Are Lotus-Effect® coatings and the surface of the lotus leaf identical?
Biomimicry does not mean creating an identical copy of the natural phenomenon, but learning from and adapting it for application in commercial products. The lotus leaf uses waxes and self-organising crystals to produce its remarkable surface properties, but facade coatings must meet other requirements as well. It took four years for Sto to develop StoLotusan from the initial concept. Firstly, StoLotusan needed to fulfil the demands placed upon modern facade coatings, requiring consistent raw materials. These raw materials had to be selected in order to form the required microstructure and water-repellent material.
