Magnetic droplets stamp out protein patterns

Scientists from China and Portugal have drawn inspiration from lotus leaves to devise a technique for arranging a wide range of materials, including cells, proteins and quantum dots, on a surface. Their method could be useful for making biomedical devices.

The team, led by Wenlong Song from Jilin University, noticed how water droplets strip dust from lotus leaves when they roll across their superhydrophobic surface. ‘We supposed that if this could be managed by a suitable driving force, it would allow the transfer of water-soluble materials onto the surface,’ explains Song.

A link to the Chemisty World article.