Never clean a toilet again! 3D-printed latrine is so slippery that NOTHING can leave a mark, scientists say
- Scientists have put together a super toilet using lasers, plastic and sand
- False stools, yogurt and even porridge were no match for the new super peat
It’s probably safe to say that scrubbing and bleaching toilets isn’t everyone’s (or anyone’s) thing.
But a group scientists may have answered our prayers once and for all – by developing a 3D-printed latrine so slippery that almost nothing can leave a trace.
While it may look similar at first glance, this pioneering swamp was pulled together using a complex combination of plastic and sand grains that repel water.
False stools, yogurt and even Chinese rice porridge were no match for the super peat and slid off the faecal-resistant surface in no time.
“Developing a new method of flushing the toilet to minimize water consumption is of great importance,” experts from China’s Huazhong University of Science and Technology wrote.
Known as the “Abrasion Resistant Super Slippery Toilet” (ARSFT), this groundbreaking swamp was put together using a complex combination of plastic and sand grains that repel water
“Since their invention in the 18th century, flush toilets have brought considerable convenience and health to human society,” the team explained.
‘However, a lot of water is required in flushing toilets because of the inevitable adhesions between toilet surfaces and human faeces and urine.
‘Worldwide, flushing toilets alone consumes more than 141 billion liters of water per day, which is six times the total water consumption of the African population.’
The scientists used lasers to pull their “abrasion-resistant super-smooth flush toilet” (ARSFT) all the way out.
Silica and plastic granules are included in this mix, both of which are water-repellent due to their unbalanced molecules.
The toilet was then coated with a special type of silicone oil, which acted as an additional lubricant to further reduce surface tension.
In addition to yogurt and Chinese congee porridge, samples of the toilet walls were dipped in honey, yogurt, muddy water, and milk to show off its capabilities.
Scientists also dropped synthetic stool into the toilet bowl itself, according to a recipe from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.
Scientists also dropped synthetic stool into the toilet bowl itself, according to a recipe from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.
Muddy water, milk, yogurt, honey and mixed congee were no match for the super bog
These are claimed to be biologically similar to human feces and made up of numerous ingredients, including yeast, peanut oil, water, and miso.
Even when rubbed with sandpaper more than 1000 times, the toilet retained its impressive smoothness, thanks to the strength of the lubricant.
Although the toilet is currently only a small model, researchers believe that it will one day find a place on planes and trains.
It is currently unclear how much the toilet would sell if developed for this market, although MailOnline has reached out to the team for more information.
“In addition, ARSFT may also serve a critical purpose in public restrooms, especially in situations where the existing facilities are unable to connect feces to urban sewage treatment systems,” say researchers.
“The concept of ARSFT with mechanically robust super-smooth capability may provide a new avenue to develop robust super-smooth materials and address the problem of water wastage on Earth.”
READ MORE: Don’t hang around! Scientists reveal how aerosol droplets containing urine, feces and vomit remain suspended in the air for up to 20 seconds
Tiny droplets that can contain tiny bits of urine, feces, vomit and viruses float in the air at mouth level after a toilet is flushed, a new study warns.
This shows that tens of thousands of particles are sprayed into the air by a purge and can rise several meters above the ground.
Droplets were observed hovering around five feet in the air for more than 20 seconds, with researchers pointing out that this poses a risk of inhalation.
Small droplets and aerosols are so light that they can float around in the air on small drafts before settling on a surface.
Researchers say they could also act as vectors for disease. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, for example, has been found alive in human feces.
That’s why scientists warn that particles from the feces of an infected person can float through the air, be sucked up by a passerby and infect them.
A study has shown that aerosol droplets from a toilet flush can float about 1.5 meters in the air for more than 20 seconds. Researchers point out that this carries a risk of inhalation.