In Belgium, scientists have managed to manipulate the surface of the water in order to create “liquid landscapes”. What does that mean and what could such an innovation be used for?
Liquid landscapes to program
The Research and Applications in Statistical Physics (GRASP) at the University of Liège (Belgium) is the source of an innovation as curious as promising. These researchers used millimeter thorns from 3D printing, in order to handle the surface of the water and thus,
generate liquid landscapes to program. In addition, particles can move within these same landscapes. This innovation was the subject of a publication in the journal Nature Communication in May 2025.
Well understanding this work requires understanding two important concepts, namely superficial tension and meniscus. The first designates a protective layer of water, property allowing it to resist external forces. The second is relating to the almost invisible curvatures appearing on the surface of a liquid, when the orientation of the surface of an object is not compatible with that of the surface of this same liquid.
As part of their work, the researchers therefore thought about the possibility of “sculpting” water and creating meniscians. The objective? Generate liquid landscapes on a surface. The authors used a Polyjet Polyjet Printer Stratasys in order to obtain Lattices structures, fruit of a combination of empty areas and material. Here, the material takes the form of millimeter thorns at the rounded ends close enough to deform the surface of the water without altering its surface tension.
Credits: Youtube capture / University of Liège
New perspectives in micro -globalization
The researchers then placed these laatt structures in Petri boxes before adding water, enough for
Cover the thorns and generate a meniscus Around these. This manipulation made it possible to understand that by modifying the height and the distance between the thorns, the surface of the water is not flat. Several test plots were then generated, giving just as many different landscapes according to the modifications. What about the applications that this innovation could allow?
“This method offers a new way of moving and sorting floating objects such as balls, drops or plastic particles. When the liquid surface is tilted, the lightest objects go up thanks to the archimedes’ push, and the densest descend under the action of their own weight, as if they slipped on a hill of water. »»can we read in the study.
Concretely, this work opens the way to new perspectives in terms of micromanipulation, in particular the sorting and transport of particles. Researchers believe that their innovation could play a significant role in the fight against marine pollutionfor example in terms of microplastics.
