Rare Earths Become Water-repellent Only as They Age
(WorldNews Switzerland)

22 March 2017 Surfaces that have been coated with rare earth oxides develop water-repelling properties only after contact with air. Even at room temperature, chemical reactions begin with hydrocarbons in the air. In the journal Scientific Reports, researchers from the University of Basel, the Swiss Nanoscience Institute and the Paul Scherrer Institute report that it is these reactions that are responsible for the hydrophobic effect. Rare earths are metals found in rare earth minerals. They are used today in, among other things, automotive catalytic converters and batteries, in the...