Flying Shark Skin

The ability of shark skin to diminish the surface resistance of moving objects has inspired researchers to investigate its application in a wide variety of fields from aerospace engineering to high tech swimsuit design. Now research is underway to test the in-flight properties of a new aircraft surface coating that simulates shark skin, with the goal of reducing fuel consumption.

The flow behavior of some sharks is optimized by circumferential grooves in their scales – also called riblets. The new surface harnesses this effect to reduce turbulence and improve aerodynamics. It’s applied using a new lacquer system that contains only minimal amounts of volatile solvents and is cured with ultra-violet light. In addition to improving fuel efficiency, the coating has also been found to be dirt repellant, abrasion resistant and UV stable.