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  • RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

A ‘chisel’ of light carves solid shapes out of a liquid

Ultraviolet light controls the emergence of solid particles from a fluid, creating coral- and blossom-shaped structures.
Nucleation and growth of a self-assembling nanocomposite within a triangular UV light pattern

Light is projected onto a triangular section (yellow dashed line) of a solution, triggering the formation of a composite material inside the area. (Video is faster than the actual speed.) Credit: M. H. Bistervels et al./Adv. Mater.

An ultraviolet-light beam directs the formation of solid mineral nanoparticles in a carefully tailored solution, sculpting ‘flowers’ and other intricate shapes1.

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Nature 601, 169 (2022)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-03842-3

References

  1. Bistervels, M. H., Kamp, M., Schoenmakers, H., Brouwer, A. M. & Noorduin, W. L. Adv. Mater. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202107843 (2021).

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