‘Nano-petri dish’ gives scientists insights at the atomic scale

Publishing in Nature, the team led by researchers based at the National Graphene Institute (NGI) used stacks of 2D materials to trap liquid in order to further understand how the presence of liquid changes the behaviour of the solid.

According to NGI, when a solid surface is in contact with a liquid, both substances change their configuration in response to the proximity of the other. These atomic scale interactions at solid-liquid interfaces govern the behaviour of batteries and fuel cells, and determine the efficiency of clean water generation.

In a statement, one of the lead researchers, Professor Sarah Haigh, said: “Given the widespread industrial and scientific importance of such behaviour it is truly surprising how much we still have to learn about the fundamentals of how atoms behave on surfaces in contact with liquids. One of the reasons information is missing is the absence of techniques able to yield experimental data for solid-liquid interfaces.”