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Bacteria form glasslike state

Researchers at University of Tokyo discovered E.coli bacteria exhibit similar characteristics to colloidal glass when densely packed, exhibiting a glassy state with restricted movement. The study reveals novel properties beyond standard glass-like behavior, including spontaneous microdomain formation and collective motion.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalPNAS Nexus·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 11, 2024

Surface melting of glass

Researchers observe a surprising phenomenon where particles near the surface of colloidal glass move faster than in the solid below, forming a liquid layer up to 30 particle diameters thick. This discovery sheds new light on the properties of thin disordered films and their potential applications in technology.

SourceUniversity of Konstanz·JournalNature Communications·DateNov 4, 2022

Glass as stable as crystal : homogeneity leads to stability

Researchers from The University of Tokyo Institute of Industrial Science used computer simulations to study the aging mechanism that can cause an amorphous glassy material to turn into a crystal. By removing tiny irregularities in local densities, they found that it prevents atomic avalanches that trigger ordered structure formation.

On-demand glass is right around the corner

A team of physicists from Università di Trento created colloidal glasses with controlled unidirectional stress, allowing for the manipulation of mechanical properties. This breakthrough could enable the development of new types of glass for various industrial applications.

SourceUniversità di Trento·JournalScience Advances·DateMar 20, 2020