By supercooling liquids, scientists can determine the physics happening in glasses
Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 04:30
in Physics & Chemistry
(Phys.org) -- The whereabouts of exceedingly slow-moving molecules in glasses can be quickly and efficiently measured, thanks to a new technique that uses vapor and extreme cold to drop the molecules' speed a trillion times. Designed by Dr. Scott Smith and Dr. Bruce Kay at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the method supercools vapor molecules turning them into a glassy film. Then, they heat the film just enough to get the molecules moving at the desired speed to study. An overview of this new method appears in an invited Perspective article in Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters.