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Janus Particles as Body Submarines?

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the beginning-to-see-the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "Janus particles, which take their name from a Roman god with two faces, are microscopic 'two-faced' spheres whose halves are physically or chemically different. Now, U.S. researchers have shown that some of these Janus microparticles can move like stealthy submarines when an alternating electrical field is applied to liquid surrounding them. This could lead to new kinds of self-propelling microsensors or means of targeted drug delivery."

7 of 42 comments (clear)

  1. Cut the jibba jabba! by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 3, Funny

    From the article:

    The application of ac electric fields in aqueous suspensions of anisotropic particles leads to unbalanced liquid flows and nonlinear, induced-charge electrophoretic motion.

    Well, duh. Everyone *already* knew that!

    1. Re:Cut the jibba jabba! by MadUndergrad · · Score: 1, Funny

      And yet your post was modded informative. Oh the irony.

    2. Re:Cut the jibba jabba! by Vlad_the_Inhaler · · Score: 3, Funny

      I am more interested in the legal implications of targeted drug delivery - who is responsible if these couriers are arrested? Janus is not within the jurisdiction of the US so my guess is that the researchers will be held to account.

      --
      Mielipiteet omiani - Opinions personal, facts suspect.
    3. Re:Cut the jibba jabba! by rbanffy · · Score: 4, Funny

      Actually, the part that deserved the informative mod is the one that said that everyone knew that. I had no idea, before reading the post, that so many people knew about anisotropic particles and unbalanced liquid flows caused by electric fields applied to aqueous suspensions of them. ;-P

      --
      http://www.dieblinkenlights.com
  2. Finally! by jovius · · Score: 4, Funny

    Two faced particles that stealthy move in a liquid. Pick up any government, and you can make the same observation. I wonder if the findings of the research team are applicable to macroscopic solutions?

  3. Hmmm by kitsunewarlock · · Score: 2, Funny

    But will pilots have to use revealing clothing? After all, that's what turns a mediocre journey into an amaaaazzzing journey.

    --
    Ginga no Rekshiya Mata Each page.
    1. Re:Hmmm by owlnation · · Score: 3, Funny

      But will pilots have to use revealing clothing? After all, that's what turns a mediocre journey into an amaaaazzzing journey.
      I think you mean a Fantastic Voyage. And beware of the Janus particle that looks a little like Donald Pleasance.