Surface tension mediated conversion of light to work.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Okawa D
PROVIDER: S-EPMC2891567 | biostudies-other | 2009 Apr
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
Publications
Surface tension mediated conversion of light to work.
Okawa David D Pastine Stefan J SJ Zettl Alex A Fréchet Jean M J JM
Journal of the American Chemical Society 20090401 15
As energy demands increase, new, more direct, energy collection and utilization processes must be explored. We present a system that intrinsically combines the absorption of sunlight with the production of useful work in the form of locomotion of objects on liquids. Focused sunlight is locally absorbed by a nanostructured composite, creating a thermal surface tension gradient and, subsequently, motion. Controlled linear motion and rotational motion are demonstrated. The system is scale independe ...[more]
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