Revolutionary Temperature Shocks Transform Jammed Systems Into Flowing States
In a groundbreaking study, scientists have discovered a method to temporarily convert jammed systems into flowing states by applying thermal shocks. This innovative approach, which effectively erases memory imprints, has significant implications for fields like drug delivery.
Materials such as glass, known for their solid-like mechanical properties and liquid-like structural characteristics, tend to retain memory of their past states. Researchers at the Raman Research Institute (RRI), an autonomous institution under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), aimed to develop techniques to eliminate these memory imprints and promote a transition from glass to liquid states for better control over their structures.
Innovative Experiments with Microgel Particles
The study’s first author, Sonali Kawale, a PhD student at RRI, conducted experiments that involved densely packing squishy microgel particles to mimic the hard structure of glass. These particles, capable of absorbing 300 to 500 times their weight in water, are commonly found in products such as diapers and sanitary napkins. “In an ideal environment, these particles would like to move around, but they can’t, which makes them ‘unhappy.’ We found a way to make them flow, leading to a ‘happy situation,’” explained Ranjini Bandyopadhyay, co-author of the research published in the Journal of Colloid and Interface Science.
Understanding Structural Recovery
The team discovered that when the microgel suspension was heated to 20 °C, the process was asymmetrical; the heating and cooling paths differed significantly. By rapidly increasing the temperature, the scientists induced a thermal shock that prompted the particles to rearrange, causing the jammed system to transition into a temporary liquid state. This rearrangement erases the memory of previous paths, enabling researchers to manage the system’s structural recovery effectively.
Implications for Drug Delivery
This control over structural recovery presents valuable opportunities, particularly in drug delivery applications. The researchers leveraged the unique properties of microgel particles, using them to encapsulate medicines when cool and allowing them to swell. Upon reaching temperatures just below body temperature, the particles collapse, releasing the medication precisely where needed, such as in tumor sites. This targeted release mechanism minimizes side effects, emphasizing the relevance of how external thermal shocks influence material behavior.
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