Janus Particles Make Zippers For Membranes
18 June 2008, 10:02
Categories: membranes nanoparticles
Nanotech researchers have appropriated the name of Janus – the Roman god of gates and doorways, usually depicted with two heads looking in opposite directions – to name a class of particles that consist of two hemispheres that are fused together. The amphiphilic particles, otherwise known as Janus particles, contain both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions, as each of the two hemispheres is made from a different substance.
Their particular structure makes Janus particles an intriguing subject for exploring new applications for their novel properties. University of Pittsburgh researchers have now isolated a means of using them to make ‘re-sealable’ pores in lipid bilayer membranes. The localization of the nanoparticles in the pore can be thought of as the placement of a zipper, which allows a specific slit to be opened or closed at will.
Posted by: The Editors
Permalink to this article
Previous: Printing Designer Molecules
Next: Self-Regulating Photoprotection