Blowing bubbles
A team of researchers in France has found that applying a voltage across a 100-nm-thick cylindrical soap film causes the fluid inside it to flow upwards. If the voltage is increased, the film thickens and the flow rate increases significantly. The researchers say this could be useful in microfluidic systems and to stabilize liquid foams.
The field of microfluidics involves the manipulation of minute amounts of liquids – generally picolitre (10–12) quantities – within micron-width channels. This allows scientists to work with substances that are expensive to produce in large quantities. Also, it allows many different liquids to be used simultaneously, creating a "lab on a chip" platform for the study of many chemical processes at once.
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Bron: IOP Physics world
Lees verder: http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/2013/feb/07/voltage-boosts-bubble-fluid-flow
