Japan Airlines: Greener planes thanks to paint inspired by shark skin

© Julia Volk/Pexels

Modern civil aviation is exploring many solutions to decarbonize its footprint: hydrogen propulsion, new alloys for aircraft structures, Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), etc. Throughout its history, it has also drawn inspiration from nature to develop more efficient aircraft. Winglets, these small raised fins at the end of aircraft wings, are directly inspired by the way large birds control turbulence at the end of their wings. The “MANTA” project Airbus, resembling a stingray or variable-wing aircraft, also inspired by birds to adapt the shape of their wings according to flight conditions.

Among these so-called biomimetic innovations, the “shark skin” paint attempts to imitate the hydrodynamics of these predators, real monsters optimized for fast swimming. It is Japan Airlines, in collaboration with O-Well Corporation, that is now seeking to reproduce this characteristic, but in the air.

Shark skin: a model of hydrodynamic excellence

Sharks owe their exceptional efficiency of movement to their dermal denticles, tiny tooth-like scales measuring about 0.2 millimeters. These microscopic structures, arranged in complex patterns, create micro-vortices that reduce drag and allow water to slide more efficiently along the body. This natural structure ofSignificantly reduces turbulence and friction resistancet.

Skin denticles of a shark seen under a microscope. © Trevor Sewell/Electron Microscope Unit, University of Cape Town

The paint developed by Japan Airlines and its partners – JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), O-Well Corporation and Nikon Corporation – reproduces these microstructures at the nanoscale. Initial tests on two Boeing 737-800 aircraft demonstrated a reduction in frictional resistance of up to 5%, a result remarkable validated by JAXA.

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The miracle paint ? Less fuel, less CO2

This is not the first time that the idea of ​​imitating shark skin has emerged from the minds of engineers. The AeroSHARK developed by Lufthansa Technik and BASF had already covered several prototypes in the 2010s. The difference was that it was an adhesive film. The advantage here is that this Japanese biomimetic paint is applied directly to the existing coating of the aircrafts.

A design which has several advantages: virtually no increase in the weight of the aircraft, better grip and, above all, no risk of detachment in mid-flight.

The Boeing 787-9 registered JA868J, the first long-haul aircraft to benefit from this innovation, has received this treatment on 30% of its surfacein the technical facilities of Tokyo-Haneda airport. The projections for a typical Tokyo-Frankfurt route (about 9,300 km) are rather positive: 119 tons of fuel saved annually, corresponding to a reduction in CO2 emissions of 381 tons. It was supposed to take off this week, but according to the FlightRadar website, this is still not the case.

The Boeing 787-9, registration JA868J, chosen to test the paint. © Tokyo Spotter/Flight Radar

The Japanese company now monitors several key parameters: the durability of the coating in extreme flight conditions (temperatures ranging from -60°C to +50°C) and its resistance to pressurization and depressurization cycles. If the results are positive, Japan Airlines plans to expand the treated surface area of ​​the aircraft.

• Japan Airlines is testing a shark-skin-inspired paint to reduce drag and save fuel.
• The paint improves aerodynamic efficiency without adding weight to the plane and has zero risk of in-flight separation.
• The treated Boeing 787-9 could save 119 tons of fuel and reduce CO2 emissions on a 9,300 km flight.

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