“A dense film of a conventional surfactant is quite impermeable. On the other hand, a dense film of Janus grains always has some interstices between the grains, and allows for chemical exchange between the two sides; "the skin can breathe."”

—  Pierre-Gilles de Gennes

This may possibly be of some practical interest.
"Soft Matter" Nobel lecture (9 December 1991)

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Pierre-Gilles de Gennes photo
Pierre-Gilles de Gennes5
French Physicist 1932–2007

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