Science Visualized Chemistry

Frozen oil droplets morph and shine

Hydrocarbon crystals could eventually serve as drug delivery vessels

oil droplet shapes

COLORFUL CREATIONS  When frozen, these hydrogen-carbon droplets form crystals with a variety of customizable shapes.

N. Denkov et al/nature 2015

By Sarah Schwartz

- More than 2 years ago

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In carefully chilled conditions, microscopic beads of oil freeze to form a panoply of shapes.