Re: [Phys-l] oil-spot effect

[John Denker <jsd@av8n.com>]

On 2010, Jul 09, , at 23:38, Bernard Cleyet wrote:
> > If we could lay hands on some paper made of randomly-arranged solid
> > fibers (such as rayon, which is solid cellulose), I predict the
> > oil-spot effect would be really spectacular.
> >
> > From:
> >
> > Why White Things are White
> http://www.av8n.com/physics/white.htm
>
>
> Added:  Tyvek?
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyvek

If you are trying to cultivate this effect, you need either
high-index oil or low-index fiber.

Interesting possibility:  PLA fiber.  A 21st-century fiber.
Exceptionally low refractive index.  Actually they quote a
/range/ of refractive index values;  I don't know whether
the index varies from place to place along a given fiber,
or whether it is more of a batch-to-batch variation, or
what.

This could lead (inadvertently or otherwise) to some very
NSFW clothing.