LIQUIGLIDE

LiquiGlide is a new design feature developed by MIT Professor Kripa Varanasi and former MIT student Dave Smith. It is a permanent-liquid coating that prevents sticking and aids in smooth evacuation or emptying. The above images shows two bottles of the same product -- one of the bottles is standard off-the-shelf while the interior of the one on the right is coated with LiquiGlide. The coating itself is a mixture of a solid texture and an extremely slippery liquid. These individual components are decided upon depending on the chemical makeup of the container. The texture helps bind the liquid to the bottle, making the product inside the container sit on a thin layer of liquid.

The original intention of the LiquiGlide was to prevent clogs in oil and pipelines but when companies around the world began to see its functionality, many reached out to inquire regarding its availability for more practical, everyday uses for the average person. The technology behind this creation is quite clearly innovative but the service it provides seems to deceivingly simplistic. We have all dealt with trying to get out the last of the ketchup in the bottle only to have it spit and sputter all over our plates and clothes. It's simple but it serves a very helpful purpose. Not only does it prevent that frustration but let's think of all the near-empty bottles of honey, cooking oils, shampoo, etc. that we throw out in a year because the alternative is sitting patiently with a bottle while it oh so slowly travels down and out the bottle opening. Who knows how much money that adds up to when we really stop to think about it!