Scientists Create Gravity Defying Metal
source: http://thefutureofthings.com/news/7324/metal-defies-gravity-by-lifting-water.html
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- Bigdog_mike
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Scientists from the University of Rochester have developed a metal slab that can quickly draw water upwards using principles of capillary action. The metallic material can be derived from any type of metal that is manufactured with a unique method developed by the scientists. This discovery, say the researchers, could prove invaluable in such tasks as pumping microscopic amounts of liquid around a medical diagnostic chip, cooling a computer's processor, or even turning simple metals into anti-bacterial surfaces.
We're able to change the surface structure of almost any piece of metal so that we can control how liquid responds to it,” says Chunlei Guo, associate professor of optics at the University of Rochester. “We can even control the direction in which the liquid flows, or whether liquid flows at all.”
Guo and his team have also developed a metal that repels water by reducing the attraction between water molecules and metal molecules. This characteristic is termed ‘hydrophobic’ and according to the scientists, can be used to prevent germ growth in various environments.
We're able to change the surface structure of almost any piece of metal so that we can control how liquid responds to it,” says Chunlei Guo, associate professor of optics at the University of Rochester. “We can even control the direction in which the liquid flows, or whether liquid flows at all.”
Guo and his team have also developed a metal that repels water by reducing the attraction between water molecules and metal molecules. This characteristic is termed ‘hydrophobic’ and according to the scientists, can be used to prevent germ growth in various environments.
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- groups:
- Earth and Science, Science
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- tags:
- Earth and Science, Science, Water, Metal, 3 more
