Toy-Like Microboat Could Carry Tiny Cargoes
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The self-propelled microboat takes advantage of the surface tension difference in the front and back of the boat when isopropul alcohol leaks from the back reservoir. The microboat can reach speeds of 30 cm per second. Credit: Cheng Luo, et al.
As a child, Cheng Luo, an engineer from the University of Texas at Arlington, recalls playing with wooden toy boats that were propelled forward when a drop of oil was placed on the back of the boats. When the oil slid off into the water, it created lower surface tension behind the boat than in front, which pushed the boat forward. This surface-tension-based propulsion is called the Marangoni effect.
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