Nanotechnology : %1

General Enquiries

Admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:39:36 +0000

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We get a lot of students enquiring about various matters so we will be posting them here to help out. If you need help use our contact form with your requirements.

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Dear Colleagues,

Researcher in nanomaterial and environemtal researches

Dear Colleagues, I would like to introduce myslef with my Cv at
http://www.geocities.com/hkazemian/CV.doc. Now I want to relocate from my
country to North America or European countries. if you have any research posiiton please contact me

hosseinkazemian@gmail.com

Sincerely
Kazemian

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Dear sir or madam,

A place to write my diploma thesis

I am a bio- nanotechnology student at an advanced technical college in the
9th semester. From march 2009 to the end of may 2009 i need a ministered
place (german diplom-engineer / degreed engineer (advanced technical
college) or higher gradet) were i could write my diploma thesis. Please
write me, if you could help me. I'm interested in jobs in germany, close
to germany (european union) or anywhere else if i get extra payment for
it, in germany i would finance myself but would not mind getting payment.

hd_trinkaus@msn.com

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Hello

Student Research

I was wondering if you had any additional information concerning
nanotechnology and the different markets and suppliers that are already in
the industry. Any other additional information would be greatly
appreciated!!!

tho0505@gmail.com

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The Latest Nanotechnolgy News Snips From Around The World. - CLICK HERE

Admin — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:10:29 +0000

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Here we add all the latest news snips from around the world. Hopefully they will be of interest to you. I guess they idea is to save you trolling lots of sites and reading headlines

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Kenyan education should embrace nanotechnology

Kenya should introduce a nanotechnology curriculum to position the country as a "global player" in this emerging area of science and technology, write Macharia Waruingi and Jean Njoroge in Business Daily Africa. Nanotechnology could potentially make a greater impact than biotechnology and information technology combined, with an estimated market value of US$1 trillion by 2015. Africa is well

Nanotech centre in Washington

George Washington University in Washington DC has announced the establishment of the GW Institute for Nanotechnology which will draw on the expertise of the university’s faculty members across a range of disciplines.

Nanotechnology in schools

The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, will today in Melbourne launch an innovative secondary school resource that will assist science teachers to teach nanotechnology in Australian schools. AccessNano, a cutting-edge educational resource, is designed to introduce accessible and innovative science and technology into classrooms, and provide an integrated approach to teaching nanotechnolgy. The Australian Office of Nanotechnology developed AccessNano following feedback from science teachers that children were asking to be taught about nanotechnology, but many teachers did not have the knowledge or resources to be able to teach the topic.

US Army Embraces Nanotechnology

Few of late have not heard about nanotechnology and the advances that have been made with this wondrous technology. Self-repairing paint, possible future surgeries that are invasive, advances plastics and medical technology, and even future ideas for computers are among the few that have been heard about this year alone. However, there are other uses for nanoids including the use of protective equipment and storage materials. This last subject has been the debate of the moment for the next U.S. Army Corrosion Summit. It is hoped that nanotechnology may be applied to corrosive materials and helped to retain them by creating anti-corrosion technology through the use of nanotechnology. As more studies are done on this new science, it is also speculated that further uses including food and water storage for soldiers, and stronger protective shield for mobile units. In addition, there is also the possibility of more affordable and stronger personal armor for soldiers to use on the front line. As this new science is explored, more advances are expected be discovered as time passes, which will hopefully turn into the ability to protect U.S. Army soldiers and supplies while in the field.

CCAS, SEAS launch Institute for Nanotechnology

A recently launched Institute for Nanotechnology at GW will investigate a developing science that studies objects 1/100,000th the size of a strand of hair.In a partnership between the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the Institute for Nanotechnology will research atoms at the nano level and ultimately help create new goods and materials. The University has committed $200,000 to the institute for its first year.

NANO ACCESS IN A NUTSHELL

AccessNano is all set for its November 28th launch by The Honourable Julia Guillard MP at the 2008 Science Teachers Association of Victoria Conference. What is AccessNano? AccessNano is a cutting-edge nanotechnology educational resource designed to introduce accessible and innovative science and technology into Australian secondary school classrooms. It is different from most other nanotechnology education initiatives as it provides an integrated and locally-relevant approach to teaching nanotechnology. AccessNano is presented in the form of 13 web-based, curriculum-matched modules targeted at years 7-11, featuring PowerPoint presentations, experiments, activities, animations and links to interactive websites. accessnano.org/

Nanotechnology sparks fears for the future

READ FULL REPORT - http://www.rcep.org.uk/novelmaterials.htm

Footware enhanced by nanotechnology

Guests at the London Aquarium last August 27th were first to see the unvieling of Hi-Tec's revolutionary footware named 'ion mask'. Dr Ian Robins, Business Development Director of P2i, adds: “ion-mask™ surface enhancement nano-technology can treat everyday objects without altering the look, design or feel of the object.

Nanotechnology park needs a name

The Mayor of South Bend Mayor Luecke is asking local residents to come up with a name for the city's future 83 acre nanotechnology park

Nanotechnology Operations To Be Housed In Moscow

In 2009, production of unique nanomaterials for the aviation industry will be launched in Moscow, said Alexander Yuzvik, general director of the Moscow-based state-owned company Stroyexprom. The decision to set up the operations on the territory of the now closed AZLK car factory was made by the city's authorities and the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnology. Moscow has allotted some RUB 1.7bn (approx. USD 63.17m) from its budget to revamp the factory's facilities. According to Yuzvik, some Austrian and French companies have already been given the green light to run their operations in the area. Apart from them, a Russian firm based with the Moscow State University's chemical faculty will set up its production there as well, and Stroyexprom is in talks to attract more partners.

Fuel efficient engine oil driven by nanotechnology

High-tech lubricant hailed the 'top dog of engine oil' has been launched at an industry event at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham. The London firm behind the venture - NanoBoron UK - says the oil has been scientifically proven to improve fuel consumption more than 10 per cent, reduce engine wear and corrosion and help the environment.

Nanotechnology May Help Nepal

Nanotechnology has tremendous possibility to create many new materials and devices with numerous applications, such as in medicine, electronics, and energy production.In September 2000, 189 member states of the UN agreed on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)- Nepal was one of them

Scientific center in nanotechnology started

A regional center in nanotechnology education will be lead by Lansing Community college which will bring together colleges throughout Michigan. The initiative will be named Nano-Link and is funded to the tune of $3 million dollars by The National Science Foundation.

'Second Life' has launched a nanotechnology concept

You know nanotechnology is here to stay when 'Second Life' have created a nanotechnology island within their online virtual world. The aim is to bring nanotech communities together and form relationships between scientists and polcy makers. Well well, what next?

Drug development research aided by nanoparticles

(UK)Liverpool University scientists have been developing a new method that will improve the effectiveness of antibacterial treatments. The new technology is allowing the scientists to develop new medicines by converting currently available drugs into a nanoparticle form. Antiparastitic drugs to treat malaria are also being developed in collaboration with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

Nanotech Program Launched By Australian Government

The federal government has launched a $100 million science program aimed at providing laboratories and support for work on micro and nano-fabrication research. The program is to be distributed between seven universities across Australia

Nanocosmetics spark fears

Which magazine report fears over the safety of skin products that are developed with nanotechnology. They are calling for stricter regulations saying that consumers have no idea what they are actually using

There is a difference between Carbon and Nanotubes

Nanotubes are difference than carbon, with carbon nanotubes considered new substances under the Toxic Substances Control Act. This is the position taken by the US Environmental Protection Agency

Managed to kill 98% cervical cancer cells

Scientists at Little Rock have developed a method of killing the cancer cells by injecting them with minute magnetic particles which are heated with low radio frequency radiation. They are working in collaboration with The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

NY - Solar power to be more efficient

Researchers have developed a new antireflective coating that will allow the panels to capture more sunlight. Congratulations to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

US - 39 engineers and scientist selected for 3 year research grant awards

Total awards amount to $12.1 million. The awaards are aimed at creating basic research in many areas such as physics, electronics, chemical and life sciences

More effective insulation using nanotechnology

It is now possible to paint on materials that have been created using nanotechnology that give the surface properties and definitions due to the minute enhanced nano-structures. Think about aircraft and the aerodynamics possibilities.

Chennai, India - Date set for Nanotechnology Conclave 2009

4th Nanotechnology Conclave 2009, Tamil Nadu TEchnology Development & Promotion Center of CII's mega international event, is scheduled to be held in Chennai, India, at Hotel Taj Coromandal, from 02-03 March 2009.

Stamping nanodevices with rubber moulds

Cornell researchers have developed a way to pattern and make nanoscale wires along with other devices. Normally expensive lithographic equipment had been used for this process. The moulds stamp the structures required.

Bioinformatics Industry supported by Nanotechnology will grow at 31% by year 2010

With lots of early success in this field such as nanoparticulate synthetic bone substitute and nanocomposite packaging materials that increases the shelf life of food products. Bioinformatics applications are expected to be instrumental in providing the first major break-through to nanotechnology.

Nanotools sales set to explode in USA

Nanotools are being used in many areas such as research, biomedical and the electronics industry. Sales of nanotools in the electronics industry alone are expected to exceed $450 million by the end of 2012

Nanotechnology to be pushed by The Confederation of Indian Industry

Industry is being urged forward and research projects should be given preference. A skill development initiative is required to support this emerging technolgy. The Indian government is being asked to establish a strong infrastructure to aid this push.

Mend a Boken Heart?

A novel scaffold developed by MIT could mend broken hearts one day. The idea is that living heart cells or stem cells seeded onto such a scaffold would develop into a patch of cardiac tissue that could be used to treat congenital heart defects, or aid the recovery of tissue damaged by a heart attack. The biodegradable scaffold would be gradually absorbed into the body, leaving behind new tissue.

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Your interpretations of nanotechnology

Admin — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 12:32:10 +0000

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For reference (and fun) we are gatherering your slant on 'Nanotechnology' - Send in your idea of what nanotechnolgy is.

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We are going to list everyones idea on the concept of nanotechnology. Whether funny, off the wall or serious we would love to hear from you. All submissions will get your name and url acknowledged.

Here is one slightly understated submission - 'Nanotechnology is about small things'

So come on nanoviper's lets be hearing form you. You can use the form below. 100 words or less please. http://www.nanovip.com/contact

Read the results - http://www.nanovip.com/node/53670

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Click Here For Nanotechnology Related Downloads

Admin — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 23:53:21 +0000

Nanovip Companies Database
http://www.nanovip.com/nanotechnology-companies/download-databases

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Hub-based Simulation and Graphics Hardware Accelerated Visualization for

Moving New Technologies from the Lab to the Marketplace

Admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:43:39 +0000

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Judith Sheft, associate vice president for technology development at NJIT, has been awarded funds from the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology to assist faculty researchers with the most promising patentable inventions with funding grants of up to $50,000. The money, known as Gap grants, is designed to help bridge the chasm between an interesting idea and a commercial product.

Sixteen grants have been made since 2006 to NJIT faculty researchers. The most promising innovations include the following.

Timothy Chang, professor of electrical and computer engineering, received a Gap award last year for his patented nanopositioner which has 6 degrees of freedom for applications in such fields as semiconductor manufacturing, opto-electronics, life sciences and material handling. This year, he received two more awards -- one for his low transient pulse technique for ultrasound imaging to detect and monitor bone fractures, and another for broadening the application base of the SmartPin™, a new liquid dispensing/handling system capable of producing tiny spots/droplets/geometric-features for molecular biology research and analysis.

Rajesh Dave, distinguished professor of chemical engineering, received a Gap award for his dry-particle coating technique. The technique enables a precise amount of nano-particles to be bonded onto the surface of cohesive powders as small as 5 microns. This nanoscale coating process opens a host of new applications for pharmaceutical, neutraceutical, food, energetic and electronics materials.

Sergiu Gorun, associate professor of chemistry, received an award to further develop his phthalocyanine dyes. The dyes have the unique characteristic of absorbing heat, allowing visible light to pass through the polymer thus opening up an array of new civilian and military applications. They include heat ray shielding laminated glass or film, plasma display grade filters, heat-retaining and heat-accumulating fibers, and liquid crystal display devices.

Zafar Iqbal, research professor of chemistry, received support to develop technology that applies the principles and materials of nanotechnology to a novel biofuel cell that converts the body’s own glucose to power devices like pacemakers and glucose biosensors for diabetics. The device uses highly conductive nanomaterials -- carbon nanotubes and gold quantum dots -- to guide the electrons.

Treena Livingston Arinzeh, associate professor of biomedical engineering, and Michael Jaffe, research professor of biomedical engineering, received a grant to refine and improve their electrospinning technique. They have used it to build scaffolds for tissue engineering which are then combined with adult stem cells to regrow bone tissue.

Michael Lacker, professor of biomedical engineering, received an award for his boundary method. The method generates new output algorithms for measuring skill, movement stability, and energy efficiency of human motion. He someday sees his research assisting people with neuromuscular and skeletal injuries with daily activities.

Chengjun Liu, associate professor of computer science, received a Gap grant for his patented face detection technology to develop new similarity measures required for a robust face detection pilot system. The system, which takes into account such factors as lighting and facial expressions, can be used as a security system with facial identification replacing a physical key or a password. Such a system could also assist law enforcement officials in locating fugitives by means of video cameras strategically placed in public places.

Somenath Mitra, professor of chemistry, and Zafar Iqbal, research professor of chemistry, received awards to refine their proprietary techniques for producing, purifying and changing the chemical characteristics of carbon nanotubes thus allowing nanomaterials to be combined into nanostructures, manipulated by chemical engineering, or embedded into a matrix of other materials for a wide variety of applications.

Kamalesh K. Sirkar, distinguished professor of chemical engineering, received multiple grants to participate in a NASA-sponsored large-scale demonstration of his hollow fiber membrane device. The device can remove and recover volatile organic compounds from air and waste-gas streams vented by a variety of industrial processes (water treatment, and chemical, food, petrochemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing), thus reducing the greenhouse effect.

G. Gordon Thomas, professor of physics, received two awards, one to improve and test a new tonometer. The instrument enables thru-the-eyelid measurement of intro-ocular pressure to diagnose glaucoma. He received a second award to continue work of his team’s “smart shunt” for hydrocephalus and brain-injured patients.

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New Jersey Institute of Technology, New Jersey's science and technology university, enrolls more than 8,000 students in bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in nearly 100 degree programs offered by six colleges: Newark College of Engineering, New Jersey School of Architecture, College of Science and Liberal Arts, School of Management, Albert Dorman Honors College, and College of Computing Sciences. NJIT is renowned for expertise in architecture, applied mathematics, wireless communications and networking, solar physics, advanced engineered particulate materials, nanotechnology, neural engineering, and eLearning. NJIT: The Edge in Knowledge.

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Imagination Moves Nanotechnology into the Forefront of Current Scientific Exploration

Admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:37:27 +0000

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“What are nano-pants?” I asked a curious 11 year-old. “Very tiny pants?” she guessed.

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Although her answer was technically incorrect in that nanotechnology will not shrink pants, her thinking was headed in the right direction.

Nanotechnology involves the shrinking of scientific substances into the nanoscale (1 nm = 10-9 m), and building substances at the atomic level to create new materials and devices, explained Beth Baumert, SCC Chemistry instructor. “It is the study and control of matter on an atomic and/or molecular scale,” she said.

As for the pants, they do exist. Just ask SCC Computer Science instructor Gerald Thurman.

What do nano-pants, the newest sunscreens, and cell phones have in common? They are commercial products that include components or materials that are made of substances that have been reduced into the nanoscale in order to make the product better, more functional, or more appealing to the consumer.

Many new sunscreens, for instance, are made with transparent zinc oxide, a substance that allows wearers to shield themselves from the sun while avoiding the pasty white nose effect made famous by local lifeguards. Sunblock can now change from white to colorless when zinc oxide nanoparticles are used because the optical properties of the materials are altered as the size of particles change. When they get smaller, they become transparent.

Cell phone technology is in a daily state of change it seems, much of it involving nanotechnology. Thurman describes a new product in development that is aided by nanotechnology – a ‘band-aid’ that is applied to a cell phone battery that will extend the life of the battery.

“Eventually cell phones will become more computer-like, but the size needs to stay small,” he said. “Nanotechnology will allow it to stay small,” explaining that current magnification technology allows computer scientists to burn more onto the silicon chip, although tomorrow’s technology will likely improve the process so that these effects can be maximized.

Many solar product companies are riding the nanotechnology bandwagon. California-based Nanosolar is exploring new territory in its quest to deliver cost-effective solar electricity. According to Thurman, current products include nano particle-based coatings in which the particles are charged by the sun’s rays. The coatings can be used on houses and cars for starters, and if more energy is needed, additional coatings can be applied.

According to Baumert, nanotechnology has been around for many centuries -- used for beer-making, Egyptian enamels and stained-glass windows. It was first mentioned by Richard Feynman in 1959. He described a process by which the ability to manipulate individual atoms and molecules might be developed.

SCC understands the significance of nanotechnology and has served as host for the Arizona Nanotechnology Cluster’s annual symposium for the past two years. A nonprofit organization, the Cluster was formed to share technological advances and promote business development in the nanotechnology field. Last year, over 340 people attended the symposium at SCC, many from around the world.

In 2007, the symposium’s keynote speaker, Wade Adams from Rice University--the leader in nanotechnology research, explained that nanotechnology will play a key role in solving the world’s energy problems. “He said ‘become a scientist – save the world’,” recalled Thurman.

Nanotechnology is a diverse and multidisciplinary field. It has wide-ranging applications, including medicine, electronics, and energy production. According to Baumert, it has the potential to benefit everyone.

The commercial benefits include pharmaceuticals with fewer side effects, stain-resistant clothing (such as Thurman’s nano-pants), faster and more powerful computers (for complex operations such as weather prediction or modeling new electronic materials on an atomic scale), and the use of nano-composite fibers to strengthen sports equipment (such as in the bicycle used by Floyd Landis in the 2006 Tour de France).

The humanitarian benefits of nanotechnology include developing more efficient ways to produce energy--thus lowering its cost, removing toxins from waste streams through the use of filters made with nanoscale porous structures, creating more effective drug delivery, developing new cancer treatments, and making faster, cheaper medical diagnostic techniques.

Multiple academic disciplines are involved in the study and application of nanotechnology. Chemistry works with fuel cells, surface reactions, and nanoparticles. Computer Science works with new magnetic materials for computer hard drives and quantum-based computers. Electrical Engineering works to make faster, smaller electronic devices.

Material Science and Engineering works with carbon nanotubes for strengthening materials, nanoparticles for more efficient solar cells, and biocompatible materials to make such devices as hip joints. Medicine works with drug delivery systems and molecular self-assembly for producing pharmaceuticals. Physics works with quantum dots.

Kyle Rawlings, physics professor at SCC, explains that quantum dots will allow us to manipulate natural substances so they can be programmable. “What if I need… solar cells?” said Rawlings, explaining that any device or object we need can be created through these programmable substances.

Scientists are now developing the tools to build quantum dots. “The programmable quantum dots will tell atoms how to chemically bond to create whatever we need,” explained Rawlings.

The concept of quantum dots sounds like the stuff of modern science fiction, yet Rawlings explains that large research universities are currently in the process of working with claytronics, a form of quantum dots technology in which nanoscale robots become capable of self-assembly. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcaqzOUv2Ao).

Where is nanotechnology headed and how fast is this science growing? The 2008 budget for the US federal agencies participating in the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) is nearly 1.5 billion dollars, noted Baumert. The National Science Foundation predicts that nano-related goods and services could be a one-trillion dollar market by 2015, making it one of the fastest-growing industries in history.

SCC students will get to join the nanotech bandwagon by joining SCC’s Nano-newbies club (currently being formed). For more information about the club, contact Gerald Thurman.

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Scottsdale, AZ (October 9, 2008)

About Scottsdale Community College:
Scottsdale Community College offers over 1,500 academic and non-credit classes each semester. Located on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, the campus is known for its serene atmosphere and beautiful plant and wildlife. With nearly 12,000 students, Scottsdale Community College is proud to offer high-quality, affordable programs in small class settings. From Motion Picture/Television Production and Culinary Arts to Nursing and American Indian Studies, students have a wide variety of programs from which to earn credits for university transfer, launch their careers, train for new ones, or pursue a special interest. The SCC Business Institute offers customized programs to meet the needs of local business. Scottsdale Community College is one of the ten Maricopa Community Colleges.

To learn about the many academic programs at Scottsdale Community College, call us at (480) 423-6000 or visit our website at scottsdalecc.edu.

Media contact:

Denise Kronsteiner
(480) 423-6567
denise.kronsteiner@sccmail.maricopa.edu

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Self-powered devices possible, says Texas A&M researcher

Admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:28:15 +0000

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Imagine a self-powering cell phone that never needs to be charged because it converts sound waves produced by the user into the energy it needs to keep running.

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COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Dec. 1, 2008 – Imagine a self-powering cell phone that never needs to be charged because it converts sound waves produced by the user into the energy it needs to keep running. It's not as far-fetched as it may seem thanks to the recent work of Tahir Cagin, a professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University.

Utilizing materials known in scientific circles as "piezoelectrics," Cagin, whose research focuses on nanotechnology, has made a significant discovery in the area of power harvesting – a field that aims to develop self-powered devices that do not require replaceable power supplies, such as batteries.

Specifically, Cagin and his partners from the University of Houston have found that a certain type of piezoelectric material can covert energy at a 100 percent increase when manufactured at a very small size – in this case, around 21 nanometers in thickness.

What's more, when materials are constructed bigger or smaller than this specific size they show a significant decrease in their energy-converting capacity, he said.

His findings, which are detailed in an article published this fall in "Physical Review B," the scientific journal of the American Physical Society, could have potentially profound effects for low-powered electronic devices such as cell phones, laptops, personal communicators and a host of other computer-related devices used by everyone from the average consumer to law enforcement officers and even soldiers in the battlefield.

Many of these high-tech devices contain components that are measured in nanometers – a microscopic unit of measurement representing one-billionth of a meter. Atoms and molecules are measured in nanometers, and a human hair is about 100,000 nanometers wide.

Though Cagin's subject matter is small, its impact could be huge. His discovery stands to advance an area of study that has grown increasingly popular due to consumer demand for compact portable and wireless devices with extended lifespans.

Battery life remains a major concern for popular mp3 players and cell phones that are required to perform an ever-expanding array of functions. But beyond mere consumer convenience, self-powering devices are of major interest to several federal agencies.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has investigated methods for soldiers in the field to generate power for their portable equipment through the energy harvested from simply walking. And sensors – such as those used to detect explosives – could greatly benefit from a self-powering technology that would reduce the need for the testing and replacing of batteries.

"Even the disturbances in the form of sound waves such as pressure waves in gases, liquids and solids may be harvested for powering nano- and micro devices of the future if these materials are processed and manufactured appropriately for this purpose," Cagin said.

Key to this technology, Cagin explained, are piezoelectrics. Derived from the Greek word "piezein," which means "to press," piezoelectrics are materials (usually crystals or ceramics) that generate voltage when a form of mechanical stress is applied. Conversely, they demonstrate a change in their physical properties when an electric field is applied.

Discovered by French scientists in the 1880s, piezoelectrics aren't a new concept. They were first used in sonar devices during World War I. Today they can be found in microphones and quartz watches. Cigarette lighters in automobiles also contain piezoelectrics. Pressing down the lighter button causes impact on a piezoelectric crystal that in turn produces enough voltage to create a spark and ignite the gas.

On a grander scale, some night clubs in Europe feature dance floors built with piezoelectrics that absorb and convert the energy from footsteps in order to help power lights in the club. And it's been reported that a Hong Kong gym is using the technology to convert energy from exercisers to help power its lights and music.

While advances in those applications continue to progress, piezoelectric work at the nanoscale is a relatively new endeavor with different and complex aspects to consider, said Cagin.

For example, imagine going from working with a material the size and shape of a telephone post to dealing with that same material the size of a hair, he said. When such a significant change in scale occurs, materials react differently. In this case, something the size of a hair is much more pliable and susceptible to change from its surrounding environment, Cagin noted. These types of changes have to be taken into consideration when conducting research at this scale, he said.

"When materials are brought down to the nanoscale dimension, their properties for some performance characteristics dramatically change," said Cagin who is a past recipient of the prestigious Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology. "One such example is with piezoelectric materials. We have demonstrated that when you go to a particular length scale – between 20 and 23 nanometers – you actually improve the energy-harvesting capacity by 100 percent.

"We're studying basic laws of nature such as physics and we're trying to apply that in terms of developing better engineering materials, better performing engineering materials. We're looking at chemical constitutions and physical compositions. And then we're looking at how to manipulate these structures so that we can improve the performance of these materials."

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Texas A&M University, among the world's leading research institutions, is in the vanguard in making significant contributions to the storehouse of knowledge, including that of science and technology. Research conducted at Texas A&M represents an annual investment of more than $540 million and underwrites approximately 3,500 sponsored projects. That research creates new knowledge that provides basic, fundamental and applied contributions resulting in many cases in economic benefits to the state, nation and world.

Contact: Tahir Cagin at (979) 862-1449 or via email: cagin@che.tamu.edu or Ryan A. Garcia at (979) 845-9237 or via email: ryan.garcia99@tamu.edu

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Contact: Ryan Garcia
ryan.garcia99@tamu.edu
979-845-9237
Texas A&M University

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Technologies in hydrogen generation.

Admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:26:36 +0000

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Mission: To assist industries in moving toward a more viable and environmental solution for producing energy utilizing emerging technologies in hydrogen generation.

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Global Hydrogen, Inc., founded by Dr. Linnard Griffin, is located in Betram, TX. Dr. Griffin is working on new processes for the generation of hydrogen and oxygen.

Using proprietary electrodes and cell design, Dr. Griffin has developed a now low-voltage hydrogen generation process that generates hydrogen under the theoretical minimum of 1.23 volts believed to be necessary.

Consider, until now producing hydrogen using natural gas reforming was the best known and most efficient process. This process uses 3.5 kilogram of natural gas for each kilogram of hydrogen produced. With natural gas marketing at $1.02 a kilogram, hydrogen produced with natural gas is $3.57 per kilogram.

With Dr. Griffin's process, hydrogen can be produced for $2.47 per kilogram (over $1 less) assuming 6 cents per kilowatt hour on the standard utility grid. You can view a short video accompanied by an explanation by Dr. Griffin on our Supporting Documents page.

Almost 96% of the hydrogen gas produced today is from fossil fuel feedstock. The process developed by Global Hydrogen utilizes water, not fossil fuels, to generate hydrogen. Additionally, the process can be utilized so that NO GREENHOUSE GASES are produced. The emergence of fuel cells has created new emerging markets for distributed hydrogen, including standby/backup power generators, material handling, and niche transportation such as fuel cell fleet vehicles, scooters, motorcycles, utility vehicles, boats and more.

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Nanotechnology, Biotech, and Our Common Future

Admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:24:52 +0000

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You might think that the acronym “NBIC” (Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Information and communication technology (ICT), and Cognitive science) is such an infocritter.

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As befits an information-besotted age, we live amidst buzzwords that, like some species of exotic insect, seem to live and die in weeks. You might think that the acronym “NBIC” (Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Information and communication technology (ICT), and Cognitive science) is such an infocritter. But the phenomena behind this term are complex and profound, and raise difficult conceptual and operational questions for not just environmentalists, but anyone interested in human futures.

NBIC is not simply recognition of four rapidly evolving areas of research and technological advance. Rather, it also indicates that the four components -- which are probably best thought of as frontiers of knowledge, rather than simply new technologies -- are increasingly converging in many ways. The boundaries between them are growing increasingly fuzzy and fluid -- is building a DNA-based computational system ICT, or biotechnology, or nanotechnology? They also share some important functional similarities -- for example, all of them represent substantial leaps in the amount of information available to humans, and the ability to manipulate and learn from that information. Thus, for example, biotechnology explicates genome after genome, and the patent system and free market economics rapidly commoditize such information as it is developed. They also represent significant extensions of human intentionality into scales -- such as the very small -- that heretofore were closed to human design.

History clearly indicates that it’s a mug’s game to try to predict the specifics of technological evolution -- the more fundamental a technology system is, the less we can say about its eventual effects on society and culture. But the scenarios which respected scientists spin about the possible implications of the NBIC convergence are worth mentioning because they hint at the degree of possible disruptive change. Some scientists in fields such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology, for example, talk about achieving “functional immortality” within perhaps 50 years. Others speak of being able to create integrated real/virtual inhabitable environments within decades. Still others, thinking of the experiment where remote mechanical arms were linked directly into a monkey’s brain via wireless transmission and precision wiring, predict a future where complex engineered systems, such as weapons platforms, are directly interconnected with human brains. Some speak of self-replicating nanobots -- the “gray goo” made famous by Bill Joy in his pessimistic article in Wired. And the potential for a completely sensored, grid computed planetary environment, with no privacy and no individuality, is the nightmare scenario for others.

There are a few common immediate responses to these suggestions. One is usually incredulity -- are they not after all science fiction? “Functional immortality” has been a human fantasy for millennia. Direct coupling of external engineered systems with the human central nervous system reminds one of Anne McCaffrey’s The Ship that Sang about a human brain coupled to a space ship. Another typical response is complete rejection of a potential future that is difficult to comprehend. Thus, for example, some deep greens have already demanded a halt to nanotechnology. More broadly, a resurgence of religious fundamentalism around the world is at least partly attributable to fleeing into a structure of ideological certainty in an attempt to avoid an increasingly complex and contingent world.

These are problematic responses. For one thing, while predicting technology is virtually impossible, the transformative potential of these foundational technologies is clear and in some cases already demonstrable (MRI scans clearly show that access to the Internet and modern games creates a different cognitive structure in the young in developed countries than their peers without such access). Thus, while specific a priori predictions are not possible, it is certainly clear that the effects will be profound and far-reaching. Even more problematic is the effort to completely stifle (as opposed to regulate or manage) new technologies -- it has not worked with genetically modified organisms, and it has already failed with nanotechnology (modern electronics, for example, already contain components designed at the nano scale).

Whether these technologies will on balance be “good” or “bad” is unanswerable at this point. But they do pose a significant challenge not just to society, but to the environmental and sustainability discourses -- a challenge that, so far, has not been met. Continued inability to constructively engage with technological evolution in a rapidly developing world may end up continuing the marginalization of the environmental and sustainability movements. The costs of such a failure would be high for environmentalists - but also for the environment itself. How such engagement might be structured will, accordingly, be the topic of my next column.

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Brad Allenby is professor of civil and environmental engineering at Arizona State University, a fellow at the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business, and previously was AT&T’s vice president of environment, health, and safety.

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Magnetic nanotags allow sensitive detection of cancer biomarkers

Admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:23:27 +0000

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In a multiplex assay involving seven potential cancer biomarkers, concentrations ranging from 5 quadrillionths to 0.1 trillionths of a mole (a standard unit of measurement for molecules) were unambiguously detected simultaneously.

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The detection of cancer-associated proteins, or biomarkers, in blood samples is a potentially powerful tool for early diagnosis of cancer and monitoring of cancer treatment. A team led by researchers at Stanford University and the University of California, Santa Cruz, has developed a compact prototype detector that uses magnetic nanotechnology to spot cancer-associated proteins in a human blood serum sample with much higher sensitivity than current detectors.

The researchers describe their results in a paper published by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) the week of December 1, 2008.

In addition to its high sensitivity, the new detector can monitor multiple biomarkers simultaneously. This "multiplex" capability is important because the use of multiple biomarkers is likely to provide greater accuracy and reliability than single biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and other potential applications, said Nader Pourmand, professor of biomolecular engineering at UCSC.

"With current detectors, you can only detect one protein at a time," Pourmand said. "Instead of the standard fluorescent tags, we used nanosized magnetic beads as tags and were able to detect target molecules with tens to hundreds of times greater sensitivity than standard techniques."

"This is essentially a proof-of-concept study showing that now we have a chip and a reader that can find multiple biomarkers in a sample at a concentration much lower than the standard that is commercially available," said Shan Wang, a Stanford professor of materials science and engineering and electrical engineering.

Wang and Pourmand are senior authors of the paper, along with Stanford biochemistry and genetics Professor Ronald W. Davis.

To tag the cancer proteins with magnetic nanoparticles, the detector subjects blood serum samples to an incubation process that takes place in roughly half an hour. At the heart of the detector is a silicon chip designed by the paper's first author, Sebastian Osterfeld, a Stanford materials science and engineering doctoral student. The chips have 64 embedded sensors whose electrical resistance changes in the presence of a nearby magnetic field. Attached to these sensors are capture antibodies that have the unique ability to latch on to specific cancer-related proteins as they float by.

During the incubation process, these antibodies first capture their specific cancer proteins. Next, a second wave of antibodies attach to the specific cancer proteins on one end and magnetic nanoparticles on the other end, tethering the captured cancer biomarkers to magnetic "nanotags." The tags emit a magnetic field that causes a change in the resistance of the underlying sensor, giving the detector a clear signal.

In the PNAS paper, the researchers described detection of very low concentrations of various cancer biomarkers, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha and cancer embryonic antigen. In a multiplex assay involving seven potential cancer biomarkers, concentrations ranging from 5 quadrillionths to 0.1 trillionths of a mole (a standard unit of measurement for molecules) were unambiguously detected simultaneously.

The researchers also estimated that they could detect levels of the protein human chorionic gonadotropin about 400 times lower than the concentration detectable by current commercial kits known by the acronym ELISA, in which captured proteins are conjugated to color-altering or fluorescent labels.

To properly prepare a patient's blood sample for use with the detector, a technician must use a centrifuge to separate out the serum, which contains the biomarkers. For this reason, the device would need to be located in a hospital or a private diagnostic lab, Wang said. Even before that, the device faces clinical utility testing and then must undergo clinical trials to win regulatory approval. To see the device through those steps, Pourmand and Wang have cofounded a startup company, MagArray, in the Panorama Institute for Molecular Medicine, a nonprofit incubator in Sunnyvale, Calif.

Wang said he is optimistic that the technology could someday save lives by detecting cancer early or by helping doctors to select more effective therapy.

"The earlier you can detect a cancer, the better chance you have to kill it," Wang said. "This could be especially helpful for lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and pancreatic cancer, because those cancers are hidden in the body."

The nascent startup has also begun to apply the technology to diagnosis and assessing risk of heart attack in emergency rooms. Heart cell death is also associated with the release of specific biomarker proteins.

The research was funded partly by grants from the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Defense. Other authors of the paper include Heng Yu, Richard Gaster, Stefano Caramuta, Liang Xu, Shu-Jen Han, Drew Hall, Robert Wilson, and Robert White, all of Stanford, and Shouheng Sun, of Brown University.

Note to reporters: You may contact Pourmand at (831) 502-7315 or pourmand@soe.ucsc.edu.

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NANOSENSORS introduces Carbon Nanotube AFM probes

Admin — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:48:45 +0000

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Neuchatel, December 2nd 2008, NANOSENSORS™ today announced that it has added a Carbon Nanotube SPM probe to its scope of products.

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The Single or Double Walled Carbon Nanotubes (CNT) at the end of the tips are grown by chemical vapour deposition and are ready to use, no shortening or post processing is necessary.

NANOSENSORS CNT probes are Single/Double Wall Carbon Nanotube SPM probes with a tip diameter between 2 and 3 nm. Compared to other Carbon Nanotube probes available on the market today that are mostly multiwalled carbon nanotubes the tip radius of NANOSENSORS™ Carbon Nanotube AFM tips is considerably smaller. They are therefore very suitable for high resolution measurements of nanometer-sized features.

The small tip radius achieved by a single or double wall carbon nanotube probe combined with the wear resistance of the CNT material compared to other materials makes it the ideal probe for high resolution imaging of flat surfaces.

NANOSENSORS™ CNT AFM probes are now the probes with the highest resolution capabilities in the NANOSENSORS product range.

The CNT probes are designed for high resolution measurements in Tapping Mode or Non-Contact Mode operations in air or vacuum

Due to their elastic properties Single / Double Wall CNTs are dedicated for the use on soft matter as well as on hard surfaces.

Because of the same elastic properties NANOSENSORS™ Single / Double Wall CNT probes are not suitable for measuring high aspect ratio features like very deep and narrow trenches or contact holes and should only be used by the experienced AFM user. They require special care to enable the user to profit from their unique properties and achieve good results. For this reason NANOSENSORS™ will add a guideline called “How to use a Single / Double Wall Carbon Nanotube AFM Probe ” to every delivered package of CNT probes. The NANOSENSORS™ CNT Probes will be available in package sizes of two and of five probes.

About NANOSENSORS™:

NANOSENSORS™ is specializing in the development and production of innovative high quality probes for scanning probe microscopy (SPM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The products are especially designed for scientists at universities, research institutions and industrial R&D centres in the fields of nanotechnology, microtechnology, materials research, semiconductors, biology, biotechnology, chemistry and medicine. NANOSENSORS™ is a trademark of NanoWorld AG.

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Nanotechnology at the 2009 U.S. Army Corrosion Summit

ericsonl — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:59:29 +0000

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This year the U.S. Army Corrosion Summit will feature a full day specialty track titled “Anti-Corrosion Nanotechnology R&D”. The technical track will focus on basic and applied nanotechnology corrosion R&D within academia, industry, and government.

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The U.S. Army, Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC), ManTech Enterprise Integration Center (e-IC), and NACE International are sponsors of the 2009 U.S. Army Corrosion Summit to be held February 3-5, 2009 at the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort in Clearwater Beach, Florida.

The purpose of this specialty track is to exchange information on nanotechnology corrosion solutions that will enable the U.S. Army to develop a long-term strategy to reduce corrosion and its effects, and minimize the impact of corrosion on operational availability, lifecycle costs, and warfighting.

A Call for Papers is currently underway for the event. Please see the website (http://www.armycorrosion.com) for more information (deadline Dec 12).

Please visit the U.S. Army Corrosion Office website at http://www.armycorrosion.com and select the Army Corrosion Summits menu for detailed conference information, or for specific information about the “Anti-Corrosion Nanotechnology R&D” specialty track, contact Mr. Joe Garcia at 304-254-2335 or Joe.Garcia@Mantech.com.

We look forward to seeing you in Clearwater Beach!

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Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort
400 Mandalay Avenue
Clearwater Beach, Fl 33767
Phone: 1-800-753-3954
Website: http://www.clearwaterbeachresort.com/

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http://www.armycorrosion.com/past_summits/summit2009/summit2009.html

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2009 U.S. Army Corrosion Summit

Nanotechnology for the future: Senator Carr

Admin — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:26:39 +0000

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Nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive technologies provide the key to a more equitable society, according to the minister for innovation, industry, science and research, Senator Kim Carr.

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In the next 10 to 30 years, nanotechnology will have a significant impact on our economy, providing the basis for developing new materials, new ways to produce clean energy, new medicines, new computers, and “new ways to unlock the potential of human beings”, said Carr in a speech to Parliament today.

“We know already that these technologies are going to have a significant impact. It is therefore essential that we have policies to maximise the benefits while minimising any risks,” he said, in his speech, Social Inclusion and Community Engagement on Nanotechnology’.

Carr will be spearheading the plan to maximise the benefits of nanotechnology under a Commonwealth framework established earlier this year for the responsible management of nanotechnology.

The framework is intended to guide both how nanotechnology is studied and how it is applied, and is based on three guiding principles:

• one, to protect the health and safety of humans and the environment
• two, to foster informed community debate
• and three, to achieve economic and social benefits from the responsible adoption of nanotechnology.

“Australia is a small country facing great challenges. If we are serious about achieving our full potential, we need to work together,” said Carr, suggesting that cooperation between industry bodies would allow further development in the technology.

“Last month’s Monash University forum on nanotechnology science, policy and public perspectives demonstrated that most people with an interest in this field want to be part of the conversation.”

Carr is calling for as many groups as possible in public researchers and private industry to get behind the cause.

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pacetoday.com.au/Article/Nanotechnology-for-the-future-Carr/432517.aspx

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Leeds University ties up major nanotechnology research deal with Saudi Arabia

Admin — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:21:22 +0000

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LEEDS University is celebrating the signing of a major research agreement with Saudi Arabia's King Saud University.

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The partnership will oversee the development of collaborations in nanoscience, technology and engineering with the King Abdullah Institute of Nanotechnology.

Joint PhD projects, funded research and enterprise activities will be developed in medicine and health, biology, chemical manufacturing, electronics and other sectors.

The programme will be administered through the University of Leeds NanoManufacturing Institute and will provide new funding for PhD research and collaborative exchanges.

Nanotechnology is the science of the extremely tiny, involving the study and use of materials on an almost unimaginably small scale.

One nanometre is a millionth of a millimetre or about one eighty thousandth of the width of a human hair.

Professor Richard Williams, Leeds University's Pro Vice Chancellor of Enterprise, Knowledge Transfer and International Strategy, said: "We are delighted. This is our first major research and enterprise project in an area that draws on a distinctive research strength for Leeds in an area that has major societal impact.

Research

"We expect new research programmes to start within the next two months and look forward to welcoming academic staff from King Saud University (KSU) as visiting researchers and professors to Leeds."

The deal continues a series of educational agreements with KSU.

Professor Al-Ghamdi, Deputy Rector for Knowledge Exchange and Technology Transfer at King Saud University, added: "We have already appointed Professor Terry Wilkins of the NanoManufacturing Institute as the first visiting professor to KSU from Leeds and we look forward to welcoming more Leeds staff to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to work jointly on projects that will have long lasting impact."

The Nanomanufacturing Institute was established by Leeds University in 2005 with the vision of becoming Europe's leading academic centre for nanomanufacturing research for consumer and related products.

It draws upon the University's large nanotechnology base in science, medicine and engineering and activities at Leeds are led by Prof Wilkins.

The King Abdullah Institute of Nanotechnology is seeking to build the infrastructure needed for research and development in the field of nano science and technology to allow KSU to aid in building a knowledge-based national economy in Saudi Arabia.

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yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/business-news/BREAKING-Leeds-University-ties-up.4748289.jp

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Targeted Nanoparticles Boost Platinum-Based Anticancer Therapy

Admin — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 22:28:14 +0000

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A research team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)-Harvard Center for Nanotechnology Excellence has custom-designed nanoparticles that can deliver the anticancer drug cisplatin specifically to prostate cancer cells. The nanoparticles are composed of two different polymers and are decorated with a nucleic acid aptamer that binds to the tumor marker prostate-specific membrane antigen. This aptamer ensures that the nanoparticles deliver their payload only to prostate cancer cells.

Stephen Lippard, Ph.D., and Robert Langer, Ph.D., MIT, and Omid Farokhzad, M.D., Harvard Medical School, led the team that developed this new formation of cisplatin. The investigators published their results in the Proceedings of the NationalAcademy of Sciences of the United States of America.

To construct a stable nanoparticle that would only release its toxic cargo inside tumor cells, the investigators synthesized a modified version of cisplatin that includes a long hydrocarbon chain. As the nanoparticle forms, the hydrocarbon chain associates strongly with the hydrophobic chains of the polymer that forms the nanoparticle’s core. The researchers note that the hydrocarbon chain they chose optimizes both drug encapsulation and drug release inside tumor cells. Once the nanoparticle enters the cell, the modified drug is converted into its active form as a result of chemical conditions inside the cell.

Tests with human cancer cells growing in culture showed that these nanoparticles were taken up specifically by tumor cells and not by healthy cells. Nanoparticles lacking the targeting aptamer were not taken up either. These tests also demonstrated that the nanoparticles release their cargo over the course of 60 hours, providing a sustained lethal level of the drug inside the targeted cells. In addition, the nanoparticle formulation was approximately 100 times more effective at killing tumor cells than was cisplatin by itself.

This work, which is detailed in the paper “Targeted delivery of cisplatin to prostate cancer cells by aptamer functionalized Pt(IV) prodrug-PLGA-PEG nanoparticles,” was supported by the NCI Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer, a comprehensive initiative designed to accelerate the application of nanotechnology to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. An abstract of this paper is available at the journal’s Web site.

View abstract - http://www.pnas.org/content/105/45/17356

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Nanotechnology for Spinal Cord Injury

Admin — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:51:17 +0000

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A cure for spinal injuries that leave people paralyzed, currently incurable, is being developed by Researchers at Northwestern University in Chicago.

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A cure for spinal injuries that leave people paralyzed, currently incurable, is being developed by Researchers at Northwestern University in Chicago. They are looking into using new nanotechnology that could enable them to completely heal cut and severed spinal cords allowing the previously paralyzed to walk again.

Spinal cord injury often leads to permanent paralysis and loss of sensation below the site of the injury due to damaged nerve fibers which can’t regenerate. These nerve fibers (axons) have the capacity to grow but don’t because they are blocked by scar tissue that have developed around the injury. Northwestern University researchers have shown that a new nano-engineered gel inhibits the formation of scar tissue at the injury site and enables the severed spinal cord fibers to regenerate and grow.

The gel is injected as a liquid into the spinal cord and self -assembles into a scaffold that supports the new nerve fibers as they grow up and down the spinal cord, penetrating the site of the injury. When the gel was injected into mice with a spinal cord injury, after six weeks the animals had a greatly enhanced ability to use their hind legs and walk.

However it was stressed that the results were preliminary and there is no magic bullet and it may not necessarily work on humans, but it helps a new technology to develop treatments for spinal injuries.

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scotlandsoracle.co.uk/content/view/332/88888956/

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A surgeon you can swallow

Admin — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:48:55 +0000

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In the future, tablet-shaped robots could perform some surgical operations without injuring the body. A new publication by the Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems of ETH Zurich shows how such surgical bio-microrobots might function.

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Paolo Dario, Professor of Biomedical Robotics at the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa, Italy, explained the dawn of a new medical era in the September edition of the American financial magazine “The Economist”. Surgical operations with open wounds are increasingly being replaced by non-invasive techniques extending even to systems that enable operations without a single scar.

Bio-microrobotics has a decisive role in this development. Like the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, ETH Zurich is also a part of the EU’s ARES research project (Assembling Reconfigurable Endoluminal Surgical System), a consortium of robotics experts from four European higher education institutions. Together, the researchers want to make micro-robots usable for medical applications. The plan is that, in the future, robots no bigger than a conventional capsule will perform a series of tasks in the gastro-intestinal tract, e.g. a gastroscopy or a tissue biopsy.

Although pill-shaped micro-cameras have existed for seven years now and are currently being used successfully in surgery to study the gastro-intestinal tract, these systems are passive. The camera takes thousands of pictures as it passes through the gastro-intestinal tract, but its position during this time cannot be controlled. This should soon change, because the ARES scientists are currently developing micro-robots with controllable insect-like legs with which the “robot pills” would be able to move around in the stomach. Other groups are working on special devices for tissue biopsy. In the future, such instruments could be used to make a precise examination of damaged regions in the gastro-intestinal tract while at the same time taking tissue samples for subsequent investigation.
Multi-segment, self-assembling stomach robots

One of the biggest challenges facing the robotics scientists relates to the enormous miniaturisation of the electronic systems. Room for the system’s entire technology, including the power supply, must be found within a few cubic millimetres. In the micro-cameras that are already established, the battery alone takes up 60 percent of the capsule’s volume. Hence one key question: how can a series of surgical robot functions be brought into a form that the patient can swallow and which is at the same time compatible with the body?

In a recent publication, Zoltan Nagy, a doctoral student at the Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems of ETH Zurich (IRIS) since 2006, presents the following approach to a solution: the patient swallows not one but several “robot pills” fitted with individual functions, such as the controller or forceps for tissue sampling. The pills can be swallowed one after another and assemble themselves automatically to form a larger, more powerful system only when they reach the stomach. For this purpose, Nagy developed a magnetic mechanism that enables the parts of the robot to join together automatically in the stomach to form an entire system. The individual components are polarized at right angles to the surface, so they arrange themselves in a predictable sequence when they come together.

The system was tested in an artificial stomach with a 75 percent success rate. Because a rigid chain of several robot components moves only with difficulty through the stomach and intestine, Nagy has also developed intermediate links that make the system more mobile. This would enable the surgical system to move as a whole through the stomach and intestine, like a multi-link chain. A magnetic system has the added advantage that the magnetic field changes in a characteristic way when the individual members of the chain come together. This change is measurable and can be communicated to a computer and used as an indicator of the exact position and arrangement of the robot snake.
Probing the limits of feasibility

The use of such a system in the human body is still a long way off. Firstly, the energy supply within the precarious space conditions is still largely unsolved. However, according to Nagy, this problem could soon be eliminated by using a combination of a battery and induction. Secondly, biocompatibility presents the scientists with major challenges. If trials on humans take place one day, the scientists must be able to guarantee that the magnetic mechanism and the functions of the robots cannot cause any tissue injury. The entire system must also be capable of being dismantled into its individual parts at any time if complications occur.

This is why Nagy does not expect any in-vivo tests of his self-assembling system in the near future. In any case that is not his top priority aim. “ARES is concerned primarily with expanding the limits of feasibility in bio-microrobotics. I have presented one possible mechanism for the self-assembly of a robot that has potential for surgical application. At present, it is impossible to predict which system will gain acceptance in practice in the future.”
Literature reference

http://www.ethlife.ethz.ch/archive_articles/081105_stomachbot/nagy_stoma...
A model of a self-assembling stomach robot: a magnetic mechanism connects three modules together via intermediate linkages.

Nagy Z, Oung R, Abbott JJ, Nelson BJ. Experimental Investigation of Magnetic Self-Assembly for Swallowable Modular Robots, in Proc. IEEE/RJS International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), pp. 1915-1920, Nice, France, 2008. doi: 10.1109/IROS.2008.4650662

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Graphene - the hottest new material in nanotechnology

Admin — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:45:39 +0000

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Researchers discover method for mass production of nanomaterial graphene.

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When someone scribes a line with a humble pencil the resulting mark includes bits of the hottest new material in physics and nanotechnology - graphene.

Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb lattice that could allow electronics to process information and produce radio transmissions 10 times better than silicon-based devices. It is among the strongest materials known and has an attractive array of benefits. These sheets have potential as electrodes for solar cells, for use in sensors, as the anode electrode material in lithium batteries and as efficient zero-band-gap semiconductors.
Mass production of graphene
Research on graphene sheets has been restricted, though, due to the difficulty of creating single-layer samples for use in experiments. But in a recent study published, researchers from University of California's (UCLA) California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) propose a method which can produce graphene sheets in large quantities.

Led by Yang Yang, a professor of materials science and engineering at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering, and Richard Kaner, a UCLA professor of chemistry and biochemistry, the researchers developed a method of placing graphite oxide paper in a solution of pure hydrazine (a chemical compound of nitrogen and hydrogen), which reduces the graphite oxide paper into single-layer graphene.

Such methods have been studied by others, but this is the first reported instance of using hydrazine as the solvent. The graphene produced from the hydrazine solution is also a more efficient electrical conductor. Field-effect devices display output currents three orders of magnitude higher than previously reported using chemically produced graphene.

The coverage of the graphene sheets can be controlled by altering the concentration and composition of the hydrazine solution. This hydrazine method also preserves the integrity of the sheets, producing the largest area graphene sheet yet reported, 20 micrometers by 40 micrometers. A micrometer is one-millionth of a meter, while a nanometer is one billionth of a meter.

The scientists believe these graphene sheets are by far the largest produced. Chemically converted graphene can now be studied in depth through a variety of electronic tests and microscopic techniques not previously possible.

There are two methods currently used for graphene production - the drawing method and the reduction method, each with its own drawbacks. In the drawing method, layers are peeled off of graphite crystals until one is produced that is only one-atom thick. When likely graphene suspects are identified from the peeled layers, they must be extensively studied to conclusively prove their identity. In the reduction method, silicon carbide is heated to high temperatures (1100° C) to reduce it to graphene. This process produces a small sample size and is unlikely to be compatible with fabrication techniques for most electronic applications.

"This technology (hydrazine reduction) utilizes a true solution process for graphene, which can dramatically simplify preparing electronic devices," said Yang, who is also faculty director of the Nano Renewable Energy Center at the CNSI. "It thus holds great promise for future large-area, flexible electronics."
Graphene for radio electronics
Princeton University has built transistors - tiny on-off switches - on their printed graphene crystals. Their transistors displayed high performance and were more than 10 times faster than silicon transistors in moving "electronic holes" - a key measure of speed. They suggest that the new technology could find almost immediate use in radio electronics, such as cell phones and other wireless devices that require high power output. Depending on the level of interest from industry, the technique could be applied to wireless communication devices within a few years they predict.

A research team from Manchester University in the UK has now demonstrated highly transparent and highly conductive films that can be produced cheaply by dissolving chunks of graphite into graphene and then spraying the suspension onto a glass surface. The research team has demonstrated what it believes to be the first liquid crystal devices with graphene electrodes. It is believed that only a few small, incremental steps remain for this technology to reach a mass production stage.
Graphene could replace indium tin oxide
Graphene could also replace indium tin oxide as an electrode material in displays. Transparent conducting films are an essential part of many gadgets including common liquid crystal displays for computers, TVs and mobile phones. The underlying technology uses thin metal-oxide films based on indium. But indium is becoming an increasingly expensive commodity and its supply is expected to be exhausted within just 10 years.

Also read an earlier article Graphene - highest mobility and processable.

For more attend Printed Electronics USA 2008 and Printed Electronics Europe 2009.

Top image: Two overlapping images of the same graphene sheet produced by hydrazine reduction; the top image was produced using atomic force microscopy, while the bottom was produced with scanning electron microscopy. This is the first reported instance of a graphene sheet being large enough for both tests to be run on the same specimen. (Image credit: Vincent Tung, Matthew Allen, Adam Stieg of UCLA).

References: Princeton University, UCLA's California NanoSystems Institute

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idtechex.com/research/articles/graphene_the_hottest_new_material_in_nanotechnology_00001137.asp?rsstopicid=0

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