We report on the first microscale observation of the velocity field imposed by a nonuniform heat content along the solid-liquid boundary. We determine both radial and vertical velocity components of this thermo-osmotic flow field by tracking single tracer nanoparticles. The measured flow profiles are compared to an approximate analytical theory and to numerical calculations. From the measured slip velocity we deduce the thermo-osmotic coefficient for both bare glass and Pluronic F-127 covered surfaces. The value for Pluronic F-127 agrees well with Soret data for polyethylene glycol, whereas that for glass differs from literature values and indicates the complex boundary layer thermodynamics of glass-water interfaces.

Superparamagnetic beads are widely used in biochemistry and single-molecule biophysics, but the nature of the anisotropy that enables the application of torques remains controversial. To quantitatively investigate the torques experienced by superparamagnetic particles, we use a biological motor to rotate beads in a magnetic field and demonstrate that the underlying potential is $\pi$ periodic. In addition, we tether a bead to a single DNA molecule and show that the angular trap stiffness increases nonlinearly with magnetic field strength. Our results indicate that the superparamagnetic beads’ anisotropy derives from a nonuniform intrabead distribution of superparamagnetic nanoparticles.