Lufthansa Channels Shark Skin To Design Low-Emission Planes With Similar ‘Skin’

German carrier Lufthansa and chemicals firm BASF have teamed up to create an adhesive riblet film that would allow any aircraft to immediately reduce carbon emissions.

Interestingly, the film was developed based on the skin of sharks, which are slightly ribbed.

The companies were inspired by the marine animal’s hydrodynamics in the water, and came up with a version that works just as well in the air. 

The ‘AeroSHARK’ film is made from millions of prism-shaped riblets, each measuring no more than 50 micrometers (1/20th of a millimeter, 2/1,000ths of an inch) high. 

Such a minute inclusion makes a huge difference, with Lufthansa subsidiary Swiss airline saying that if 950 square meters (10,225 sq ft) of the film is applied to a Boeing 777, in specific patterns aligned with the plane, it would save 1.1% of fuel consumption.

According to New Atlas, Swiss will be placing the film on all 12 of its Boeing 777s, which could see the airliner saving 4,800 tonnes of jet fuel annually, and reduce its carbon emissions by 15,200 tonnes at the same time.

Lufthansa will be including AeroSHARK on all its cargo freight aircraft, comprising 10 Boeing 777s. This has been touted to save 3,700 tonnes of fuel and 11,700 tonnes of emissions a year. 

Not only is the film effective in reducing fuel consumption, its creators say it is easy to apply, resilient to UV radiation, water, oil, and dynamic temperature and pressure shifts—perfect for long-haul flights subject to harsh conditions.

Take a look at the AeroSHARK film in action below.

[via New Atlas and Lufthansa-Technik, cover image via Lufthansa-Technik]