Watch Live: Second House Hearing on IRS Scandal

The 7 Key Moments From Wednesday’s IRS Hearing

Science

‘Superhydrophobic’ Knife Chops a Water Droplet Cleanly in Half

Oct. 3, 2012 8:45pm Liz Klimas

Odds are that you’ve never tried to slice through an individual drop of water before — nor would you have any reason to — and given the properties of water and cohesion, it would prove difficult. Unless, of course, if you were wielding this “water-hating” knife developed by engineers at Arizona State University and Youngstown State University.

The hydrophobic knife with an ability to cut cleanly through a droplet in a “gentle fashion” could have application for separating proteins that are mixed with biological fluids and need to be analyzed for biomedical research, New Scientist states.

Engineers Create Superhydrophobic Knife to Separate Cut Water for Use in Biomedical Research

(Image: 10.1371/journal.pone.0045893.g002)

“Multiprotein separation is vital for the detection of important proteins that provide valuable information on gene expression and can serve as early signals of a disease state,” the research states.

Watch footage of the knife cutting the water in action:

According to the research published in the journal PLoS One, the team put the water on a “superhydrophobic surface.” They kept it in place with wire loops so when cut it wouldn’t result in “satellite droplets,” maintaining it in only two distinct droplets. The knife made from polyethylene, and others from zinc, was treated with silver nitrate and HDFT to make it superhydrophobic.

(H/T: Gizmodo)

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (14)

dugsok
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 12:25pm
you can really cut the cheese with this

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Cosmic Duck
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 5:34am
Just a matter of time before we see something like this on late night TV for only $19.95. But wait, there’s more!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Mr.buff1959
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 2:35am
Having the ability to separate water with out high pres, would have many uses.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
christos
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 11:55pm
They can not produce a Human Living Cell.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- OhioRifleman
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 11:47am
  And I do not believe that was mentioned in the article.
  
  Report this comment
- Cesium
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 3:19pm
  Who is they? the scientists on this project? why would they try to make a human cell.. are these guys cell biologists? I wouldn’t think they are considering this technology.. What if we did create a human cell in the future from parts… Craig Venture already did it with microbes… is this why you had to amend your statement from, “they cannot create a living cell” to they cannot create a human cell?” You creationists must be starting to feel cornered.
  
  Report this comment
- christos
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 2:45pm
  ohiorifleman – cesium – “They” People & or Science Community,copying is not the same as creating from scratch,,,Adam lived 700 years there is nothing that has not been created before this is all old technology,this is all grand but do it with your own $ TEA,TA
  
  Report this comment
- christos
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 2:48pm
  Man does not need to invent anything,,,everything has already been placed/Created here for Life by +JESUS+GOD+ ,Scientists & Schools are a Filthy Rag.
  
  Report this comment
chips1
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 9:11pm
They can use this in the school cafeteria. Those kids will be in shape in less than a week.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Stoic one
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 9:10pm
interesting….I ‘d like to see some applications.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
AngryK9
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 9:02pm
And this means what to me?

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Cesium
  Posted on October 4, 2012 at 3:16pm
  so you are admitting that you wouldn’t be able to conceive of future potential applications that could revolutionize a number of technologies? We could go back to the days of watson and crick or other biochemists you don’t know who solved the structures of macromolecules… then you receive a life saving treatment in the future because of that knowledge but when it was discovered the best you can do is say,, big deal what’s it to me? you probably would like to see funding cut to basic research
  
  Report this comment
randy
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 8:56pm
Hey, I can chop water in half also……. Just freeze it :)

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
marine249
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 8:53pm
I saw this when I cut my finger.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply

It appears that you have Javascript Disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser preferences for a better user experience on TheBlaze. You can not comment without Javascript enabled.