| NINT
researcher Dr. Hicham Fenniri continues to push the
boundaries of nanotube self-assembly. His team of Visiting
Fellow Dr. Jose Raez and PhD candidate Jesus Moralez
was able to align organic nanotubes using simple drop
flow methods - the first time this has ever been done.
The results are reported in the prestigious Journal
of the American Chemical Society (JACS).
This accomplishment is a huge
boost for the field of molecular electronics - the
development of electronic devices based on components
consisting of individual molecules rather than the
continuous materials found in today's semiconductor
devices.
"Alignment is a critical
issue for molecular electronics," explains Dr.
Fenniri. "The challenge is not only to make an
electronic device from molecules; it is to put the
molecules together in a configuration that takes advantage
of their properties. We've shown this can be done
using a very simple tool, there's no need for complex
and expensive methods. This is a quantum leap."
Another advantage of the NINT
method is that it eliminates the problem of entanglement,
which often makes nanostructures difficult to work
with. These organic nanotubes are able to disassemble
and reassemble into their original conformations.
Such a capability makes them attractive for smart
materials that can recapture their shape after disassembly.
Dr. Fenniri credits the success
to the very talented group of researchers he works
with. He notes that the field of nanoassembly is intensely
competitive, and this method gives his group a definite
edge.
"Our
achievement is conceptually interesting and puts us
ahead in a practical sense. It's an important piece
of the molecular electronics puzzle."
Canada
: National Institute for Nanotechnology.
http://www.nint.ca
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