Technology
Microfluidic chips have been made from water encased in nanoparticles and carved into precise shapes, and they could be used to carry out scientific tests on liquids and cells
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 …
