Porous materials

[beelsebob]

Are there any porous materials on the allowable materials list? Boeing just announced they think they've found a way of cutting drag on their planes by 50% by using a porous coating that tidies up eddies and provides laminar flow more easily. I'm having two thoughts about this:

1) This is obviously a boon if it can be used for the same purpose.
2) Could such a thing be used to make a ground effect car with a flat bottom of this material, but allowing air flow through the material and hence still getting the same suction effects.

[strad]

The quick read I had says it has to be done on Aluminum

[Richard]

link?

[spacer]

I have a recent article on this somewhere, trying to find the magazine

edit: don't know if it's the same theory, but it looks like the same principle.

It's based on research done by dr. Urzhumov. Creating a porous layer around an object in water, would allow lower drag coefficients and make those objects seemingly "invisible" e.g. not creating any wake. Some articles call it fluid cloak (could be used to create stealth submarines).

[marekk]

link?

http://www.tripleops.com/product-science.php

Wondering, why the "pinacle of motosport" didn't use any of not-so-new nanotechnology achievements.