University of Rochester Institute of Optics

Stories

Laser-etched panels desalinate seawater without producing brine

As of September 2026: Developer of the brine-free desalination technology

Existing desalination plants send more than half their intake back into the ocean as brine thick with chemicals. A University of Rochester team has demonstrated a solar-powered system that extracts nearly all the salt as a dry solid — no liquid waste at all.

Updated Sep 16

Superhydrophobic materials engineering

New Capabilities

As of May 2026: Leading research on superhydrophobic materials

Ships sink when water floods their hulls, but researchers at the University of Rochester have developed aluminum tubes that trap air so effectively they float indefinitely—even riddled with holes. The breakthrough, published in Advanced Functional Materials, uses laser-etched surfaces that mimic how diving bell spiders and fire ants stay buoyant underwater.

Updated May 23