Impact-induced gelation in aqueous methylcellulose solutions

Chem Commun (Camb). 2018 Nov 6;54(89):12578-12581. doi: 10.1039/c8cc06378h.

Abstract

Aqueous methylcellulose is an "abnormal" inverse-freezing fluid, which gelates when heated. We ventured to stimulate this phase-transition by mechanical impact, whose resulting shockwaves and local heat could be uptaken by the endothermic gelation. High-speed photography was used to observe this transition in microsecond timescales. This phenomenon enables attenuation of shockwaves.