively high potential for bacteria to spread and cause infections.
What are the major properties of sharklet?
Sharklet contains no toxic additives or chemicals. Sharklet draws inspiration from the shape and pattern of the dermal denticles of sharkskin. Sharks are resistant to fouling organisms in the water including algae and barnacles.
What is the meaning of sharklet?
A small or young shark
A small or young shark.
What is the difference between winglet and sharklet?
To the naked eye, the difference between sharklets and winglets is in name only. Their purpose is to cut down on fuel—between 3.5 to seven per cent—by reducing aerodynamic drag, which they do by literally slashing through the air.
How does shark skin reduce drag?
The skin of fast-swimming sharks exhibits riblet structures aligned in the direction of flow that are known to reduce skin friction drag in the turbulent-flow regime.
Is shark skin antibacterial?
Dr Mann says: “Shark skin itself is not an antimicrobial surface, rather it seems highly adapted to resist attachment of living organisms such as algae and barnacles. Shark skin has a specific roughness and certain properties that deter marine organisms from attaching to the skin surface.
How much does sharklet cost?
“The sharklet can give you another 150nm [278km] range or 500kg [1,100lb] more payload,” he says. Offered only on new-build aircraft, the sharklet has a $900,000 list price per shipset.
Do Airbuses have winglets?
In 2013, with the A350, Airbus further refined its winglet design, which was no longer a separate appendage but rather a “smooth three-dimensional twisting of the basic wing shape.” The new design was also applied to the A320neo, a newer version of the popular plane with better engines, which now comes with sharklets
What do winglets do?
Winglets reduce wingtip vortices, the twin tornados formed by the difference between the pressure on the upper surface of an airplane’s wing and that on the lower surface. High pressure on the lower surface creates a natural airflow that makes its way to the wingtip and curls upward around it.
What is Sharklets a321?
The similarly lengthened fuselage A321neo variant offers new, more efficient engines, combined with airframe improvements and the addition of winglets (called Sharklets by Airbus). The aircraft delivers fuel savings of up to 15%.
How do sharklets save fuel?
Winglets or Sharklets are upward or downward curved extensions at the wing tips. Although they cause more weight and drag, winglets improve the environmental performance of an aircraft by reducing the induced drag caused by lift, thus minimizing fuel consumption.
Why are there no winglets on a 777?
For example, Boeing’s hot-selling 777 wide-body airliner does not have winglets. According to Gregg, that’s because the 777 operates from international terminals designed for larger jumbo jets. As a result, Boeing found the performance it was seeking without the need for vertical extensions.
Why does the 787 have curved wings?
Boeing 787 has composite wings with raked wingtips where the tip of the wing has a higher degree of sweep than the rest of the wing. This aerodynamic design feature improves fuel efficiency and climb performance while shortening takeoff length.
What is shark skin called?
Your skin might not feel smooth at all, but rough like sandpaper. Unlike most other fish in the ocean, shark skin is made of dermal denticles, or “skin teeth.” Despite their slick appearance, you can see under a microscope that sharks are almost completely covered in these denticles, also known as placoid scales.
How tough is a shark’s skin?
Shark skin is made of a matrix of tiny, hard, tooth-like structures called dermal denticles or placoid scales. These structures are shaped like curved, grooved teeth and make the skin a very tough armor with a texture like sandpaper.
Why is shark skin like that?
Shark skin is covered by tiny flat V-shaped scales, called dermal denticles, that are more like teeth than fish scales. These denticles decrease drag and turbulence, allowing the shark to swim faster and more quietly.