2021年经济学人 如何把牙膏挤得一滴不剩?(2)（在线收听）

To produce their slippery pipes and containers, Dr Varanasi and Dr Smith first impose a microscopically textured pattern on them and then apply a suitably formulated liquid.

为了制造出光滑的管道和容器，瓦拉纳西博士和史密斯博士首先在它们身上施加一种微观纹理图案，然后再应用一种配方合适的液体。

This fills the gaps in the texture, creating a surface across which gooey substances slide easily.

这就填补了纹理上的空白，创造了一个粘性物质容易滑动的表面。

Any risk of contamination can be eliminated by making the liquid in question from materials also employed in the product.

任何污染的风险都可以通过将问题液体从产品中使用的材料中消除。

Besides pleasing customers who like to get their money's worth, the new, slippery toothpaste tubes should help with recycling.

除了取悦那些想物有所值的顾客之外，这些新的、光滑的牙膏管还应该有助于回收利用。

Existing tubes are rarely recycled, not only because they have residue left inside them but also because they are usually made from a laminate of plastic and aluminium foil.

现有的塑料管很少被回收利用，不仅因为它们内部有残留物，还因为它们通常由塑料和铝箔制成。

Mixed materials of this sort are hard to recycle, and therefore end up being dumped in landfill, or incinerated.

这种混合的材料很难回收利用，因此最终会被扔进垃圾填埋场或焚烧。

Despite their success with toothpaste, Dr Varanasi and Dr Smith have not given up on food producers.

瓦拉纳西博士和史密斯博士尽管在牙膏方面取得了成功，但他们并未放弃食品生产商。

Besides ketchup, their slippery surfaces also aid the dispensing of products such as mayonnaise, and may help, too, with things like hummus and soured cream that have a thicker consistency and which usually come in tubs.

除了番茄酱，它们光滑的表面他们的光滑表面还能帮人们更畅快地涂抹蛋黄酱等产品，还可能有助于像鹰嘴豆泥和酸奶油之类更粘稠和通常用盒子包装的产品。

They have, for instance, carried out a trial putting cream cheese into a squeezy bottle with a slot-shaped dispenser.

例如，他们进行了一项试验，将奶油奶酪放入一个带有槽形分配器的可挤压的瓶子中。

"You get this perfect strip of cream cheese right on your bagel," enthuses Dr Smith.

“你可以在百吉饼上挤出完美的一圈奶油芝士，”史密斯博士热情地说。