(May 13, 2015) A new
material developed at the University of Michigan stays liquid more than 200
degrees Fahrenheit below its expected freezing point, but a light touch can
cause it to form yellow crystals that glow under ultraviolet light.
Even living cells sitting on a film of the supercooled
liquid produce crystal footprints, which means that it's about a million times
more sensitive than other known molecules that change color in response to
pressure.
The material could have applications as a new kind of sensor
for living cells, while the mechanism behind its unusual properties may guide
the development of electronics and medicines.
"As you know, water freezes around zero degrees
Celsius. It changes to ice. It's as if the water remained a liquid down to -100
degrees Celsius," said Kyeongwoon Chung, U-M doctoral student in materials
science and engineering and first author on the paper published today in ACS
Central Science.