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Related Concept Videos

Colloids03:22

Colloids

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Children at play often make suspensions such as mixtures of mud and water, flour and water, or a suspension of solid pigments in water known as tempera paint. These suspensions are heterogeneous mixtures composed of relatively large particles that are visible to the naked eye or can be seen with a magnifying glass. They are cloudy, and the suspended particles settle out after mixing. On the other hand, a solution is a homogeneous mixture in which no settling occurs and in which the dissolved...
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The high insolubility of some precipitates can result in an unfavorable relative supersaturation. This can lead to colloidal particles with a large surface-to-mass ratio, where adsorption is promoted. For instance, in the precipitation of silver chloride, silver ions are adsorbed on the surface of the colloidal particles, forming a primary layer. This layer attracts ions of opposite charge (such as nitrate ions), forming a diffuse secondary layer of adsorbed ions. This electric double layer...
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The concept of work involves force and displacement; meanwhile, the work-energy theorem relates the net work done on a body to the difference in its kinetic energy, calculated between two points on its trajectory. While none of these quantities or relations involves time explicitly, we know that the time available to accomplish work is often just as important as the amount of work itself. For example, sprinters in a race may have achieved the same velocity at the finish, therefore,...
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Proteins can form homomeric complexes with another unit of the same protein or heteromeric complexes with different types.  Most protein complexes self-assemble spontaneously via ordered pathways, while some proteins need assembly factors that guide their proper assembly. Despite the crowded intracellular environment, proteins usually interact with their correct partners and form functional complexes.
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Instantaneous power is important in electrical circuits, mainly when dealing with sinusoidal input. Instantaneous power, denoted as p(t), results from the multiplication of the instantaneous voltage (v(t)) across an element and the instantaneous current (i(t)) flowing through it. This relationship adheres to the passive sign convention and represents a fundamental principle in electrical engineering.
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Design and Assembly of an Ultra-light Motorized Microdrive for Chronic Neural Recordings in Small Animals
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Self-assembled nematic colloidal motors powered by light.

Ye Yuan1, Ghaneema N Abuhaimed1, Qingkun Liu1

  • 1Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.

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|November 30, 2018
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Scientists created self-assembled colloidal motors that use light to spin micro-particles in liquid crystals. This breakthrough offers a new way to build nanoscale machines with tunable rotation for advanced opto-mechanical devices.

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Area of Science:

  • Nanotechnology
  • Materials Science
  • Soft Matter Physics

Background:

  • Biological motors inspire synthetic counterparts, but self-assembly of nanomotors remains difficult.
  • Existing synthetic motors often require complex fabrication or specific conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe a novel self-assembled colloidal motor capable of light-driven rotation.
  • To investigate the mechanism of opto-mechanical energy conversion and feedback in this system.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized transparent micro-particles immersed in a liquid crystal doped with azobenzene molecules.
  • Applied low-intensity, unstructured light with controlled polarization and intensity.
  • Observed particle rotation and liquid crystal reorientation using optical microscopy.

Main Results:

  • Achieved repetitive, light-driven rotation of micro-particles through self-assembly.
  • Demonstrated a feedback mechanism where particle rotation alters light polarization, sustaining the cycle.
  • Showcased robust control over rotation handedness and frequency via light polarization and intensity.

Conclusions:

  • Developed a self-assembled colloidal motor powered by light and liquid crystal interactions.
  • The findings present a new paradigm for creating nanoscale machines with tunable opto-mechanical properties.
  • Potential applications include micro-devices compatible with liquid crystal display technology.