Not long ago, when Luo Yonghao sent three Weibo posts for contact information of major thermal insulation cups, refrigerators, and yoga mat brands, many people guessed that he would start a business again. Sure enough, last night, Luo Luo took his The new product appeared in front of everyone, but this time you can’t buy his products directly, you can only buy a variety of goods made by this technology-if there are manufacturers.
At this press conference of “The Old Man and the Sea”, Lao Luo, who teaches English, gave everyone a biology lesson, and introduced in detail a bionic physical antibacterial and antifouling technology called “Sharklet”. Although the name is unfamiliar and is an English word, it does not prevent it from becoming a hot topic with Lao Luo’s halo.
What the hell is Sharklet? Has Lao flickered this time? Here are our class notes and after-school supplements.
What is Sharklet? Where did it come from? Where to go
The process of invention of bionic technology seems to be similar, basically it can be summarized as: encountering problems-seeing animals / plants-inspiration came.
Sharklet was developed from a seemingly unrelated problem. Its inventor, Anthony Brennan, was only trying to find a way to prevent algae and other things from attaching to submarines and ships.
▲ Picture from: Sharklet official Weibo
A long time when a ship is launched, algae and other aquatic organisms are always attached to the bottom, one of which corrodes the hull, and the other affects the speed of navigation and wastes fuel. Although there are paints on the market to reduce drag and antifouling, their chemical composition will inevitably cause pollution to the marine environment.
To solve this problem, in 2002, the US Navy invited Brennan, then a professor of materials and engineering at the University of Florida, to ask him to find a new antifouling strategy. It is also necessary to reduce the attachment of marine life.
The inspiration for Brennan’s answer came from sharks. When he saw a nuclear submarine covered with algae on the surface being towed back in the harbor, he suddenly thought of a problem. Regarding Brennan, there are multiple versions on the Internet. For the time being, Lao Luo’s press conference is the same: Why is the shark not entangled by algae while swimming in the water?
To add here, Brennan is definitely not the first scientist to get inspiration from sharks. In fact, at that time people had a deeper understanding of the special structure of shark skin that can reduce drag.
▲ The enlarged image of the shark skin surface comes from: popsci
It has long been found that the groove formed by the V-shaped shield scales on the surface of the shark skin can make the water flow faster and greatly reduce the friction between the shark and the water. The most widely known application is the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. The throbbing Speedo shark skin bathing suit, Australia’s Thorpe won 3 gold medals in one fell swoop.
But Brennan ’s research has found another use for this structure. It not only reduces resistance but also prevents microbial sedimentation. Further research also shows that it is also difficult for bacteria to gain a foothold on this structure. Said that shark skin also has antibacterial effect.
▲ Picture from: Sharklet official Weibo
Based on the structure of the shark skin, Brennan has developed Sharklet material. Due to its good antibacterial effect, Sharklet is expected to move from the original military to civilian use. For example, Sharklet listed medical devices such as catheters, central venous custody on the official website.
Why is it “promising”? Because although the application prospects look good, from the development of materials to the implementation of specific products and the long verification process of medical products, the commercialization process of Sharklet is extremely slow. The medical devices mentioned on the official website are only papers and no large-scale products appear for the time being. Brennan’s company, Sharklet Technologies, had previously relied on funding from the National Institutes of Health until 2017, when it accepted an acquisition by a Hangzhou-based Peaceful Union medical device asset company.
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The “old man” in Lao Luo’s press conference “Old Man and the Sea” last night refers to this Brennan. This time I asked Luo to be the “Chief Huyou Officer”. Sharklet is obviously intended for the mass consumer market. After all, it is much simpler to make Sharklet into a backpack and a suitcase than the strict requirements of medical products.
Things are good things, but does Lao exaggerate?
Are antibacterial products just needed?
According to Lao Luo, Sharklet can be used on the surface of all synthetic leather, plastic and silicone products. The antibacterial children’s schoolbag released by Lao Luo on the scene obviously captured the parents’ concerns about their children’s health. Listed the “near infinite” application scenarios of digital products and furniture, but the question is, do we really need everything to be sterile?
▲ Picture from: Sharklet official Weibo
We often say, “Don’t do it cleanly, eat without disease.” Although this is not strict, it also reveals the strong resistance of the human body to a world full of microorganisms. What we call antibacterial and bactericidal is dealing with toxic bacteria, not pursuing absolute sterility. Children’s living environment is too clean but it is not good for immunity.
▲ Picture from: Sharklet official Weibo
Because it is impossible in our living environment, and it is not necessary to be absolutely sterile, even if the aseptic materials are used in wallets, bags, and luggage, it does n’t seem to make much sense. After all, opening a door and a lamp May break power at any time. Moreover, Guanbo himself acknowledged that Sharklet cannot completely prevent bacteria from adhering, but the probability that bacteria falling on the surface grooves will be contacted by the human body is blocked by the trench with a height of 3 microns, so Sharklet materials still need to be cleaned irregularly.
Of course, the significance of using antibacterial materials in public places and public facilities cannot be denied, but people have questions about the effectiveness of Sharklet. Leaving aside the antibacterial rate, since it is a physical inhibitorBacteria, there is the problem of material wear. How much antibacterial effect can be maintained after the special microstructure of Sharklet is damaged.
This concern is not unreasonable. In fact, at the beginning of the year, Sharklet had tested the water in the consumer market. He cooperated with Taobao Xinxuan on an iPhone antibacterial mobile phone case. The lowest price was less than 70 yuan. Many buyers mentioned in the product evaluation. The problem of peeling and coating peeling. A mobile phone case just held in my hand, but still so untouchable. I don’t know how long Sharklet can hold on the yoga mats, bus arm rings and other items mentioned by Lao Luo that are often squeezed and pulled.
So, after watching Lao Luo ’s press release, people who have antibacterial schoolbags and suitcases with long grass may recommend buying a mobile phone case first.
Title picture from: Unsplash