Nanofibers Do the Twist

by Tracy Staedter
 
core

Scientists have figured out how to get fiber-like structures that are much thinner than a hair to twist and braid on their own. Not only is this self-braiding action is cool, but it could also have some potentially interesting applications, said professor Joanna Aizenberg, whose team at Harvard published results of their research in a recent issue of Science.

For example, it could act as a kind of adhesive, channel tiny amounts of fluid in a particular direction or mix them. It could help deliver small microspheres containing drugs or it could work to change the color of paint or textiles at the flip of a chemical switch.

In this slideshow, we give you an up close look at these structures, starting with the one above, explain how they twist and why they might work in the applications mentioned.

 
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Image Credits Joanna Aizenberg, et al.

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