Our minds were blownback in 2012when research worker at MIT demonstrated a novel finish that letketchup slide right outof a bottle with informality . Nine eld afterwards , the engineering , love as LiquiGlide , is about to make it incredibly easy to getevery last bead of toothpasteout of a metro without having to altogether flatten and destroy it in the operation .
Today LiquiGlide , the troupe spin out of MIT’sVaranasi Research Groupto develop ways to cook up and market the technology , announced a young $ 13.5 million round of funding . But more significantly for consumer , the company also revealed a new partnership with Colgate , which will be introducing a fresh recyclable toothpaste container that leverages LiquiGlide so that every last drop of the product can be squeezed out with minimum effort . If there ’s a mutilate tube of toothpaste in your bathroom that ’s still filled with impossible to reach product , you ’ll see why this is so exciting .
Chemists and railroad engineer have make out how to create superhydrophobic materials and Earth’s surface for years , thanks in part to examine the overture and proficiency that Mother Nature has perfect . Textured aerofoil featuring complex microscopic pattern will make a thin cushion of air that reserve liquids to easily slide correctly off instead of stick , but hydrophobic surfaces typically do n’t mold with duncish , viscid liquid state that do n’t flow as easily . Superhydrophobic materials are also often made from materials that are n’t food - safe , and over metre they can degrade and become less slippery , diminishing their effectivity .

Gif: LiquiGlide
The creators of LiquiGlide , MIT professors Kripa Varanasi and Dave Smith , came up with a better approach that solves the job of catch all the cetchup out of a bottle . A textured pattern is apply to a given open , which is then specially treated to switch its surface interpersonal chemistry . A liquidness with a custom formulation is then introduced , which not only fills in all the gaps in the microscopic textures , but also creates a sparse layer on the surface that is incredibly slippery . Materials that amount into contact with it , like ketchup , easily glide across because they ’re never really make contact with the underlying surface cloth — be it metal , plastic , or methamphetamine hydrochloride — just that thin liquified layer .
Another reward to LiquiGlide is that the fluid level can be made from comestible nutrient - safe material , and in some cases , even made from some of the ingredients in the literal solid food a container is design to check . That was the applied science ’s real secret plan - auto-changer , and also why LiquiGlide the company has been capable to forge partnerships with designers like Yves Béhar and companies likeColgate - Palmolive .
Colgate ’s first product to feature LiquiGlide as part of their promotion are anew communication channel of Elixir toothpastesthat come in a see - through recyclable thermionic vacuum tube that appear as beautiful as they are functional . The line sport three discrete variety , includingColgate Elixir White Restore(white ) with three whiten ingredients , Colgate Elixir Gum Booster(pink ) which promises improved gum tree and enamel care using “ twofold fluoride engineering science and hyaluronic acid , ” andColgate Elixir Cool Detox(black ) which bestow oxford gray and coconut extracts that to purportedly make your mouth feel reinvigorated for farseeing .

Image:Colgate-Palmolive
As good as the genuine toothpastes audio , the actual rationality to choose for Colgate ’s fresh philosopher’s stone line is the recyclable subway . Toothpaste might be 2nd only to ketchup as a product that , by its nature , is tolerant to leave its container . For as many variations of the design of the petty toothpaste tube that have been secrete over the years , there are just as many third - party contraptions design to press out every last bit of library paste — but they never do .
The new Elixir line will alter that . Thanks to the integration of LiquiGlide into the packaging , gravity and some light squeeze are all that is needed to extricate every last drop from the bottleful . It not only increase value for the consumer , but less wasted product is always a addition for the environs , both when it comes to streamlining the recycling process , and for repress fabrication demands .
The new Colgate Elixir argumentation is being introduced in Europe first , with item about general availability coming later this week . As for pricing , Superdrug , an online pharmacy base in the UK , presently list each of the Elixir products with a £ 11.99 price tag , although they are presently on sales agreement for £ 5.98 . That ’s just shy of $ 17 in U.S. currency ( or just over $ 8 for the sale Leontyne Price ) which is undoubtedly expensive for a unmarried tube of toothpaste , even a fancy one you wo n’t mind go away out on the toilet counter . But consumer may be felicitous to pay up a insurance premium to put an end to the toothpaste tube battle .

Gif: LiquiGlide
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