A novel approach to studying the viscosity of water has revealed new insights about the behavior of water molecules and may open pathways for liquid-based electronics.
A team of researchers led by the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory used a high-resolution inelastic X-ray scattering technique to measure the strong bond involving a hydrogen atom sandwiched between two oxygen atoms. This hydrogen bond is a quantum-mechanical phenomenon responsible for various properties of water, including viscosity, which determines a liquid’s resistance to flow or to change shape.
While water is the most abundant substance on Earth, its behavior at a molecular level is not well understood.
“Despite all what we know about water, it is a mysterious, atypical substance that we need to better understand to unlock its vast potential, particularly in information and energy technologies,” said Takeshi Egami, University of Tennessee-ORNL Distinguished Scientist/Professor working through the Shull Wollan Center – a Joint Institute for Neutron Sciences, an ORNL-UT partnership.
The team’s study, published in Science Advances, demonstrated that it is possible to probe real-space, real-time dynamics of water and other liquids. Previous studies have provided snapshots of water’s atomic structure, but little is known about how water molecules move.
“The hydrogen bond has a strong effect on the dynamic correlation between molecules as they move through space and time, but so far the data, mostly by optical laser spectroscopy, yielded broad or ‘hazy’ results with unclear specificity,” Egami said.
For a clearer picture, the joint ORNL-UT team used an advanced X-ray technique known as inelastic X-ray scattering to determine molecular movement. They found that the dynamics of oxygen-to-oxygen bonding between water molecules is, surprisingly, not random but highly coordinated. When the bond between water molecules is disrupted, the strong hydrogen bonds work to maintain a stable environment over a specific period of time.
“We found that the amount of time it takes for a molecule to change its ‘neighbor’ molecule determines the water’s viscosity,” Egami said. This new discovery would stimulate further studies on exerting control over the viscosity of other liquids.
Egami views the current work as a springboard to more advanced research that will leverage neutron scattering techniques at the Spallation Neutron Source at ORNL, a DOE Office of Science User Facility, to further determine the origin of viscosity and other dynamic properties of liquids.
The researchers approach could also be used to characterize the molecular behavior and viscosity of ionic, or salty, liquids and other liquid substances, which would aid in the development of new types of semiconductor devices with liquid electrolyte insulating layers, better batteries and improved lubricants.
Learn more: New study visualizes motion of water molecules, promises new wave of electronic devices
The Latest on: Liquid-based electronics
[google_news title=”” keyword=”liquid-based electronics” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]- Vietnam Electronic Adhesives Market Trends, Size, Share, Growth Status, Key Segments and Forecast to 2024 to 2032on May 1, 2024 at 4:43 pm
According to the latest report by Report Ocean, titled this “Vietnam Electronic Adhesives Market” Report gives evaluation and insights primarily based on authentic consultations with necessary gamers ...
- Watch your waste: Post-fire reminder for RC Solid Waste Divisionon May 1, 2024 at 4:30 pm
RAPID CITY, S.D. - In recent weeks, Rapid City's Solid Waste Division has reported four incidents of cell phone battery fires at the landfill, prompting a reminder to the public ...
- Intel Inside Ohioon May 1, 2024 at 10:00 am
The stagnating chipmaker is attempting a comeback with massive spending on new factories and lots of help from the Biden administration.
- Vaping exposes users to toxic metals like lead and uranium, study sayson April 30, 2024 at 12:14 pm
Researchers also investigated whether urinary levels of metal toxins varied based on vaping frequency and types of flavors. "There may have been changes over time in e-cigarette devices and e-liquid ...
- Graphene at 20: why the ‘wonder material’ is finally coming goodon April 30, 2024 at 6:31 am
Strong, light and with amazing electronic properties, graphene has always been touted as the “wonder material”. But two decades after it was first isolated, James McKenzie believes the graphene is ...
- Georgia Tech group create world’s first graphene-based semiconductoron April 26, 2024 at 10:13 am
A group of researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) have created the world’s first functional semiconductor made from graphene, a development that could lead to advanced ...
- Saline solution-based method efficiently recovers critical minerals from e-wasteon April 25, 2024 at 6:06 am
A method developed at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory selectively recovers manganese, magnesium, dysprosium, and neodymium from spent electronics.
- Critical minerals recovery from electronic wasteon April 24, 2024 at 11:21 am
A nontoxic separation process recovers critical minerals from electronic scrap waste.
- Aerogel-based phase change materials improve thermal management, reduce microwave emissions in electronic deviceson April 23, 2024 at 9:24 am
Electronic devices are getting more and more complex as they are built to carry out an ever-increasing number of functions. This can be seen in the increased functionality in our personal devices such ...
- Scientists stencil-paint carbon nanotube components for flexible transparent electronicson April 23, 2024 at 9:23 am
Researchers from Skoltech, MIPT, and elsewhere have found a fast and inexpensive way to create geometric patterns in carbon nanotube films. The resulting films turned out to have superior properties ...
via Google News and Bing News