The zinc macroswimmers

20 November 2010 - Making It Move IV

macroswimmers_Loget_2010.gif Loget & Kuhn of the University of Bordeaux treat us to another episode of Making it Move (See part III), the popular chemistry parlour trick venture (DOI). This time the macroobjects are dendritic particles of zinc, the medium is plain zinc sulfate solution at pH = 5 , the arena a glass tube , the external force an electric field and the scientific principle : bipolar electrochemistry. In a nutshell the zinc particle tends to dissolve on the cathode part and zinc is deposited on its anodic side. Top speed: 60 micrometer per second.
See the movie