Smart silicone coatings that can change their friction and stickiness

Smart silicone coatings that can change their friction and stickiness Published on the 2nd October 2026 by ANSTO StaffShare to FacebookShare to BlueskyShare to LinkedIn Key Points Research has led to a new way to make silicone surface and control their slipperiness The structure of polymer brushes changes dramatically depending on the surrounding liquid The investigation using neutron reflectometry and another technique, revealed how the brushes ‘grew’; how their internal structure responded to different liquids, and how those changes affected friction and adhesion  Research led by a group from the University of Newcastle has found a new way to make silicone surfaces – and have even discovered that they can control how slippery they are. This work has been published this month in the journal Chemistry of Materials.    Most of us have silicone in our homes, especially in the kitchen, it is often found as a rubbery coating that is usefully long-lasting, water-repellent and crucially—slippery.  Scientists have also wanted to make use of it at the nanoscale, where silicone has a big potential to reduce the friction of surfaces at this tiniest scale for use i...