BOG STANDARD
New spray-on toilet coating stops poo sticking and could save 70 billion litres of water a day, scientists claim
A NEW spray-on toilet coating stops poo from sticking to the side of the toilets, scientists claim.
The coating, which sets in five minutes and lasts up to 500 flushes, also destroys bacteria.
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Boffins claim it could save 70 billion litres of water a day - and could spell the end of the toilet brush.
Mechanical engineer and paper author Tak-Sing Wong of Penn State University, told : "With millions of global citizens experiencing water scarcity, what if that amount could be reduced by 50 per cent?
"Our team has developed a robust bio-inspired, liquid, sludge and bacteria-repellent coating that can essentially make a toilet self-cleaning."
BOG BRUSH BINNED
The new method is an easy two-step spray that lasts up to 500 flushes before needing to be reapplied.
It has since been dubbed as "the liquid-entrenched smooth surface" or "LESS".
The pray covers the ceramic bowl in a smooth liquid repellent, before adding a layer of lubricant to make the pan even slippier.
Mr Wong said: "When it dries, the first spray grows molecules that look like little hairs, with a diameter of about 1,000,000 times thinner than a human's.
"The second spray infuses a thin layer of lubricant around those nanoscopic 'hairs' to create a super-slippery surface.
"When we put that coating on a toilet in the lab and dumped synthetic faecal matter on it, [the waste] just completely slid down and nothing sticks to (the toilet)."
SELF-CLEANING TOILETS
The new method hopes to make waterless toilets and urinals more pleasant to use while using significantly less water.
Mr Wong added: "Poop sticking to the toilet is not only unpleasant to users, but it also presents serious health concerns.
"If a waterless toilet or urinal used the LESS coating, these types of fixtures would be more appealing and safer for widespread use.
"Our goal is to bring impactful technology to the market so everyone can benefit. To maximise the impact of our coating technology, we need to get it out of the lab."
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The researchers have set up a company called spotLESS Materials, which aims to bring their slippery spray to market and has already attracted a lot of interest.
Nearly six times the daily water consumption of Africa is used to flush toilets each day.
With millions around the world facing severe water scarcity, Mr Wong said he hoped that reducing the amount of water used for flushing could help to alleviate the problem.
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