The (nano)grass is greener: Porous silicon nanoneedles for your health.

A newly discovered nanomaterial could improve healthcare devices by increasing energy storage, help realize implantable microchips or make better drugs, according to the cover story in the latest issue of Advanced Functional Materials. Scientists at the University of Texas have created silicon nanoneedles with modulated porosity. The nanoporous needles are flexible, semiconductors, biodegradable and have a surface one hundred times larger that of solid nanowires.

These unique properties of the nanowires will provide a higher energy density when used as large surface anodes in lithium batteries, constitute the active elements of bioresorbable, flexible microchips for subcutaneous implants or protect drugs while in the body and release them in a controlled manner to improve their therapeutic effect.