Water-repelling surface sensor

Nature

Water-repelling surface sensor"


Play all audios:

Loading...

Researchers have designed a tiny gallium nitride belt whose surface is dotted with nanosized protrusions. These nanosized cavities repel water, making such a surface potentially useful as a


biocompatible sensor1. Nature has a plethora of hydrophobic biosurfaces with special wetting characteristics, one example being the famous lotus leaf. These natural surfaces lure researchers


to mimic and fabricate smart devices in biotechnology and nanofluidics. To achieve the same feat, the researchers passed gallium through ammonia gas at high temperatures to produce a


microbelt of gallium nitride whose surface contained nanosized protrusions with nanosized cavities. Each belt had a breadth of 100 μm, a width of 10 μm and a length of ~3–7 mm. The


researchers found that water droplets sat on the surface of the belt at an angle of 150°. The surface of gallium nitride is generally hydrophilic. This hydrophilic–superhydrophobic switching


is thought to result from the presence of special air cavities measuring around 80 nm that are trapped within the surface protrusions. The surfaces have a high degree of hydrophobicity and


may find applications in nanofluidics and for developing biocompatible nanobiosensors, say the researchers.


Trending News

Man murders family, commits suicide

Mumbai News: Motorman Assaulted By Passengers Over Reserved Bench At Virar Station; Two Detained IRCTC Launches Budget-F...

Open debate | Nature

Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ...

14 useful machinery, tractor and arable apps for 2016 - farmers weekly

© Jim Varney With more and more farming apps coming on to the market each month, we have produced a round-up of some of ...

With human pyramids, catalans reach for independence

Turn a street corner in Barcelona, and you might find this: Human pyramids are popping up across Spain's northeast ...

Cretaceous ammonites | Nature

Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ...

Latests News

Water-repelling surface sensor

Researchers have designed a tiny gallium nitride belt whose surface is dotted with nanosized protrusions. These nanosize...

Margaret gardner: freezing university funding is out of step with the views of most australians

_THIS LONGER READ IS AN EDITED EXCERPT FROM A SPEECH GIVEN BY MARGARET GARDNER AT THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB IN CANBERRA._ ...

Beyond the bottom line: how to reward executives for sustainable practice

Are sustainability-dependent executive bonuses the answer to saving the planet? Research recently conducted by the Centr...

Specific high affinity cell membrane receptors for biologically active phorbol and ingenol esters

ABSTRACT A variety of normal and transformed avian and mammalian cells and tissues contain high affinity specific recept...

About va form 21-4193 | veterans affairs

* Form name: Notice to Department of Veterans Affairs of Veteran or Beneficiary Incarcerated in Penal Institution Form r...

Top