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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/E043097/1
Title: Enhancing Water Sports Performance
Principal Investigator: McHale, Professor G
Other Investigators:
Perry, Professor C Newton, Dr MI
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Royal Yachting Association UK Sport
Department: School of Science & Technology
Organisation: Nottingham Trent University
Scheme: Standard Research
Starts: 01 January 2007 Ends: 31 March 2008 Value (£): 110,369
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Surfaces & Interfaces
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Sports and Recreation
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
This proposal is for a pilot project to link EPSRC funded research expertise with applied sports research with a view to UK performance in the 2012 Olympics. In this project, we will investigate experimentally whether UK Sport needs to be concerned at potential performance gains in some sports resulting from the so-called Lotus Effect . In this effect hydrophobicity and topography are combined to create slippy super-water-repellent surfaces. Recent academic work on this type of surface has suggested that the no-slip boundary condition for simple liquids becomes relaxed and causes a finite slip length for water flowing over the surface. There have been claims in the literature of a reduction in flow resistance of around 15% attributed to a slip length of greater than 250 microns. Our project will review the literature for relevance to sport, review and interpret recent towing tank experiments by UK Sport, create a range of super-hydrophobic surfaces and provide specimens for testing by UK Sport.
Key Findings
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Potential use in non-academic contexts
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Impacts
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Summary
Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
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Project URL: http://www.naturesraincoats.com/
Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.ntu.ac.uk