Chemistry News

Midwest To Get Major Nano Research Center

Top research universities in the Midwest are cooperating under a new nanotechnology consortium, whose aim will be to explore and develop basic building blocks for the nanoscale logic devices that will power future computers. Research focus areas for the group include: advanced devices, circuits and nanosystems with performance capabilities beyond conventional devices.

Johns Hopkins NanoBio Symposium (May 1-2) Eyes Nano for Cancer

The Institute for NanoBioTechnology is sponsoring the second annual Johns Hopkins NanoBio Symposium to be held May 1-2, 2008 at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. One prominent theme will be “Nanotechnology for Cancer.”

Breakthroughs in Nanotechnology on Edge of ‘Knowledge Frontier’

Kattesh Katti, professor of radiology and physics and senior research scientist at the MU Research Reactor, was honored on Tuesday, March 4, with the Outstanding Missourian Award for his work in treating cancer. Katti recently discovered how to make gold nanoparticles using gold salts, soybeans and water – research that has garnered worldwide attention and could have applications in several disciplines.

UCLA Finds Nanoscale Secrets to Hydrogen Car Storage

Researchers at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science are turning to molecular simulations to tackle a long-standing obstacle of making hydrogen-powered cars that can drive beyond 100-200 miles. The group conducted computational analysis for crafting practical ways to design hydrogen fuel storage.

New Evidence Nanotubes Aren’t Toxic To Humans?

Researchers at Stanford University are holding out the best evidence to date that carbon nanotubes do not accumulate in living organs. The finding, based on experiments with mice, could prove especially meaningful to research projects which look at using nanotechnologies to detect and treat diseases in humans, such as cancers.

UCLA Says Nanotube Ink Can Make ‘Printable Batteries’

University of California in Los Angeles researchers are using ‘nanotube ink” to produce printable batteries that could use conventional power sources. The technology was developed at UCLA’s Solid State Physics Group, led by G. Gruner, PhD.

Northern Illinois Dean, NanoScience Pioneer Moves to OU

Dr. Rathindra Bose, vice president for research and dean of Northern Illinois University’s graduate school, and one visionary behind NIUs’ Institute for Nanoscience, Engineering and Technology (InSET), is moving to Ohio University.

Penn State: NanoTethers Speed Biosensors

Penn State University has developed a new way to attach small molecules to surfaces. The work could speed assembly of nanoscale biosensors.

Los Alamos, European Researchers Near Nano-Based Life-Like ‘Protocells’

Scientists from Los Alamos National Laboratory and across Europe have disclosed they are close to developing a nanoscale system of molecules that will show living cell-like behavior, including eventually reproduce itself. These microscopic ‘Protocells” which already exist in some degree, could be the first step in making lifelike devices that perform specific, useful functions.

Mazda Debuts First Nano-Driven Catalytic Converter

Japan's Mazda Motor Corp. is using nanotechnology to deliver what it says is a new generation of catalytic converters that use 70 to 90 per cent less of the precious metals which help to purify exhaust emissions. The converters use nanoparticles of the catalytic metal, less than five nanometers, studded onto the surface of tiny ceramic spheres.

World BioPharm Forum 2007: New Frontiers in Nanomedicine in London, Oct. 15-16

Some of the world’s top experts in nanomedicine will gather at London’s Hammersmith Hospital Conference Centre during The New Frontiers in Nanomedicine meeting in mid-October. The event, part of the World BioPharm Forum 2007, will bring together academics, technologists, medical specialists and a variety of public policymakers. NanoScienceWorks.org offers a look at agenda and speakers.

NC State’s Dr. Russell E. Gorga: Using Nano to Improve Polymer Performance

Dr. Russell Gorga and his team at North Carolina State University are focused on improving properties (mechanical, conductive, and barrier) of polymer nanocomposites. His team has incorporated carbon nanotubes into polymer fibers to increase their electrical conductivity and signaling performance, and is exploring how nanofibers might be used as “tissue scaffolds” to grow cells into conformal tissue. Dr. Gorga spoke with NanoScienceWorks.org.

Sir J. Fraser Stoddart to Head Nano Center at Northwestern University

Northwestern University has recruited J. Fraser Stoddart, one of the world's leading nano researchers, and his team of 20 researchers away from University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA). The news signals an escalating multi-million dollar effort by Northwestern to bring other nanoscience stars to Chicago.

Department of Energy Awards MU Hydrogen Storage Grant

The U.S. Department of Energy has awareded researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia a grant to study low-pressure hydrogen storage as part of a DOE hydrogen fuel initiative that gave $11.2 million to 13 projects across the United States.

New Nanomaterials Able to Deliver Anticancer Drugs to Kill Cancer Cells

A new cancer drug delivery program has been created by UCLA researchers that promises to solve the challence of poor water solubility in today’s anti-cancer drugs without compromising their potency.

Fusing Spider Silk and Silica Creates New Protein

A new fusion protein that combines the toughness of spider silk and the complex structure of silica has been created by the bioengineers at Tufts University. This new nanocomposite can be used in both medical and industrial applications, such as growing new bone tissue.

Georgia Institute of Technology Creates New Nanocomposite Processing Technique

Consumer devices such as cell phones and defence applications requiring both high energy storage and rapid current discharge stand to benefit from a new technique for creating films of barium titanate nanoparticles in a polymer matrix which allows fabrication of improved capacitors to store twice the energy as current devices.

Nano Paint has Possibility to Detect Early Cancers and Boost Anti-terrorism Measures

The University of Toronto researchers have found a way to increase precision night vision technology thanks to a light particle-boosting, water-based material found in the infrared spectrum.

ITC’s Olga A. Shenderova: Exploring the Cutting Edge of Nanodiamonds

Dr. Olga A. Shenderova is Senior Scientist and Head of the Nanodiamond Laboratory at the International Technology Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. Her passion for nanodiamonds is reflected in her work, where she and her colleagues have developed a cleaner and more eco-friendly ways to produce nanodiamonds for a variety of uses – sunscreens, paints, polymers and even integrated circuits. Dr. Shenderova emerged as a leading voice in nanodiamond fabrication after her research on atomistic modeling and solidified came public during the world’s first International Conference on Detonation Nanodiamonds in 2003.

DoE, University of Chicago Extend Nanoscale Fuel Cell Project

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Lab will investigate where nanostructured polymeric materials could help make fuel-cell cars a reality. A long-standing problem with using fuel cells to autos is that current technology does not support an on-board hydrogen storage system that could hold enough fuel to take a car 300 miles.

UA Researchers Use Nanoscale Speed Bumps to Smooth MEMS, Nano Friction

Researchers from the University of Arkansas have shown how nanoscale speed bumps can reduce friction and attractive forces between microscopic parts, helping devices function more smoothly. The work is done at UA’s Nano Mechanics and Tribology Lab, part of UA’s College of Engineering.

Yale University Commits $100M to Multi-Disciplinary Nanoscience Institute

Yale University has formally launched its Yale Institute for Nanoscience & Quantum Engineering, citing more than $100 million in financial commitments. The Yale institute aims to focus on six nano-related disciplines: molecular electronics, quantum information processing, soft-materials chemistry, nanoparticles, photonics, and nanoscale biomedical engineering.

London Centre for Nanotechnology Opens

The London Centre for Nanotechnology (LCN) marked its official opening at a celebration in early November. LCN brings together resources and personnel from University College London and Imperial College London to direct nanoscience research for solutions in information processing, health care, and energy and environment.

Composites News

NIST ‘Nanomechanical Mapper’ Offers New Design, Characterization Tool

Researchers at NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) have developed a new imaging system to map the mechanical properties of nanomaterials – at scales as small as billionths of a meter.

Carbon Nanotube Symposium, 30 Nov 2007, University of Cambridge

CNT@Cambridge 2007 - A Mini-symposium on the Science and Application of Carbon Nanotubes A one-day symposium where leading scientists from Cambridge and other institutions in Europe will gather to exchange ideas about the science and application of Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs). CNTs are cylinders of rolled graphene sheets and they belong to a relatively new class of fibrous materials with a length scale in nanometer (i.e. one billionth of a metre). They can potentially be used in a wide range of high-performance applications ranging from nano-composites and electronic devices to drug delivery.

University of Dayton Opens Composite Demonstration Center

The “world’s first” manufacturing center for product demonstration of nano-enhanced polymer composites has opened at the University of Dayton Research Institute. In collaboration with the National Composite Center in Dayton, the Center for Multifunctional Polymer Nanocomposites and Devices (CMPND) allows for testing composite nanotechnology products without the investment of reorganizing their facilities and purchasing new equipment.

NSF Awards Virginia Tech Professor CAREER Award for Nanoscale Heat Flow Research

Virginia Tech College of Engineering Researcher Scott Huxtable has received the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Aware, the most prestigious award given to creative junior faculty who are considered likely to become academic leaders of the future.

MIT Nanocomposite Research Yields Lycra-like Fibers – Strong and Stretchy Material Inspired by Spider Silk

One of engineering’s elusive goals was creating an artificial material that is both stretchy and strong. Thanks to the researchers at MIT’s Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies, that goal has become a reality. Inspired by spider silk, a naturally occurring strong and stretchy substance, a way to produce a material that mimics this combination of desirable properties has been formulated.

Georgia Institute of Technology Creates New Nanocomposite Processing Technique

Consumer devices such as cell phones and defence applications requiring both high energy storage and rapid current discharge stand to benefit from a new technique for creating films of barium titanate nanoparticles in a polymer matrix which allows fabrication of improved capacitors to store twice the energy as current devices.

ITC’s Olga A. Shenderova: Exploring the Cutting Edge of Nanodiamonds

Dr. Olga A. Shenderova is Senior Scientist and Head of the Nanodiamond Laboratory at the International Technology Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. Her passion for nanodiamonds is reflected in her work, where she and her colleagues have developed a cleaner and more eco-friendly ways to produce nanodiamonds for a variety of uses – sunscreens, paints, polymers and even integrated circuits. Dr. Shenderova emerged as a leading voice in nanodiamond fabrication after her research on atomistic modeling and solidified came public during the world’s first International Conference on Detonation Nanodiamonds in 2003.

London Centre for Nanotechnology Opens

The London Centre for Nanotechnology (LCN) marked its official opening at a celebration in early November. LCN brings together resources and personnel from University College London and Imperial College London to direct nanoscience research for solutions in information processing, health care, and energy and environment.

Electronics News

Nanoneedles for ‘AFM on a Chip’ Discussed at 2008 CLEO/QELS

Nanotechnology will be a major topic, as nearly 6,000 researchers gather at the leading conference on electro-optics, lasers and light waves in early May.

Nokia, Univ of Cambridge (UK) Explore Nano for Next-Gen Cellphones

Nokia is teaming up with nanoscience researchers at University of Cambridge’s Nanoscience Center for a mind-bending concept cellphone called ‘Morph.’ The goal is to use nanoscale components and electronics to build flexible and low-thermal circuitry for a new generation of phones and mobile Internet devices.

A Legal Expert Discusses the Impact of Law in Nanotechnology

For many nano researchers on their way to commercializing a product, navigating the sea of legal issues that arises can be a daunting task. In his new book Nanotechnology: Legal Aspects, Dr. Patrick M. Boucher wades through the existing legal framework to address these questions.

A Legal Expert Discusses the Impact of Law in Nanotechnology

For many nano researchers on their way to commercializing a product, navigating the sea of legal issues that arises can be a daunting task. In his new book Nanotechnology: Legal Aspects, Dr. Patrick M. Boucher wades through the existing legal framework to address these questions.

NIST ‘Nanomechanical Mapper’ Offers New Design, Characterization Tool

Researchers at NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) have developed a new imaging system to map the mechanical properties of nanomaterials – at scales as small as billionths of a meter.

Institute of Nanotechnology (U.K.) Skills and Training Survey Identifies Skills, Training Gap

The Institute of Nanotechnology (U.K.) has released an impressive survey of 179 nanotechnology leaders from industry, government, and scientific research. The 120-page “Nanotechnology: Skills and Training Survey” identifies current gaps in skills and training of the nano-focused workforce from the viewpoint of those who daily work and manage nanoscience projects .

NASA’s Meyyappan Receives IEEE Education Award

Dr. Meyya Meyyappan, Director of the Center for Nanotechnology at the NASA Ames Research Center, has been awarded the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Electron Devices Society education award, noting his decade-long commitment to educating university and high school students about nanotechnology.

Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies Updates Online Inventory

The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies has updated its online inventory of consumer products that in some way or another rely on nanotechnology components or processes, and it now counts 580 items. Notably, more than 60 percent of the list is made up of "un-technological" items -- such as tennis rackets, clothing, and health products.

Dr. Ahmed A. Busnaina: Moving NanoScale Discoveries to High-Rate Manufacturing

Dr. Ahmed A. Busnaina of Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.) focuses his research on bringing valuable nanoscale discoveries from lab into high-volume manufacturing. He directs the National Science Foundation’s Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC) for High-Rate Nanomanufacturing, and the Center for Nano and Microcontamination Control. He speaks with NanoScienceWorks.org about his research.

NIST, UPenn Find Carbon Nanoparticle Fibers Reduce Flammability

The National Institute of Standards and Technology at the University of Pennsylvania reports that carbon nanotubes or nanofibers may greatly improve flammability resistance

NSF Awards Virginia Tech Professor CAREER Award for Nanoscale Heat Flow Research

Virginia Tech College of Engineering Researcher Scott Huxtable has received the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Aware, the most prestigious award given to creative junior faculty who are considered likely to become academic leaders of the future.

IEEE Completes Nanoelectronics Standards Roadmap

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has completed its Nanoelectronics Standards Roadmap, which establishes a framework for creating standards to help industry transition electronic applications based on nanotechnology from the laboratory to commercial use.

Purdue Engineers Research ‘Vertically-Oriented Nanoelectronics’

Engineers at Purdue University have taken a step toward making advanced electronics, i.e. wireless devices and sensors, by developing a technique to grow individual carbon nanotubes vertically out of tiny cavities on top of a silicon wafer. These advances use nanotubes by stacking circuits and components in layers.

NanoGram Develops High Transparency High Refractive Index Polymer Nanocomposites

NanoGram Corporation, a leading developer and licensor of core process technology enabling the manufacture of unique nanostructured materials for optical, electronic and energy applications, has developed high transparency, high refractive index polymer nanocomposites.

NaturalNano Offering Nanocomposite Additive

U.S. materials science company NaturalNano, Inc. has announced a manufacturing-scale production demonstration of Pleximer, a nylon additive for stronger, lighter, and cheaper polymer nanocomposite materials.

Georgia Institute of Technology Creates New Nanocomposite Processing Technique

Consumer devices such as cell phones and defence applications requiring both high energy storage and rapid current discharge stand to benefit from a new technique for creating films of barium titanate nanoparticles in a polymer matrix which allows fabrication of improved capacitors to store twice the energy as current devices.

Germany Launches Nano Strategy for Top Sectors

The German Government has launched a new strategy aimed at fortifying the application potential of nanotechnology for Germany's most important industries, including semiconductors, optics and autos.

Purdue Scientsits Use Nanowires to Build Transparent Transistors for Displays

Researchers from Purdue University are using single nanowires to create fully-transparent transistors and circuits for low-cost, flexible color screens for consumer electronics, displays for car windshields and even “electronic” paper. The transparent transistors are assembled from single "nanowires" put onto glass or thin films of flexible plastic.

Dr. Supriyo Bandyopadhyay: Spintronics Drives Next-Gen Computing

One of the fathers of Spintronics, Dr. Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, Director of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Quantum Device Laboratory, says research and principals from this cutting-edge nanoscience could drive computing’s next era.

Yale University Commits $100M to Multi-Disciplinary Nanoscience Institute

Yale University has formally launched its Yale Institute for Nanoscience & Quantum Engineering, citing more than $100 million in financial commitments. The Yale institute aims to focus on six nano-related disciplines: molecular electronics, quantum information processing, soft-materials chemistry, nanoparticles, photonics, and nanoscale biomedical engineering.

Could SPIM Opens News Eyes for Nano-Microscopy?

A new Scanning Photoionization Microscope (SPIM) has been unveiled for analyzing the make-up and properties nano-electronics and nanoparticles. The SPIM device, which developers concede is “still in its infancy,” was demonstrated in October by National Institute of Standards and Technology and the University of Colorado (Boulder).

Texas $30M SWAN Takes Nano To Semicondcutors

Texas Instruments Inc., along with several other technology firms, the Texas state government and the University of Texas System will pour $30 million in a new nanoelectronics research program to be based at UT Austin. The program, Southwest Academy of Nanoelectronics (SWAN), will focus nanotechnology R&D on extending Moore's Law, the paradigm in semiconductor design and production which predicts that the number of transistors on a chip can be roughly doubled every 18 months.

Engineering News

Australia Nanoresearcher Honored; Carries Olympic Torch

Dr. Max Lu, one of Australia's leading nanotechnology researchers at The University of Queensland, has been honored for his work in sustainable energy by being named to carry the Olympic torch.

OSU To Expand Nano Programs with HP Lab Space

Oregon State University (OSU) will expand its nanoscience research program, in large part thanks to a grant of free lab space from PC giant Hewlett-Packard Co.

Midwest To Get Major Nano Research Center

Top research universities in the Midwest are cooperating under a new nanotechnology consortium, whose aim will be to explore and develop basic building blocks for the nanoscale logic devices that will power future computers. Research focus areas for the group include: advanced devices, circuits and nanosystems with performance capabilities beyond conventional devices.

UAlbany (NY) Nanoscale Center Expands CleanTech Focus

University of Albany’s (NY) College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering has named Dr. John F. Elter as Empire Innovation Professor of Nanoengineering and Executive Director of the Center for Sustainable Ecosystem Nanotechnologies within the CNSE.

UAlbany (NT) Nanoscale Center Expands CleanTech Focus

University of Albany’s (NY) College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering has named Dr. John F. Elter as Empire Innovation Professor of Nanoengineering and Executive Director of the Center for Sustainable Ecosystem Nanotechnologies within the CNSE.

Nokia, Univ of Cambridge (UK) Explore Nano for Next-Gen Cellphones

Nokia is teaming up with nanoscience researchers at University of Cambridge’s Nanoscience Center for a mind-bending concept cellphone called ‘Morph.’ The goal is to use nanoscale components and electronics to build flexible and low-thermal circuitry for a new generation of phones and mobile Internet devices.

NanoCoolers: Clean Tech for Semis?

MIT and Boston College researchers have devised nanoscale coolers and power generators from alloyed materials. The thermoelectric efficiencies could paves the way for next-gen semiconductors, car exhaust systems and even solar power technology, research findings suggest.

Nanoscale ‘Tags’ for Encoding Data onto DNA

University of California (Riverside) researchers across biology, computer science, engineering, and nanosciences have come together to develop a way to ‘tag’ DNA strands with additional information, and eliminate the need for expensive DNA sequencing equipment.

UCLA Finds Nanoscale Secrets to Hydrogen Car Storage

Researchers at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science are turning to molecular simulations to tackle a long-standing obstacle of making hydrogen-powered cars that can drive beyond 100-200 miles. The group conducted computational analysis for crafting practical ways to design hydrogen fuel storage.

Georgia Tech Sees Promise for NanoGenerators in Clothing

Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta, Ga. are developing a ‘power shirt’ made of nanowire-affixed textiles to let soldiers generate power from clothing via physical motion. Georgia tech researchers showed how textiles fibers covered with zinc oxide nanowires can create sufficient power for small portable devices.

Nanomedicine Project Targets Prostate Cancer

The Prostate Cancer Foundation is committing $5 million to explore how nanomedicine can detect and treat prostate cancer. Partners in the research are: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Weill Cornell Medical College, Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Los Angeles Looks for Nanotechnology Essay Contest Sponsors

The City of Los Angeles and LA Council of Engineers and Scientists (LACES) is looking for sponsors for a special nanotechnology essay content, aimed at encouraging college-bound high school seniors to take up nanoscience as a career. The contest, which closes Feb. 8, offers cash prizes to students, has attracted support from dozens of industry and government officials looking to promote future nanoscientists.

Northern Illinois Dean, NanoScience Pioneer Moves to OU

Dr. Rathindra Bose, vice president for research and dean of Northern Illinois University’s graduate school, and one visionary behind NIUs’ Institute for Nanoscience, Engineering and Technology (InSET), is moving to Ohio University.

Report: Lloyd’s of London: 2007 Emerging Risks Team on Nanotechnology

World-famous insurer Lloyd’s of London has released an ‘Emerging Risk Team Report on Nanotechnology.” The report provides Lloyd’s views on how insurers should work with researchers, private firms, and even regulators to foster nanotechnology’s benefits and mitigate risks.

Nanoscience’s Top Publisher, Online Tools Website Enter Partnership

Taylor & Francis Group LLC and Network for Computational Nanotechnology Sign MOU To Expand Online Content, Services for Nanoscience Researchers

UVA’s Dr. Robert Hull Head Rensselaer’s Materials Science and Engineering

Noted nanomaterials researcher Dr. Robert Hull will join Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in early 2008 to head its School of Engineering’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Dr. Hull makes the move after 13 years as a leading nanoscientist at the University of Virginia.

Nanoscience’s Top Publisher, Online Tools Website Enter Partnership

Two of nanotechnology’s top content leaders, Taylor & Francis Group LLC and the Network for Computational Nanotechnology led by Purdue University, have agreed to jointly explore and develop a set of new online content and collaboration offerings to aid the global nanoscience research community. In a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), officials from Taylor & Francis and NCN agreed to cooperate to increase availability, volume, and appeal of online content for nanoscience. The two parties also agreed to explore new ways to make it easier for scientists, researchers and students to create and share content with colleagues.

NASA’s Meyyappan Receives IEEE Education Award

Dr. Meyya Meyyappan, Director of the Center for Nanotechnology at the NASA Ames Research Center, has been awarded the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Electron Devices Society education award, noting his decade-long commitment to educating university and high school students about nanotechnology.

Dr. Ahmed A. Busnaina: Moving NanoScale Discoveries to High-Rate Manufacturing

Dr. Ahmed A. Busnaina of Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.) focuses his research on bringing valuable nanoscale discoveries from lab into high-volume manufacturing. He directs the National Science Foundation’s Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC) for High-Rate Nanomanufacturing, and the Center for Nano and Microcontamination Control. He speaks with NanoScienceWorks.org about his research.

Cornell U. Designer Fashions "Nanofabrics" to Repel Germs

The cold and flu season is right around the corner, and the lines to get flu vaccinations are growing. But what if you could avoid the flu and other viruses simply by getting dressed? That's the idea behind two garments that are part of the "Glitterati" clothing line designed by Olivia Ong, a senior design major at Cornell University.

World BioPharm Forum 2007: New Frontiers in Nanomedicine in London, Oct. 15-16

Some of the world’s top experts in nanomedicine will gather at London’s Hammersmith Hospital Conference Centre during The New Frontiers in Nanomedicine meeting in mid-October. The event, part of the World BioPharm Forum 2007, will bring together academics, technologists, medical specialists and a variety of public policymakers. NanoScienceWorks.org offers a look at agenda and speakers.

NC State’s Dr. Russell E. Gorga: Using Nano to Improve Polymer Performance

Dr. Russell Gorga and his team at North Carolina State University are focused on improving properties (mechanical, conductive, and barrier) of polymer nanocomposites. His team has incorporated carbon nanotubes into polymer fibers to increase their electrical conductivity and signaling performance, and is exploring how nanofibers might be used as “tissue scaffolds” to grow cells into conformal tissue. Dr. Gorga spoke with NanoScienceWorks.org.

Non-Stick Packaging Made Possible by Nanocoating

Prior frustrations about getting that last bit of ketchup out of the bottle will be alleviated thanks to a special nanocoating in the packaging. The project is the focus of a joint European research project by the Fraunhofer Institutes for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV in Freising and for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart, Munich University of Technology and BMB and other industrial partners.

Mizzou Engineering Awarded $10 Million Department of Defense Contract

The University of Missouri-Columbia has successfully secured its second U.S. defense-related contract in less than a year thanks to groundbreaking nanotechnology research in the International Center for Nano/Micro Systems and Nanotechnology.

Carbon Nanotube Symposium, 30 Nov 2007, University of Cambridge

CNT@Cambridge 2007 - A Mini-symposium on the Science and Application of Carbon Nanotubes A one-day symposium where leading scientists from Cambridge and other institutions in Europe will gather to exchange ideas about the science and application of Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs). CNTs are cylinders of rolled graphene sheets and they belong to a relatively new class of fibrous materials with a length scale in nanometer (i.e. one billionth of a metre). They can potentially be used in a wide range of high-performance applications ranging from nano-composites and electronic devices to drug delivery.

Findings in New Nanotoxicology Study Deliver Promising Results

In a joint effort between the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the University of Tennessee – Knoxville, study findings prove promising for using single-walled carbon nanohorns, a particular form of engineering carbon-based nanoparticles, for drug delivery and other commercial applications.

UNC’s Dr. Kerry Bloom: Using NanoMagnetics To Explore DNA Segregation, Replication, Repair

Well-known for his work with chromosome segregation, Dr. Kerry Bloom and his staff the Bloom Lab at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill are using magnetic nanotechnology to unlock a deeper understanding of the spring-like properties of DNA in cellular processes. Dr. Bloom, who also serves as professor at UNC’s Department of Biology, discusses his work with NanoScienceWorks.org

Molly Stevens Wins Prestigious Royal Pharmaceutical Society Medal

Dr. Molly Stevens, a nanoscience researcher at the Imperial College (UK) Department of Materials, has been awarded the prestigious Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain’s 2006 Conference Science Medal. The award recognizes for her work in using nanomaterials sciences to support regenerative medicine and tissue transplantation. Dr. Stevens is also the first woman ever to win the award in its 40-year history.

University of Dayton Opens Composite Demonstration Center

The “world’s first” manufacturing center for product demonstration of nano-enhanced polymer composites has opened at the University of Dayton Research Institute. In collaboration with the National Composite Center in Dayton, the Center for Multifunctional Polymer Nanocomposites and Devices (CMPND) allows for testing composite nanotechnology products without the investment of reorganizing their facilities and purchasing new equipment.

University of Leeds to Build “Self-Healing” House

A villa designed to resist earthquakes by “self-healing” cracks in its own walls and monitoring vibrations through an intelligent sensor network is set to be built on a Greek mountainside.

UC Berkley Opens Door to Nanoscale Optical Imaging with New Superlens

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley,are giving new relevance to the term "sharper image" by creating a superlens that can overcome a limitation in physics that has historically constrained the resolution of optical images.

NSF Awards Virginia Tech Professor CAREER Award for Nanoscale Heat Flow Research

Virginia Tech College of Engineering Researcher Scott Huxtable has received the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Aware, the most prestigious award given to creative junior faculty who are considered likely to become academic leaders of the future.

DNA Used to Direct Nanowire Assembly and Growth

Engineers at Brown University have harnessed the coding power of DNA to create zinc oxide nanowires on top of carbon nanotube tips. This research marks the first time that DNA has been used to direct the assembly and growth of complex nanowires.

Annual University Rankings Prove UAlbany Number One Again

Small Times magazine has released its annual collegiate rankings, and for the second year in a row, the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) at the University of Albany (UAlbany) is the number one college for nanotechnology and microtechnology. CNSE boasts that it is the first college in the world dedicated to nanotechnology education, research, and economic outreach.

Department of Defense Awards University of Houston Sensor Grant

Knowing your territory is key in any field, regardless if you’re a doctor examining a tumor or a soldier navigating a mine field. That’s why medical and military personnel are becoming increasingly dependent upon magnetic field sensors to help map their respective territories.

Snowstorm Prompts Nanosensor Uses in New York

In October 2006, a devastating snowstorm in Western New York prompted researchers at the University of Buffalo to discuss how nanoscale sensors could make power systems far more resilient.

New SEMATECH Headquarters to Increase Jobs, Research Capabilities

As part of the expanding partnership with the University at Albany College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE), International SEMATECH has agreed to locate its headquarters in Albany making this expansion the largest in the history of SEMATECH and the seven-year agreement will significantly expand the consortium’s New York research and operations.

Purdue Engineers Research ‘Vertically-Oriented Nanoelectronics’

Engineers at Purdue University have taken a step toward making advanced electronics, i.e. wireless devices and sensors, by developing a technique to grow individual carbon nanotubes vertically out of tiny cavities on top of a silicon wafer. These advances use nanotubes by stacking circuits and components in layers.

Researchers Find New Mechanism Governing Particle Growth in Nanocomposites

Materials researchers today have a great interest in controlling the growth of nanoparticles much in part due to the fact that the properties of these tiny structures depend so closely on their size, size distribution, and morphology.

Fusing Spider Silk and Silica Creates New Protein

A new fusion protein that combines the toughness of spider silk and the complex structure of silica has been created by the bioengineers at Tufts University. This new nanocomposite can be used in both medical and industrial applications, such as growing new bone tissue.

MIT Nanocomposite Research Yields Lycra-like Fibers – Strong and Stretchy Material Inspired by Spider Silk

One of engineering’s elusive goals was creating an artificial material that is both stretchy and strong. Thanks to the researchers at MIT’s Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies, that goal has become a reality. Inspired by spider silk, a naturally occurring strong and stretchy substance, a way to produce a material that mimics this combination of desirable properties has been formulated.

Georgia Institute of Technology Creates New Nanocomposite Processing Technique

Consumer devices such as cell phones and defence applications requiring both high energy storage and rapid current discharge stand to benefit from a new technique for creating films of barium titanate nanoparticles in a polymer matrix which allows fabrication of improved capacitors to store twice the energy as current devices.

Nano Paint has Possibility to Detect Early Cancers and Boost Anti-terrorism Measures

The University of Toronto researchers have found a way to increase precision night vision technology thanks to a light particle-boosting, water-based material found in the infrared spectrum.

Purdue Scientsits Use Nanowires to Build Transparent Transistors for Displays

Researchers from Purdue University are using single nanowires to create fully-transparent transistors and circuits for low-cost, flexible color screens for consumer electronics, displays for car windshields and even “electronic” paper. The transparent transistors are assembled from single "nanowires" put onto glass or thin films of flexible plastic.

DoE, University of Chicago Extend Nanoscale Fuel Cell Project

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Lab will investigate where nanostructured polymeric materials could help make fuel-cell cars a reality. A long-standing problem with using fuel cells to autos is that current technology does not support an on-board hydrogen storage system that could hold enough fuel to take a car 300 miles.

Dr. Supriyo Bandyopadhyay: Spintronics Drives Next-Gen Computing

One of the fathers of Spintronics, Dr. Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, Director of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Quantum Device Laboratory, says research and principals from this cutting-edge nanoscience could drive computing’s next era.

Cornell's CNF Celebrates The Future of Nanotechnology on June 14

Cornell University's NanoScale Science and Technology Facility (CNF) has been at the forefront of nanotechnology for 30 years. To commemorate, CNF will hold its next event June 14, at Cornell's campus in Ithica, NY. CNF serves over 700 users a year, and has been instrumental in enabling, developing, and propagating the benefits of nanotechnology. The Future of Nanotechnology celebrates CNF's past contributions, and looks at the shape of things to come.

Dr. Frank Gaitan: Working Toward a Functional Quantum Computer

For a number of years, Frank Gaitan, an associate professor in Southern Illinois University's (Carbondale, Ill). Department of Physics, followed the field of quantum computing from a distance. But, today, he is actively involved in one of the area’s most intriguing research areas – the hunt for the quantum computer. NanoScienceWorks.org talks with Dr. Gaitan about his work.

Rice: Buckeyballs May Offer Vast Hydrogen Storage

At Rice University, researchers say buckeyballs may be able to hold out-of-this-world densities of hydrogen. The finding could pave new research into how to expand storage capability for clean-fuel vehicles, like the hydrogen car.

UA Researchers Use Nanoscale Speed Bumps to Smooth MEMS, Nano Friction

Researchers from the University of Arkansas have shown how nanoscale speed bumps can reduce friction and attractive forces between microscopic parts, helping devices function more smoothly. The work is done at UA’s Nano Mechanics and Tribology Lab, part of UA’s College of Engineering.

Leeds Researchers To Earthquake-Proof Home with Auto-Released Nano-Polymers, Nanosensors

Nanoresearchers at the University of Leeds plan to employ auto-released nano-polymers and nano-based sensors to make houses more earthquake resistant.

Yale University Commits $100M to Multi-Disciplinary Nanoscience Institute

Yale University has formally launched its Yale Institute for Nanoscience & Quantum Engineering, citing more than $100 million in financial commitments. The Yale institute aims to focus on six nano-related disciplines: molecular electronics, quantum information processing, soft-materials chemistry, nanoparticles, photonics, and nanoscale biomedical engineering.

Milk Proteins Hold Promise for Nano Delivery Systems

Nature has endowed a milk protein, casein, with the capability to form nano-sized micelles. That trait is now being actively investigated by researchers from the Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa to see if casein could unlock a huge potential to nano-encapsulate sensitive ingredients.

Innovative NanoTribology Processes Aim To Eliminate Toxic Coatings

An innovative nano-based tribology solution from scientists at Friction Control Solutions Inc. (Farmington Hills, Mich.) has been awarded a Technology Innovation Award from Frost & Sullivan. FriCSo’s Surface Engineering Treatment (SET) replaces coatings with a “polymer lapping process” -- an innovative mechanical process to reduce the friction between moving parts

London Centre for Nanotechnology Opens

The London Centre for Nanotechnology (LCN) marked its official opening at a celebration in early November. LCN brings together resources and personnel from University College London and Imperial College London to direct nanoscience research for solutions in information processing, health care, and energy and environment.

The Most Resilient Nanosprings in Nature

Researchers from Duke University have shown that a component of many natural proteins can act as one of the most powerful and resilient molecular springs in nature.

Fabrication News

Georgia Tech Sees Promise for NanoGenerators in Clothing

Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta, Ga. are developing a ‘power shirt’ made of nanowire-affixed textiles to let soldiers generate power from clothing via physical motion. Georgia tech researchers showed how textiles fibers covered with zinc oxide nanowires can create sufficient power for small portable devices.

Sweden’s RIT Explores Silicon Nanoribbons

Semiconductor nanoribbons, a thin sheet of silicon placed on an oxidized silicon substrate, can detect biomolecules at high sensitivity say researchers at Sweden’s Royal Institute of Technology.

UVA’s Dr. Robert Hull Head Rensselaer’s Materials Science and Engineering

Noted nanomaterials researcher Dr. Robert Hull will join Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in early 2008 to head its School of Engineering’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Dr. Hull makes the move after 13 years as a leading nanoscientist at the University of Virginia.

Dr. Ahmed A. Busnaina: Moving NanoScale Discoveries to High-Rate Manufacturing

Dr. Ahmed A. Busnaina of Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.) focuses his research on bringing valuable nanoscale discoveries from lab into high-volume manufacturing. He directs the National Science Foundation’s Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center (NSEC) for High-Rate Nanomanufacturing, and the Center for Nano and Microcontamination Control. He speaks with NanoScienceWorks.org about his research.

Soft Lithography Shows "Large" Promise for Scaling Nano

Led by Teri Odom of Northwestern University, research funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) has shown that an inexpensive and innovative way of making nanomaterials on a large scale has resulted in novel forms of advanced materials, paving the way for unexpected and exceptional optical properties.

Georgia Institute of Technology Creates New Nanocomposite Processing Technique

Consumer devices such as cell phones and defence applications requiring both high energy storage and rapid current discharge stand to benefit from a new technique for creating films of barium titanate nanoparticles in a polymer matrix which allows fabrication of improved capacitors to store twice the energy as current devices.

Purdue Scientsits Use Nanowires to Build Transparent Transistors for Displays

Researchers from Purdue University are using single nanowires to create fully-transparent transistors and circuits for low-cost, flexible color screens for consumer electronics, displays for car windshields and even “electronic” paper. The transparent transistors are assembled from single "nanowires" put onto glass or thin films of flexible plastic.

ITC’s Olga A. Shenderova: Exploring the Cutting Edge of Nanodiamonds

Dr. Olga A. Shenderova is Senior Scientist and Head of the Nanodiamond Laboratory at the International Technology Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. Her passion for nanodiamonds is reflected in her work, where she and her colleagues have developed a cleaner and more eco-friendly ways to produce nanodiamonds for a variety of uses – sunscreens, paints, polymers and even integrated circuits. Dr. Shenderova emerged as a leading voice in nanodiamond fabrication after her research on atomistic modeling and solidified came public during the world’s first International Conference on Detonation Nanodiamonds in 2003.

Cornell's CNF Celebrates The Future of Nanotechnology on June 14

Cornell University's NanoScale Science and Technology Facility (CNF) has been at the forefront of nanotechnology for 30 years. To commemorate, CNF will hold its next event June 14, at Cornell's campus in Ithica, NY. CNF serves over 700 users a year, and has been instrumental in enabling, developing, and propagating the benefits of nanotechnology. The Future of Nanotechnology celebrates CNF's past contributions, and looks at the shape of things to come.

Stoddart Lab Heads Nano Work To Build Computer Memory from Molecules

A team of UCLA and California Institute of Technology chemists say they have successfully demonstrated a mega-capacity computer memory device. The work, published in Nature, is based on reconfigurable switches built from interlocking molecules, and were fabricated in the lab of J. Fraser Stoddart, director of the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI).

London Centre for Nanotechnology Opens

The London Centre for Nanotechnology (LCN) marked its official opening at a celebration in early November. LCN brings together resources and personnel from University College London and Imperial College London to direct nanoscience research for solutions in information processing, health care, and energy and environment.

Nanobiotechnology News

Johns Hopkins NanoBio Symposium (May 1-2) Eyes Nano for Cancer

The Institute for NanoBioTechnology is sponsoring the second annual Johns Hopkins NanoBio Symposium to be he