Water mixed with nanoparticles can be carved into shapes by a laser
Fluid channels on the surface of a chip made from water and nanoparticles, shaped with a laser
Niu, J., Liu, W., Li, J.X. et al
Blobs of water encased in nanoparticles can be carved into precise shapes with a laser, and even turned into a kind of miniature lab device.
When water is added to a gel of hydrophobic silicon dioxide nanoparticles, it naturally forms a pancake-shaped blob. Fei Li at Xi’an Jiaotong University in China and her colleagues have discovered that these blobs can be carved into extremely precise shapes using a high-powered laser. These shapes maintain …