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Raindrops are tiny lightning bolts, and they’re corroding cars, study finds
Developing
In Short: A new study from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz, Germany, has shown that raindrops are not just water but tiny lightning bolts, carrying electrical charges large enough to punch through insulating coatings, according to Ars Technica.
The study, led by Zhongyuan Ni, Rüdiger Berger, and Hans-Jürgen Butt, used a technique called intracellular recording to measure the electrical responses of photoreceptors in insects, providing insights into the mechanisms behind slide electrification, a phenomenon that has only been properly quantified in recent years.
The standard explanation for rain corrosion is that water carries dissolved salts and acids, abrades protective coatings, and allows oxygen to do the damage. However, the new research suggests that the electrical charge carried by raindrops plays a significant role in this process.
The findings could explain why cars corrode more in rainy climates, as the constant drumming of raindrops can carry enough electrical charge to cause corrosion even without the presence of salts or acids.
The study was published in the journal PLoS ONE, providing a first-of-its-kind quantification of the electrical charge carried by raindrops and its potential impact on surfaces.
While the study focuses on the electrical charge of raindrops, it also highlights the importance of understanding the mechanisms behind corrosion and the potential for new methods of protection.
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What's still developing
- In the study, Dr. Rigosi and co-authors from Lund University and the University of Adelaide used a technique called intracellular recording to measure the electrical responses of individual photoreceptors — the light-sensing cells in an insect’s eye — in four bee species and both sexes of each.
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- A new study led by Zhongyuan Ni, Rüdiger Berger, and Hans-Jürgen Butt at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz, Germany, has shown that water drops routinely arrive at a surface carrying an electrical charge large enough to punch through an insulating coating.
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Sources
- Ars Technicalink