Contact: David Ruth
david@rice.edu
713-348-6327
Rice University

Gel (2 of 2)

Caption: A photonic gel developed at Rice University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology self-assembles from long polymer molecules. Polystyrene and poly(2-vinyl pyridine) are mixed in a solution that, when evaporated, allows the polymers to quickly form into nanosized layers. The layers can be tuned to reflect specific colors when exposed to particular chemicals.

Credit: Joseph Walish/MIT

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