Israel’s Newest Invention – Window Cleaner

A group of researchers at Tel Aviv University in Israel found a self-cleaning coating that will make window washing a thing of the past.


Led by Ehud Gazit, a professor in the department of molecular microbiology and biotechnology, the team discovered a way of controlling atoms and molecules of peptides to make them grow into what look like tiny blades of grass of “nanotubules.” The blades are about 100nm in size – much smaller than a particle of dust. When the nanotubules group together, they form tiny, water-repellent forests. Because the nanotubules were created in a vacuum under high temperatures, the researchers know they can withstand extreme heat.

They see the water-repellent material as a potential coating for skyscraper windows and solar panels. Any dirt or dust that accumulated on the surface would be washed off by rainwater.


Source: Fischer, Anne. “Peptides Do Windows.” Photonics Spectra. 44.3 (2010): 35.