Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have devised a method to create a new, intriguing nanostructure: ultra-thin, ribbon-like "nanobelts" bound to nanotubes. Their research achieves several "firsts" in the field of nanoscience, the study of materials on the scale of a billionth of a meter. Additionally, the new structure, described in the June 4, 2005, online version of Nano Letters, is likely to have unique electrical and mechanical properties, and may be useful in many developing nanotechnologies.

"We have produced nanobelts that have controllable thicknesses of about two to five nanometers. It is significant work, since the controllability, the thinness, and the methods we used are all new achievements," said Brookhaven materials scientist Wei-Qiang Han, the study's lead researcher. "But, we are most excited about creating a brand-new type of nanostructure." ...read the wave

Berkeley -- University of California, Berkeley, researchers have invented a variation on the standard electronic transistor, creating the first "nanofluidic" transistor that allows them to control the movement of ions through sub-microscopic, water-filled channels.

The researchers - a chemist and a mechanical engineer - predict that, just as the electronic transistor became the main component of microprocessors and integrated circuits, so will nanofluidic transistors anchor molecular processors, allowing microscopic chemical plants on a chip that operate without moving parts. No valves to get stuck, no pumps to blow, no mixers to get clogged.

"A transistor is like a valve, but you use electricity to open or close it," explained Arun Majumdar, professor of mechanical engineering at UC Berkeley. "Here, we use a voltage to open or close an ion channel. Now that we've shown you can make this building block, we can hook it up to an electronic chip to control the fluidics....read the wave

Berkeley -- University of California, Berkeley, researchers have invented a variation on Troy, N.Y. — Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have created a line of brushes whose bristles, made from carbon nanotubes, are so small that a thousand of them could fit inside a strand of hair.

The carbon nanotube brushes already have been tested in a variety of tasks that range from cleaning microscopic surfaces to serving as electrical contacts. The brushes eventually could be used in a whole host of electronic, biomedical, and environmental applications, says Pulickel Ajayan, the Henry Burlage Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Rensselaer, who is heading the research.

The research, in collaboration with the University of Hawaii at Manoa, will be published in the July issue of the journal Nature Materials. Rensselaer postdoctoral associate Anyuan Cao, working with Ajayan, is the lead author of the paper.

The brushes look like microscopic toothbrushes, brooms, and paintbrushes, with handles the diameter of a human hair. Each brush is composed of millions of carbon nanotubes, each about 30 nanometers in diameter. The brushes have been tested manually and with rotating electric motors...read the wave

Tokyo (JCNN) - Yamagata Fujitsu, Fujitsu Laboratories, and the Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology have jointly succeeded in filling up anodic alumina nano-holes with cobalt, a magnetic metal.

The partners have developed a technology to linearly align alumina nano-holes by creating irregularities at intervals of 45nm on the aluminum surface in a linear fashion.

They have discovered that nano-holes are created in concaves and they are not created in convexities.

The joint research group has applied electroplating to fill the nano-holes with cobalt.

The technology will pave the way for developing an ultra-high-density recording medium capable of recording 1-bit of data in a magnetic nano-hole.

The partners are aiming to achieve a recording density of 1 Tbit per sq. inch. SOURCE: JCN Network

Physicists have a pretty good idea of what to expect when friction and adhesion occur in the visible world. You jam on the brakes, for instance, and your tires and the highway interact to stop your car. You glue two pieces of wood together, and they stick.

But how slippery or sticky are things that are too small to see? When solid surfaces no more than a thousand atoms across brush past each other, will they respond like the rubber and the road? Will they adhere like the wood and the glue?

The answer turns out to be "It depends," according to Johns Hopkins physicists who used computer modeling to examine how friction and adhesion operate on the atomic level.

"Any surface made of individual atoms has 'bumps' of atomic dimension, and being able to vary the placement of atoms [in the computer models] allowed us to quantify the influence of atomic structure," said Mark O. Robbins, a professor in the Henry A. Rowland Department of Physics and Astronomy in the university's Krieger School of Arts and Sciences...read the wave

Luminescent quantum dots of semiconducting materials could eventually help to identify tumors, illuminate large flat-panel monitors, or make optical data processing a reality. Quantum dots are nanoscopic crystals so small that their chemical properties are similar to those of individual molecules. Researchers at MIT have now developed a microfluidic technique that delivers tiny crystals of particularly uniform size - and thus excellent optical quality.

Cadmium selenide quantum dots are usually obtained by injection of precursor compounds into a hot solvent. Many factors, including local temperatures in the reaction vessel, concentration gradients, as well as the rates of mixing and the final cooling process, substantially influence the results, but are difficult to control. Relief is promised by...read the wave

Nanotechnology may hold the key to developing a viable hydrogen economy, according to Jin Zhang , professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Zhang will receive $535,000 in grants from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for his part in two research projects aimed at developing new technologies for the production and storage of hydrogen fuel using nanostructured materials.

Producing hydrogen from water using solar energy is the focus of one of the projects. Zhang is leading that effort and is also a coinvestigator on a second project to develop a method for highly efficient hydrogen storage. Both of the three-year projects rely on a novel approach to create nanostructured materials with special properties. Nanostructure refers to dimensions on the scale of billionths of a meter.

"The goal is to produce clean energy," Zhang said. "The idea of using solar energy and water as a source of hydrogen is very attractive, and we believe nanostructured materials can be used to do this efficiently." ...read the wave

Emeryville, CA --- June 28, 2005 --- Nanomix Incorporated, a company that is commercializing a line of nanoelectronic detection devices for industrial and biomedical applications, has announced the release of a second detection device based on the Sensation ™ technology platform. The Nanoelectronic Detection System (NDS) is a stand-alone hydrogen detector featuring ultra-low power usage and high specificity.

The NDS targets lab applications and point-of-use detection of hydrogen required in various industries. The device is designed to detect accidental accumulation of highly explosive hydrogen gas and alarm when hazardous levels have been reached. As with other products from Nanomix, the NDS consumes nanowatts of power, and is highly specific to practically eliminate false alarms...read the wave

NEWPORT, Wales, PRNewswire/ -- Surface Technology Systems plc (STS) (LSE: SRTS - News ), a leader in plasma process technologies for the growing MEMS and related markets, has announced the release of Pegasus, a new Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) system, optimised initially for silicon etch, that delivers significant improvements in etch process capability, stability and system reliability.

Pegasus is the continuation of STS' Advanced Silicon Etch (ASE®) technology. Through an in-depth understanding of the Bosch process and the required hardware, etch rates for silicon greater than 25µm per minute with excellent profile control and resist selectivity have been realised. The performance improvements that Pegasus brings have numerous benefits for end users. The increased etch rate and improved uniformity lead to higher throughput and device yield, meaning increased productivity...read the wave

NASA announced today (June 28) an agreement with Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., that gives NASA researchers access to Lehigh's cutting-edge nanotechnology and electron microscopy facilities.

The collaboration will help NASA develop technologies for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), future Mars rovers and spacecraft.

The unique facilities at Lehigh's Center for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology provide an excellent opportunity for NASA to expand its capabilities without the expense of building or acquiring facilities.

"It takes time and money to build labs like Lehigh's," said researcher Dr. Brian Jamieson of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Md. "We often work with universities, and agreements like this one let NASA benefit from their investment while giving something back to the school."...read the wave

Many people still do not appreciate how fast science and technology (S&T) will change over the next 25 years, and given this rapid development along several different fronts, the possibility of technology growing beyond human control must now be taken seriously, according to a new report.

The State of the Future 2005 report is produced by the United Nations University's Millennium Project - a global think tank of foresight experts, academics and policy makers. It analyses current global trends and examines in detail some of the current and future challenges facing the world.

Setting the scene, the report states: 'Future synergies among nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive science can dramatically improve the human condition by increasing the availability of food, energy and water and by connecting people and information anywhere. The effect will be to increase collective intelligence and create value and efficiency while lowering costs.' ...read the wave

In an effort to keep Europe at the forefront of nanoelectronics, the European Commission is providing 24.17 million euro for a new project aimed at pushing the limits of semiconductor performance and density.

The NanoCMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semi-conductor) project represents an attempt to allow scaling (arrangement in a graduated series) to continue. It therefore strives to pioneer the necessary and revolutionary changes in materials, process modules, device architectures and interconnections, as well as the related characterisation, modelling and simulation work, necessary to go from a 45-nanometer CMOS node to a 32-nm one.

'NanoCMOS is a broad project focusing on the research and development (R&D) activities necessary to develop the 45-nm, 32-nm and more advanced CMOS manufacturing processes, with the exception of lithography,' explain the project partners, which include Europe's three leading commercial chipmakers: STMicroelectroics, Philips and Infineon, as well as research institutes and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)....read the wave

A Penn State College of Medicine study shows for the first time in an animal model that ceramide, a naturally occurring substance that prevents the growth of cells, can be administered through the blood stream to target and kill cancer cells.

"Ceramide is the substance that accumulates in cancer tissues and helps to kill cancer cells when patients undergo chemotherapy and radiation," said Mark Kester, professor of pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. "By boosting the amount of ceramide through an injection in the bloodstream, our study in mice suggests that we can provide a stronger cancer-killing therapy without additional side effects."

This study, titled "Systemic Delivery of Liposomal Short-Chain Ceramide Limits Solid Tumor Growth in Murine Models of Breast Adenocarcinoma," was published in the May issue of Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Administering extra ceramide is not as easy as it seems. Injected directly into the bloodstream, ceramide is toxic. But Kester applied knowledge gained from previous laboratory studies in nanotechnology and encapsulated the ceramide in tiny bundles called liposomes..read the wave

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- A new method for manipulating macromolecules has been developed by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The technique uses double-stranded DNA to direct the behavior of other molecules.

In previous DNA nanotechnology efforts, duplex DNA has been used as a static lattice to construct geometrical objects in three dimensions. Instead of manipulating DNA alone into such shapes, the researchers are using DNA to control the folding and resulting structure of RNA. Eventually, they envision building supramolecular machines whose inner workings are governed by twisted strands of DNA.

In a paper that has been accepted for publication in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, and posted on its Web site, Silverman and graduate student Chandrasekhar Miduturu begin with a piece of unfolded RNA. Through specific chemical reactions, they attach two strands of DNA, each resembling one side of a ladder. The two DNA strands spontaneously bind together, then the researchers add magnesium ions to initiate folding of the RNA...read the wave

New Brunswick/Piscataway, N.J.--- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , and NEI Corporation , a proven provider of nanoengineered materials, have established a cooperative research program in nanotechnology with an Indian government research and development center.

Under the two-year program, the organizations will explore ways to use nanosized particles -­ a thousandth the width of a human hair or less -­ to make metals harder, ceramics lighter and stronger, and protective coatings more wear-resistant. These and other nanoparticle-infused materials that the groups will study could be used in machine tools, fuel cells, electronic components, medical devices and automobile finishes.

The program will involve engineers and scientists from Rutgers' Center for Nanomaterials Research , the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials in Hyderabad, India, and the...read the wave

Originally published in July 2004, this report has been constantly updated to keep up with new developments in nanobiotechnology. The report is a one-stop up-to-date coverage of technologies and their application in life sciences research, molecular diagnostics, drug discovery and drug delivery. Finally, the role of nanotechnologies in the development of nanomedicine is described. The report contains a market analysis and estimates up to 2015 in various areas of applications. It contains profiles of 205 companies active in this area. A summary and detailed table of contents can be viewed at the following web site...read the wave

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have discovered a tiny biological structure that is highly electrically conductive. This breakthrough helps describe how microorganisms can clean up groundwater and produce electricity from renewable resources. It may also have applications in the emerging field of nanotechnology, which develops advanced materials and devices in extremely small dimensions.

The findings of microbiologist Derek R. Lovley's research team are published in the June 23rd issue of Nature, an international science journal. Researchers found that the conductive structures, known as “microbial nanowires,” are produced by a novel microorganism known as Geobacter. The nanowires are incredibly fine, only 3-5 nanometers in width (20,000 times finer than a human hair), but quite durable and more than a thousand times long as they are wide...read the wave

Governor George E. Pataki has announced that NanoDynamics Inc. (www.NanoDynamics.com) — a leading nanotechnology company — will create 325 new jobs and invest $9.7 million to significantly expand its operations over the next five years in Buffalo, while retaining its current Buffalo workforce of 50 jobs.

" NanoDynamics ' decision to expand its presence in Buffalo and create 325 new, good-paying jobs is tremendous news for Buffalo 's working families and the Western New York economy," Governor Pataki said. "We worked closely with the company and local officials to help NanoDynamics expand and grow in Buffalo . We're proud that they chose Buffalo over other locations across the nation and that they decided there's no better place to do business than here in New York ."...read the wave

The Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Sciences (M-NIMBS) at the University of Michigan is one of 43 institutions worldwide selected to receive a Grand Challenges in Global Health Initiative grant for groundbreaking research to improve health in developing countries.

On June 27, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health announced $436 million in funding for 43 selected research projects.

The $6.3-million Grand Challenges grant to M-NIMBS will support development and testing of a nanoemulsion-based vaccine delivery system designed to deliver vaccines using a simple nasal swab, rather than an injection. The heat-stable, anti-microbial nanoemulsion could eliminate the need for vaccine refrigeration, which often is unavailable in developing countries. Following tests for safety and efficacy in mice and primates, a human clinical trial of the nanoemulsion with hepatitis B vaccine will be conducted in Africa...read the wave

ARGONNE, Ill. — Next-generation soldiers will wear vests with a battery to power the many high-tech devices that modern soldiers use in battle. Argonne – the nation's expert in lithium battery research – is developing the materials and cell chemistry for that battery.

Argonne's Chemical Engineering Division (CMT) researchers have the key to more robust lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries: new materials and improved cell chemistries. CMT has developed Li-ion technology for batteries small enough to be implanted in the human body and large enough to power hybrid electric cars.

Modern military personnel rely on non-rechargeable batteries to power communications, night vision goggles and global-positioning sensors used in training and on the battlefield. In an ongoing project for the U.S. Army Communications-Electronic Research & Engineering Center, Argonne is developing a new battery chemistry for research partner Quallion LLC 's battery pack for the Power Vest. The partners are developing a rechargeable, safe, low-cost, lightweight, high-energy density, Li-ion battery system for this application...read the wave

Lowell, Mass., and Fuerth, Germany - Konarka Technologies, Inc., an innovator in developing and commercializing power plastics that convert light to energy, and LEONHARD KURZ GmbH & CO.KG, a leader in the research, development and manufacture of polymer electronic technology, have announced they have established a non-exclusive partnership in support of light-activated power plastic. The companies are engaged in a multi-year, multi-phase collaboration to accelerate the development of Konarka's organic photovoltaic technology. KURZ has committed significant capital, equipment and resources to the joint activities.

"As one of the world's largest markets, energy presents many interesting opportunities for us," said Walter Kurz, president, KURZ. "Combining Konarka's technology with our manufacturing expertise will help us take advantage of the growing demand for renewable energy solutions worldwide and particularly here in Germany, the largest domestic solar energy market in the world."

Howard Berke, chairman and chief executive officer, Konarka, said, "KURZ is a world leader in innovative printed materials, and this relationship enhances Konarka's ability to take its organic photovoltaic program beyond the laboratory and into development for manufacturing and production scale-up. With this partnership, we are...read the wave

A research team from the Public University of Navarra has started a study of the design and development of absorbent materials that enable the storage of hydrogen, a clean fuel that can be used as an alternative to those derived from fossil fuels, such as petrol and diesel. The storage of this element is, in fact, a key process in the change over from internal combustion engines – contaminating and not very efficient, to cars with hydrogen fuel cells.

The project, entitled, Development of materials for storage of hydrogen by means of physical adsorption.

At present, hydrogen production “is not a problem”. For some years now, hydrogen has been obtained by means of catalytic reforming or by the electrolysis of water. However, the question hanging over the use of hydrogen as a fuel is its generation or storage in the quantities required for a means of transport and without it being dangerous – as we are dealing with a highly inflammable gas. Under normal conditions hydrogen is in a gaseous state and thus has to be kept under high pressure or, if we wish to reduce the pressure, the storage temperature has to be lowered. These two circumstances give rise to technological difficulties, apart from the added safety ones...read the wave

Ottawa, Ontario --- The Honourable Roy Cullen, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and Member of Parliament for Etobicoke North, on behalf of the Honourable David L. Emerson, Minister of Industry, has announced a $3.4 million investment in the development of new nano-technology-based coatings for the aerospace industry which will advance more environmentally sound technologies.

This Technology Partnerships Canada (TPC) investment is part of an $8.6 million research and development initiative being undertaken by Toronto-based Integran Technologies Inc. through the multinational Joint Strike Fighter program.

"This initiative is advancing a technology with the potential to deliver substantial economic and environmental benefits across a range of industries," said Minister Emerson.

"By encouraging innovation in Canada's industries, we are creating jobs, economic growth and ensuring a better quality of life for all Canadians." ...read the wave

Even though they don't shine, they're still worth their weight in gold: nanoscopic particles made of gold are used for a number of technical and scientific purposes. Now these tiny golden particles are being put to use in another area. Chinese scientists have discovered that the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the basis for modern genetic testing methods, works markedly better in the presence of gold nanoparticles.

As we all know from murder mysteries, a few flakes of skin under the victim's fingernails or saliva residue on an envelope's adhesive strip are enough to reveal the perpetrator. The tiny amount of genetic material in these samples is enough to give a genetic fingerprint that can be compared with known samples and assigned unambiguously to a single person. PCR takes all the credit for this; this tremendously efficient technique allows the complete genotype or a select region of the genome to be copied. Within a few hours, there is enough material for a variety of biological and medical tests. PCR is indispensable not only for forensics but also in research and diagnosis, for the identification and quantification of pathogens...read the wave

BASEL, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jain PharmaBiotech has announced the publication of a New Report "Cardiovascular Drug Delivery - Technologies, Markets & Companies".

Drug delivery to the cardiovascular system is approached at three levels: (1) routes of drug delivery; (2) formulations; and (3) applications to various diseases. Cell and gene therapies, including antisense and RNA interference, are described in detail as they are the most innovative methods of delivery of therapeutics. Various methods of improving systemic administration of drugs for targeted action in cardiovascular disorders are described including use of nanotechnology. A full chapter is devoted to drug-eluting stents used for treatment of restenosis following stenting of coronary arteries.

Cardiovascular drug delivery markets are estimated for the years 2005 to 2015 on the basis of epidemiology and total markets for cardiovascular therapeutics. The estimates take into consideration the anticipated advances and availability of various technologies, particularly drug delivery devices in the future...read the wave

San Jose, CA, SiliconPipe, Inc., of San Jose and Nano Cluster Devices, Inc., have signed a Letter of Intent to jointly develop novel conducting structures to be used in high-speed semiconductor packaging and metallic-based interconnect designs.

"We have identified key application areas where we can use the methods developed by Nano Cluster Devices to create circuit elements from self-assembled atomic clusters which will significantly improve high-speed metallic circuit performance," said Kevin Grundy, CEO of SiliconPipe.

"The combination of SiliconPipe's electronic design expertise and atomic cluster deposition techniques from Nano Cluster Devices will enable the creation of unique structures that are impossible to create economically by other techniques", comments Dr. Simon Brown, Executive Director-Science and Technology for Nano Cluster Devices, Ltd....read the wave

FIZ Karlsruhe now offers access to Russian patent information in English language via STN International, the premier online service in science and technology.

The new online file RUSSIAPAT, produced by the Russian Agency for Patents and Trademarks (ROSPATENT), Federal Institute of Industrial Property (FIPS), Moscow, covers Russian patented inventions from 1994 to the present. It currently contains about 300,000 records and about 245,000 images. Titles and abstracts are in English, thus providing access to this valuable information also to those unfamiliar with Russian language and characters.

Besides titles and abstracts, RUSSIAPAT records contain the International Patent Classification (IPC) codes, and inventor, assignee and patent application information. A new, unique feature is the possibility of accessing all drawings available from the full document, i.e., the drawing from the first page, drawings from the drawing attachment, and embedded drawings from the complete text. A special display field provides an indication of the number and size of all available drawings...read the wave

The BMC Pro Machine. Photo copyright Roadcycling.com.

BMC, the leading Swiss high-end bicycle brand, has developed a new secret weapon for the 2005 Tour de France. The new weapon will be used exclusively by Team Phonak - number one in the ProTour rankings.

At last year's Tour de France, BMC introduced the revolutionary Time Machine , which set new standard for time trial bikes. This year, BMC presents another revolutionary bike - the BMC Pro Machine . The Pro Machine is the first bike frame in the world which is made entirely using the revolutionary Easton CNT-Nanotechnology...read the wave

Since their discovery 14 years ago, carbon nanotubes have captured the imagination of scientists and lay people alike. The science of nanotubes almost seems more science fiction than science. These structures, so minuscule they cannot be seen, are stronger than diamonds. They are formed from organic material but act as metals or semi-conductors. As such, nanotubes offer great potential in electronics, lasers and medicine.

To highlight the status of research on nanotubes, Slava V. Rotkin and Shekhar Subramoney have edited a new book, "Applied Physics of Carbon Nanotubes: Fundamentals of Theory, Optics and Transport Devices," which was just released by Springer. The book's 12 chapters are written by top researchers in the field.

Rotkin is an assistant professor of physics and a faculty member with Lehigh's Center for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology. Subramoney, a researcher with Dupont Central Research and Development Laboratories, is co-chair of the nanotube section of the Fullerenes, Nanotubes and Carbon Nanostructures Division of the Electrochemical Society Inc...read the wave

EMERYVILLE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 24, 2005--Nanomix Incorporated, a company commercializing nanoelectronic detection devices for industrial and biomedical applications, announced today the issuance of a U.S. patent for its nanostructured detection platform known as Sensation(TM).

This patent includes broad claims to arrayed nanostructured sensing devices, in particular for detecting multiple target species. Detection devices of this type use nanostructured materials as extremely sensitive transducers to permit accurate and selective measurement of chemicals and bio molecules. The devices have extremely low power requirements and are scalable for mass production using conventional wafer technology.

"We are excited to see this addition to our growing intellectual property estate related to nanoelectronic detection technology,"...read the wave

AMES, Iowa — Hydrogen is being touted as the fuel of the future, a clean-burning, renewable and inexpensive replacement for petroleum. But a major stumbling block for hydrogen-powered vehicles is figuring out a way to carry enough hydrogen onboard to travel even moderate distances between refueling stops.

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory will be investigating a possible solution to that problem thanks to $1.6 million in funding announced recently by DOE Secretary Samuel Bodman as part of a $64 Million Hydrogen Fuel Initiative.

“With compressed hydrogen gas, you simply can't carry a tank big enough to travel very far,” Ames Lab senior scientist Vitalij Pecharsky said. “The answer is a hydrogen-rich, solid fuel that mimicks the hydrogen content of methane, where four hydrogen atoms encapsulate a single carbon atom.” ...read the wave