Cool! Researchers at Aalto University in Finland wanted to disrupt a system’s equilibrium to see what would happen. In addition, researchers wanted to see if the outcome after altering an object's equilibrium state could be controlled.
The researchers used different combinations of oils with varying dielectric constants and conductivities. These combinations were then subjected to an electric field to move the oils out of their thermodynamic state and into new conditions. After being disrupted by the electric field, the oils were reshaped into various droplets and patterns!
Researchers were able to coax the liquids in the experiment into forming and sustaining a donut shape. According to Geet Raju, one of the authors of the study, ‘All these strange shapes are caused and sustained by the fact that they are prevented from collapsing back into equilibrium by the motion of the electrical charges building up at the interface.’
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Image credit: Active Matter research group led by Prof. Timonen, Aalto University