AFM Shows Liquids Alter Viscosity When Confined, Shaken
Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - 13:52
in Physics & Chemistry
New research shows that when water is confined to a small space, it behaves like a gel. Then, when shaken, it becomes fluidic and exhibits the same structural and mechanical properties as water in a bottle. The study - the first to use an atomic force microscope to measure the viscosity of confined fluids - revealed that these liquids can respond and modify their viscosity based on environmental changes.