International. Nano scientists at Australia's Murdoch University discovered that a eucalyptus plant native to that nation's south west has unique self-cleaning and water-repellent properties that can be used for nanotechnology applications.
The plant called Mottlecah, also known as the Rose of the West, has silver leaves that are covered in a wax that produces nano-sized bumps and pillars. This causes the water to form droplets that roll over the surface of the leaves and fall into the plant's root system, picking up all the dirt along the way.
These properties, known as superhydrophobic and self-cleaning, are similar to those of the lotus plant, which has inspired a number of self-cleaning and anti-bacterial technologies which they are currently developing.
"This plant has a potential number of applications and we are sure there are other native plants that have similar properties. We look forward to continuing our research to find out more about these properties and how they can be used," said Dr Gerrard Eddy Jai Poinern of Murdoch University.
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