http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/nature_of_water/ The nature of water and fluid dynamics. From frictionless motion to water purity all the news about water. New applications for water in nanoelectronics and more. en-us Mon, 12 May 2008 03:05:01 EDT Mon, 12 May 2008 03:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/nature_of_water/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080502091430.htm The fate of carbon-based nanoparticles spilled into groundwater -- and the ability of municipal filtration systems to remove the nanoparticles from drinking water -- depend on subtle differences in the solution properties of the water carrying the particles, a new study has found. Mon, 05 May 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080502091430.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080504153803.htm As microchips shrink, even tiny defects in the lines, dots and other shapes etched on them become major barriers to performance. Princeton engineers have now found a way to literally melt away such defects, using a process that could dramatically improve chip quality without increasing fabrication cost. Mon, 05 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080504153803.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430090127.htm Getting ketchup out of the bottle isn't always easy. However, shaking the bottle before trying to pour allows the thick, gooey ketchup to flow more freely because it becomes more fluid when agitated. The opposite is not typically true -- a liquid such as water does not become a gel when shaken. 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. Fri, 02 May 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430090127.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080425130102.htm Researchers have come up with a theoretical model to predict when granular materials become jammed. This advancement not only broadens fundamental knowledge, it also provides new avenues to a number of practical areas that ranges from materials innovation to medicine. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080425130102.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080421091319.htm The lotus flower is nature's "slip n' slide," where water beads skate along each petal's surface like liquid metal. Now, chemists reveal the ying to the lotus' frictionless yang: rose petals. Chemists have found the physical basis for the rose's ability to grip water droplets in place, even when the flower is upside down. This newly described "petal effect" could lead to unique new adhesive materials, coatings and fabrics. Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080421091319.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080423093249.htm A Dutch chemist has developed two attractive alternatives for allowing protein crystals to grow under weightless conditions. If the crystals are grown upside down in a strong magnetic field, fluid flows that disrupt crystal growth are suppressed. Therefore, high-quality proteins no longer need to be grown in space, but can be grown here on earth. Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080423093249.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422123058.htm Chemical engineers have developed a "self-assembling" method that could lead to an inexpensive way of making diamondlike crystals to improve optical communications and other technologies. Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422123058.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417173953.htm It is easy to overlook that most of the energy we consume daily, such as electricity or natural gas, is produced with the help of a dwindling resource -- fresh water. Scientists are researching the water-efficiency of some of the most common energy sources and power generating methods. Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417173953.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080416211436.htm Every year, more than 30 billion water bottles are added to America's landfills, creating a mountainous environmental problem. But if new research is successful, the plastic bottles of the future could literally disappear within four months of being discarded. Scientists are constructing new breeds of biodegradable and bioavailable plastics in an effort to reduce the tons of plastic waste that ends up in the nation's landfills each year. Bioavailable plastics contain substances that can be absorbed by living systems during their normal physiological functions. Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080416211436.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415154819.htm Researchers have demonstrated a new device that creates nanodroplet "test tubes" for studying individual proteins under conditions that mimic the crowded confines of a living cell. Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415154819.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080411101936.htm Some of the most challenging problems in science concern the behavior of the most commonplace compound on the planet's surface -- water. But some of the mysteries are now being unravelled by the latest analysis and imaging techniques in an unfolding story that was presented at a recent conference organized by the European Science Foundation focusing on interaction between water and other compounds at the molecular level. Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080411101936.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408100542.htm Fullerenes, also fondly known as buckyballs, are showing an ugly side. It appears that the hydrophobic, or water hating, carbon molecules clump together in water, forming aggregates of thousands of molecules. And there are reports that these aggregates can be toxic. Now researchers have demonstrated that this behavior can be changed. Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408100542.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080407092936.htm The relationship between a thin liquid film or drop of liquid and the shape of the surface that it wets is explained with a new simplified mathematical formula. Understanding the precise interaction between liquids and surfaces is important for a number of areas, including the chemical industry and new nanotechnologies. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080407092936.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080407132129.htm Researchers are developing a manufacturing strategy that could improve technologies used in tissue engineering and information technology. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080407132129.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401170543.htm The bombardier beetle is inspiring designers of engines, drug-delivery devices and fire extinguishers to improve spray technologies. The bombardier beetle, found mainly in Africa and Asia, is remarkable in that it can fire a powerful jet of hot, toxic fluid to fight off predators such as birds and frogs. Sat, 05 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401170543.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080329121141.htm Garments that can measure a wearer's body temperature or trace their heart activity are just entering the market, and a new project weaves new functions into smart textiles. Miniaturized biosensors in a textile patch can now analyze body fluids, even a tiny drop of sweat, and provide a much better assessment of someone's health. Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080329121141.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080317150237.htm Chemical engineers have discovered a new way to control the motion of fluid particles through tiny channels, potentially aiding the development of micro- and nano-scale technologies such as drug delivery devices, chemical and biological sensors, and components for miniaturized biological "lab-on-a-chip" applications. Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080317150237.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080310151956.htm A new study implies that large-scale simulations of water dynamics in soil may be imprecise to completely wrong. But, it also opens new options for a specific refinement of simulation techniques using locally adaptive grids. These findings should be transferable to applications such as the simulation of oil reservoirs or models for soil remediation techniques. Thu, 13 Mar 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080310151956.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080310094555.htm Eco-minded drivers in drought-prone states take note: A new study concludes that producing electricity for hybrid and fully electric vehicles could sharply increase water consumption in the United States. Each mile driven with electricity consumes about three times more water than with gasoline, the study found. Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080310094555.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306183140.htm Chemical reactions on one side of a hematite crystal can send electrons through the bulk of the mineral to another side, new research shows. The activity, which occurs only under certain chemical conditions, results in iron building up pyramids on one side and dissolving from the other. This finding might help us to understand how elements move through sediments, to maintain good water quality, and to clean up pollution. Tue, 11 Mar 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306183140.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080229102053.htm A traditional windmill which drives a pump: that is the simple concept behind the combination of windmill/reverse osmosis process for seawater desalination. In this case, it involves a high-pressure pump which pushes water through a membrane using approximately 60 bar. This reverse osmosis membrane produces fresh water from seawater directly. The windmill is suited for use by, for instance, small villages in isolated, dry coastal areas. Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080229102053.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080225101114.htm A new type of optical tweezer with the potential to make biological and microfluidic force measurements in integrated systems such as microfluidic chips has been developed. The tweezer, consisting of a Fresnel Zone Plate microfabricated on a glass slide, has the ability to trap particles without the need for high performance objective lenses. Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080225101114.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080228100709.htm A highly specialized computer modeling technique has been instrumental in the design of a revolutionary new swimsuit which is now being hailed as the fastest in the world. Within a week of its launch athletes wearing the new swimsuit had broken three world records. Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080228100709.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080222095403.htm Bacteria often get bad press, with those found in water often linked to illness and disease. But researchers are now using these tiny organisms alongside the very latest membrane filtration techniques to improve and refine water cleaning technology. Wed, 27 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080222095403.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080222101535.htm Standard microscopy and visible light imaging techniques cannot peer into the dark and murky centers of dense-liquid jets, which has hindered scientists in their quest for a full understanding of liquid breakup in devices such as automobile fuel injectors. Scientists have now developed a technique to peer through high-speed dense liquids using high-energy X-rays from Argonne's Advanced Photon Source. Wed, 27 Feb 2008 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080222101535.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080222095427.htm A discovery in molecular chemistry may help remove a barrier to widespread use of diesel and other fuel-efficient "lean burn" vehicle engines. Researchers have recorded the first observations of how certain catalyst materials used in emission control devices are constructed. Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080222095427.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080220094656.htm Tiny particles of pure silica coated with an active material could be used to remove toxic chemicals, bacteria, viruses, and other hazardous materials from water much more effectively and at lower cost than conventional water purification methods, according to new research. Tue, 26 Feb 2008 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080220094656.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080217215051.htm When grains are shaken fiercely, they show behavior that can be compared to water on the boil. Convection takes place, with the typical rolling movement that can also be seen in water. For the first time, researchers show this phenomenon in granular matter using a high speed camera. Fri, 22 Feb 2008 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080217215051.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080219133226.htm Engineers have developed a new aluminum-rich alloy that produces hydrogen by splitting water and is economically competitive with conventional fuels for transportation and power generation. Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080219133226.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080219161943.htm Liquids embedded with nanoparticles show enhanced performance and stability when exposed to electric fields. The finding could lead to new types of miniature camera lenses, cell phone displays and other microscale fluidic devices. The ability to easily change the contact angle of droplets of nanofluids has potential applications for efficiently moving liquids in microsystems, creating new methods of focusing lenses in miniature cameras, or cooling computer chips. Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080219161943.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080218160739.htm Scientists studying the cloudy emulsions produced by anise-flavored liquors such as Ouzo have discovered new molecular insights into their formation, findings that could lead to the design of better commercial emulsions used in making pharmaceuticals, food products, cosmetics and other materials. Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080218160739.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080211111310.htm Anyone trying to build sandcastles on the beach will need some degree of skill and imagination, but not an instruction manual. The water content is actually relatively unimportant to the mechanical properties of the sand. This observation, which is borne out by precise measurements in the laboratory, puzzles researchers. Researcher have now achieve a high level of understanding of the complex structure of moist granules. Sun, 17 Feb 2008 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080211111310.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080208094024.htm A new type of membrane can stand high temperatures for a long period of time. This 'molecular sieve' is capable of removing water out of e.g. solvents and biofuels. It is a very energy efficient alternative to existing techniques like distillation. Even after testing during 18 months, the new membranes prove to be highly effective, while having continuously been exposed to a temperature of 150 ºC. Wed, 13 Feb 2008 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080208094024.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080211100947.htm Diversity keeps you warm. At least that is true while you're having a shower in youth hostels. This is one way to sums up a new research project. The result is not as trivial as it sounds. Ultimately it shows that heterogeneity provides stability, whether this is in a shower, in power grids or even on the stock market. Tue, 12 Feb 2008 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080211100947.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080206150538.htm Scientists have shown, with terahertz (THz) spectroscopy, that proteins do significantly modify water molecules in their environment: The water molecules, which generally move around like disco dancers in their collective network motions behave more like in a neat minuet under protein influence. Protein folding also changes the dancing steps of water. Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080206150538.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080130113059.htm Theoretical physicists are suggesting how thin spouts of magma in the Earth's mantle can persist long enough to form hotspot volcanism of the type that might have created the Hawaiian Islands. Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080130113059.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080131151901.htm Water has some amazing properties. A less commonly known distinction of water, but one of great interest to physical chemists, is its odd behavior at its transition to the glassy phase. Chemists have found a vital clue that helps explain water's bizarre behavior at the glass transition and, along the way, gained important insights into phases of liquid water as well. Tue, 05 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080131151901.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080128113207.htm Ancient light absorbed by neutral hydrogen atoms could be used to test certain predictions of string theory, say cosmologists. Making the measurements, however, would require a gigantic array of radio telescopes to be built on Earth, in space or on the moon. Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080128113207.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080129160724.htm Sculpting a surface composed of tightly packed nanostructures that resemble tiny nails, engineers have created a material that can repel almost any liquid. Add a jolt of electricity, and the liquid on the surface slips past the heads of the nanonails and spreads out between their shanks, wetting the surface completely. Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080129160724.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080126100827.htm The rushing floodwaters in Evan Almighty, the heaving seas of the latter two Pirates of the Caribbean movies and the dragon's flaming breath in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire all featured computer-generated fluids in spectacular action. The science behind those splashy thrills will be recognized Feb. 9 with an Academy Award for Ron Fedkiw, associate professor of computer science at Stanford, and two collaborators at the special effects firm Industrial Light and Magic (ILM). Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080126100827.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080128120727.htm Amid growing water shortages in parts of the United States, more communities are considering tapping their sewage treatment plants as a new source of drinking water. In January, 2008, California approved operation of the Advanced Water Purification Facility the largest water reclamation plant in the nation. It will yield 70 million gallons per day of drinkable water from sewage. Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080128120727.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080118101913.htm Beyond its role as the elixir of all life, water is a very unusual substance: Scientists have long marveled over counter-intuitive properties that set water apart from other solids and liquids commonly found in nature. The simple fact that water expands when it freezes -- an effect known to anyone whose plumbing has burst in winter -- is just the beginning of a long list of special characteristics. (Most liquids contract when they freeze.) That is why chemical engineers were surprised to find a highly simplified model molecule that behaves in much the same way as water, a discovery that upends long-held beliefs about what makes water so special. Wed, 30 Jan 2008 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080118101913.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080123173143.htm Researchers have demonstrated a video method that may make it possible to make remote, noninvasive measurements of the interaction of fluids and solid surfaces, data important to a host of phenomena including blood coursing through vessels, lubricated cartilage sliding against joints, and ink jets splashing on paper. Tue, 29 Jan 2008 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080123173143.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080126093649.htm Natural gas reservoirs in Michigan's Antrim Shale are providing new information about global warming and the Earth's climate history. The new study is also good news for energy companies hoping to make natural gas a renewable resource. Scientists found that carbon-hungry bacteria trapped deep in the rock beneath ice sheets produced the gas during the ice age, as glaciers advanced and retreated over Michigan. Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080126093649.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080114100258.htm An edible and tasteless "antifreeze" has been developed that prevents the formation of ice crystals that can spoil the smooth, silky texture of ice cream and interfere with the palatability of other frozen foods. Scientists explain that preventing the formation of large ice crystals is a major challenge for frozen food manufacturers and consumers who store packages in home freezers. Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080114100258.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080112163117.htm Stuttgart-based physicists observe the critical Casimir force and use it to cancel out an effect that brings nanomachines to a standstill. When a machine jams, it's the fault of the engineer - or of physics. The latter is true at least for the first simple nanomachines which are slowed down by the Casimir effect. This force only works on the scale of a few millionths of a centimeter and makes tiny machine parts cling together. Scientists have now observed a similar force in a mixture of two liquids. They have also found a way to reverse the effect of the force so that blockages might be avoided in future nanomachines. This will make it possible to miniaturize machines even further and produce nano-scale mechanical switches or sensors. Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080112163117.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080107144253.htm Chemical engineers have now mathematically described precisely how droplets form when liquids are exposed to electric fields, an advance that could have applications in areas ranging from manufacturing to medical diagnostics. The technique of using small droplets created by subjecting liquids to electric fields is vital for a variety of applications, from a type of industrial painting called electrospraying, to a method for analyzing molecules in analytical chemistry, to manufacturing tiny micro- and nanoparticles for research and industry. Fri, 11 Jan 2008 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080107144253.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080109094341.htm Scientists have fabricated a solvent-free dye-sensitized solar cell based on a binary ionic liquid electrolyte. These devices show a light-conversion efficiency of 7.6 percent under simulated sunlight conditions, which sets a new record for a solvent-free device. Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080109094341.htm