PHILADELPHIA --  Physicists at the University of Pennsylvania have overcome a major hurdle in the race to create nanotube-based electronics.  In an article in the August issue of the journal Nature Materials, available online now, the researchers describe their method of using nanotubes tiny tubes entirely composed of carbon atoms -- to create a functional electronic circuit.  Their method creates circuits by dipping semiconductor chips into liquid suspensions of carbon nanotubes, rather than growing the nanotubes directly on the circuit.

"Given their amazing electric properties, nanotubes have been a subject of keen interest for creating such things as chemical sensors, flexible electronics and high-speed, high-device-density microprocessors for computing," said Alan T. Johnson, associate professor in Penn's Department of Physics and Astronomy.   "The problem is that the properties we like best about nanotubes their size and physical properties also make them very difficult to manipulate."...read the wave

Fearful that nanotech may face the same fate as biotech crops, the G8 used their Gleneagles summit to promote "new technologies" (including nanotech and biotech) as the magic bullet to "make poverty history" and to neutralize global warming. By hinting at the availability of billions for science capacity-building in the South, the North hopes to make allies of South governments, scientists, development NGOs, and environmentalists. Meanwhile, the real action is behind the scenes where various government/industry and scientific institutions are rushing to negotiate what the EU hopes will become a nanotech "code of conduct"(but, in light of US opposition may turn into a "framework of shared principles") and lay down the global standards, regulations, and market modus operandi for the greatest industrial revolution society has ever (not) seen coming. Social policy is being replaced by science policy. In this special report, ETC Group reviews the emerging nanogeopolitics landscape...read the wave

Boulder, Colorado - Physicists at the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have used the natural oscillations of two different types of charged atoms, or ions, confined together in a single trap, to produce the "ticks" that may power a future atomic clock....read the wave

EVANSTON, Ill. --- While the human body has plenty of specialized molecular motors and machines powering the mechanical work necessary for cells to function properly, scientists themselves face many hurdles as they try to create their own molecular machines in the laboratory.

The downsides of conventional molecular machines are that they are driven as an ensemble, by external light or chemistry, for example, and they are big -- made up of many molecules. These factors make these machines difficult to control.

In a theoretical paper published in the journal Physical Review Letters, two Northwestern University chemists have shown how molecular machines can be driven individually (relying on only one molecule) by applying an electric current that creates an internal energy source.

"People envision using molecular machines for computing techniques, sensors, bioengineering and solar cells, for example," said Tamar Seideman, professor of chemistry, who led the research team. "Molecular machines have unique...read the wave

Some 25% of genes code for membrane proteins. Yet membrane organization remains a mystery. Membranes envelop all the cells in our bodies, forming a natural barrier, the membrane proteins within these can also recognize certain cells and direct a drug to them.

Using atomic force microscopy, Simon Scheuring (Inserm), in a CNRS unit at the Institut Curie, and James N. Sturgis, professor at the Université de la Méditerranée (CNRS unit), have studied the organization of a bacterial membrane and how it adapts in response to external factors. This is the first time that the inner workings of a membrane have been unveiled. Scheuring and Sturgis show that the organization of membrane proteins is not fixed but can vary with membrane location and time. This work was published in the July 15, 2005 issue of Science...read the wave

Researchers in Italy have developed a new technique for producing hydrogen, and for purifying polluted gases.

The technique involves the release of oxygen from cerium oxide, a pale yellow-white powder used in ceramics and to polish glass.

'Ceria-based materials are oxygen buffers, materials that allow [one] to efficiently store or release oxygen, thus favouring a high catalytic activity and inducing a set of chemical reactions which would otherwise require higher pressures and temperatures,' says Friedrich Esch from the TASC INFM-CNR laboratory. The findings could therefore make an important contribution towards energy conservation, increasing the safety of industrial processes, and reducing environmental impact...read the wave

The Exploratory meeting for “responsible” research and development in nanotechnology was organised under the Chairmanship of the European Commission.

The meeting marked a step forward with respect to the international dialogue opened in Alexandria (Virginia, USA, 17 and 18 June 2004) on the responsible research and development of nanotechnology.

The informal character of the discussions was re-affirmed as well as the fact that the participants attended in a strictly personal capacity. All participants acknowledged that nanotechnology will play an increasing role in technological and societal developments over the next decades, giving rise to a high level of expectation among the scientific community, industry and the general public at large...read the wave

NEW YORK, /PRNewswire/ -- Are high prices a barrier to nanotechnology commercialization? The answer is yes, according to a new report from Lux Research entitled "Nanotech's Pricing Stalemate Ends." In a remarkable disconnect, 75% of large corporations that buy components based on nanotechnology believe that they hold the pricing power in deals, while 70% of sellers think that in fact they have the upper hand. The result: Deals languish while corporate buyers use delay tactics on overeager sellers.

"Pricing is cited by 45% of corporate buyers as a major challenge that often impedes nanotech deals. Buyers lament that sellers frequently pay attention only to the cost of their own components, missing the big-picture view," said Lux Research Senior Analyst David Lackner. "Only 15% of sellers, however, see pricing as a major problem. They have such faith in their products' performance gains that they view pricing as a minor issue that will work itself out." ...read the wave

When it comes to taking the next "giant leap" in space exploration, NASA is thinking small -- really small.

In laboratories around the country, NASA is supporting the burgeoning science of nanotechnology. The basic idea is to learn to deal with matter at the atomic scale -- to be able to control individual atoms and molecules well enough to design molecule-size machines, advanced electronics and "smart" materials.

If visionaries are right, nanotechnology could lead to robots you can hold on your fingertip, self-healing spacesuits, space elevators and other fantastic devices. Some of these things may take 20+ years to fully develop; others are taking shape in the laboratory today...read the wave

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. –– The catalytic reforming of liquid fuels offers an attractive solution to supplying hydrogen to fuel cells while avoiding the safety and storage issues related to gaseous hydrogen. Existing catalytic support structures, however, tend to break down at the high temperatures needed to prevent fouling of the catalytic surface by soot.

Now, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed porous support materials that can withstand the rigors of high-temperature reforming of hydrocarbon fuels.

“These novel materials show great promise for the on-demand reforming of hydrocarbons such as diesel fuel into hydrogen for portable power sources,” said Paul Kenis, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Illinois and a corresponding author of a paper to appear in the August issue of the journal Advanced Functional Materials...read the wave

Imagine a cancer drug that can burrow into a tumor, seal the exits and detonate a lethal dose of anti-cancer toxins, all while leaving healthy cells unscathed.

MIT researchers have designed a nanoparticle to do just that.

The dual-chamber, double-acting, drug-packing "nanocell" proved effective and safe, with prolonged survival, against two distinct forms of cancers-melanoma and Lewis lung cancer-in mice.

The work will be reported in the July 28 issue of Nature, with an accompanying commentary.

"We brought together three elements: cancer biology, pharmacology and engineering," said Ram Sasisekharan, a professor in MIT's Biological Engineering Division and leader of the research team...read the wave

The next issue of Science will report a study that explains the mechanism for oxygen release by cerium oxide. This material is an important catalyst that favors many fundamental reactions that have profound implications for energy storage and environmental issues. These reactions include, for example, the purification of polluted gases and the production of hydrogen as new energy vector for fuel cells. The present study could inspire the design of new efficient catalysts for producing a large variety of goods, e.g. plastic materials, fuels, fertilizers and drugs.

The mechanism of oxygen release was analyzed and described by studying the surfaces of cerium oxide (ceria). “Ceria-based materials are oxygen buffers, materials that allow to efficiently store or release oxygen, thus favoring a high catalytic activity and inducing a set of chemical reactions which would otherwise require higher pressures and temperatures” says Friedrich Esch (Laboratorio TASC INFM-CNR). “The production of more efficient catalysts is therefore of paramount importance for saving energy, increasing the safety of industrial processes, and reducing the environmental impact.”...read the wave

Portland, OR (PRWEB) A scientific breakthrough in nanotechnology that has direct implications in the battle against hospital-related infections was disclosed to the public for the first time at the Micro Nano Breakthrough Conference, being held in Portland, Oregon July 25- July 28.th

Bruce Gibbins, PhD, Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Portland based AcryMed, Inc. presented findings on AcryMed's new silver nanoparticle technology, SilvaGard™. Through the discovery of how to create nanoparticles of silver in a solution that are easy to use and tenaciously adhere to surfaces, SilvaGard allows medical device manufacturers to apply antimicrobial silver to device surfaces in a uniform, non-hazardous and cost effective manner. For the first time, antimicrobial products can be created that are chemically and dimensionally unchanged, thus retaining all of their intended properties...read the wave

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and university researchers report a significant step toward sorting out the nanotube “problem” - the challenge of overcoming processing obstacles so that the remarkable properties of the tiny cylindrical structures can be exploited in new polymer composite materials of exceptional strength.

As described in the July 15 issue of Physical Review Letters , (1) their analysis reveals that, during mixing, carbon nanotubes suspended in viscous fluids can be encouraged to sort themselves by length. Achieving uniform sizes of nanotubes is one of several keys to producing affordable, high-quality polymer nanocomposites...read the wave

UK Trade & Investment's Global Entrepreneurs Programme (GEP) has announced that its client, iCurie Lab Holdings Limited (iCurie), a nano-cooling technology company, has successfully closed a $17 million private placement led by Indigo Securities LLC and Axiom Capital Management Inc. of New York. William Pedder, Chief Executive of Inward Investment Group at UK Trade & Investment said:

"iCurie is a shining example of the type of company that the UK Global Entrepreneurs Programme is designed to support - an entrepreneur with strong intellectual property, and the ability to address major global markets."

The financing includes a syndicate of institutional investors and business leaders from both the US and UK, and the company will also be gaining a public listing via a share exchange with a fully reporting US over-the-counter bulletin board company - iCurie, Inc, (OTCBB symbol: ICUR). iCurie will use the proceeds to fund manufacturing and expansion. ...read the wave

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) today introduced “Focus on Nanotechnology: Occupational Safety and Health Applications and Implications Research at NIOSH.” This web newsletter at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nanotech/focus.html will provide regular, timely information about developments in NIOSH's strategic research program on nanotechnology.

NIOSH conducts its multidisciplinary research program with a diverse community of partners under the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). Consistent with the NNI's goals, the program is intended to advance new studies that will help support the responsible development of nanotechnology, and help maintain U.S. competitiveness in this new industrial revolution. The products of this research will help practitioners, with greater certainty, to apply the well-established principles of occupational safety and health to workplace exposures involving nanomaterials...read the wave

WOODBURY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Veeco Instruments Inc. (Nasdaq: VECO), a leading supplier of instrumentation to the nanoscience community, has announced that it is establishing a nanotechnology center in Bangalore, India. The facility will be staffed with local scientists and engineers and equipped with Veeco's latest Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) products and other advanced nanotechnology application modules. The Veeco-India Nanotechnology Laboratory will be jointly operated with the Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR). The JNC promotes scientific research in interdisciplinary areas of science and engineering...read the wave

Physicists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have just reached an important milestone in the development of these systems by entangling a photon and a single atom located in an atomic cloud. Researchers believe this is the first time an entanglement between a photon and a collective excitation of atoms has passed the rigorous test of quantum behavior known as a Bell inequality violation. The findings are a significant step in developing secure long-distance quantum communications. They appear in the July 22, 2005 edition of the Physical Review of Letters .

Relying on photons or atoms to carry information from one place to another, network security relies on a method known as quantum cryptographic key distribution. In this method, the two information-carrying particles, photonic qubits or atomic qubits, are entangled. Because of the entanglement and a rule in quantum physics that states that measuring a particle disturbs that particle, an eavesdropper would be easily detected because the very act of listening causes changes in the system...read the wave

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Using customized nanoparticles that they developed, University at Buffalo scientists have for the first time delivered genes into the brains of living mice with an efficiency that is similar to, or better than, viral vectors and with no observable toxic effect, according to a paper published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The paper describes how the UB scientists used gene-nanoparticle complexes to activate adult brain stem/progenitor cells in vivo, demonstrating that it may be possible to "turn on" these otherwise idle cells as effective replacements for those destroyed by neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's.

In addition to delivering therapeutic genes to repair malfunctioning brain cells, the nanoparticles also provide promising models for studying the genetic mechanisms of brain disease...read the wave

Ann Arbor, MI ---NanoBio Corporation, has announced that it has successfully completed its Phase 2 study of NB-001 in patients with herpes labialis (cold sores) and is moving ahead with plans to conduct Phase 3 clinical trials next year. NB-001 is a topical emulsion comprised of nanometer-size water/oil droplets coated with a surfactant that has demonstrated potent anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activity in previous studies. These uniformly small antimicrobial particles are designed to accelerate the healing of skin ulcers by killing the herpes viruses at the lesion site.

The multi-center Phase 2 study enrolled 332 patients with recurrent herpes labialis who were randomized to one of five ten-day treatment arms: no treatment, vehicle nanoemulsion, or one of three doses of active nanoemulsion. Patients who received the highest dose of NB-001 (0.1%) trended to show healing one day sooner than subjects in the control group. A significant proportion of subjects on the highest dose of NB-001 had healing two or more days earlier than the control group. There were no drug-related adverse events, reports of drug-induced skin irritation or drop-outs due to adverse events...read the wave

Achieving a first in the world of novel optical materials, researchers at the U. S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory are making 3-D photonic band gap crystals four millimeters square (approximately one-eighth of an inch square) and 12 layers high without benefit of a “clean room” environment or the multimillion dollar equipment traditionally required to create such structures. The fundamental research, supported by the Basic Energy Sciences Office of the DOE's Office of Science, holds potential for significantly reducing the costs associated with fabricating PBG crystals, devices that make it possible to route, manipulate and modify the properties of light...read the wave

The journal Nature publishes this week a study of electronic dynamics (“Direct observation of electron dynamics in the attosecond domain”). The participants of this study, together with other researchers, have been professors Daniel Sánchez-Portal and Pedro Miguel Etxenike from the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC).

A researcher group of various German laboratories has done the experimental part of the study, and the theoretical explanation based on quantum physics of what has been observed has been done in DIPC (San Sebastian).

This work answers the following question: How long does it take an electron to travel from an atom to the next atom? The main conclusion is that the time required is much shorter than the time it could be measured until now. This study analyses the dynamics of electrons in the case of sulphur atoms laid on metal surfaces (ruthenium)....read the wave

A team of British and Russian scientists led by Professor Geim have discovered a whole family of previously unknown materials, which are one atom thick and exhibit properties which scientists had never thought possible.

Not only are they ultra-thin, but depending on circumstances they can also be ultra-strong, highly-insulating or highly-conductive, offering a wide range of unique properties for space-age engineers and designers to choose from.

Professor Andre Geim said: "This discovery opens up practically infinite possibilities for applications which people have never even thought of yet. These materials are lightweight, strong and flexible, and there is a huge choice of them. This is not only about smart gadgets. Like polymers whose pervasiveness changed our everyday life forever, one-atom-thick materials could be used in a myriad of routine applications from clothing to computers." ...read the wave

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin has announced the six industrial clusters and 61 competitiveness clusters or 'pôles de compétitivité' that will receive funding 'in an effort to redraw and modernise the industrial map of this country'. The funds initially foreseen for this initiative have been doubled, from 750 million to 1.5 billion euro.

More than 100 applications were received for the funding - a combination of tax breaks and other credits for research and development - which will be distributed between 2006 and 2008. The government has also shown interested in channelling in funds from other sources such as the EU's Structural Funds and the Framework Programme for research.

Referring to the decision, the Prime Minister commented in a press conference that he wishes to increase economic growth by 'offering the best possible environment to those who take risks', and 'to integrate research and production as closely as possible in order to reinforce the competitiveness of businesses operating within France'..read the wave

BERKELEY – Rounding up wayward cells and particles on a microscope slide can be as difficult as corralling wild horses on the range, particularly if there's a need to separate a single individual from the group.

But now, a new device developed by University of California, Berkeley, engineers, and dubbed an "optoelectronic tweezer," will enable researchers to easily manipulate large numbers of single cells and particles using optical images projected on a glass slide coated with photoconductive materials.

"This is the first time a single light-emitting diode has been used to trap more than 10,000 microparticles at the same time," said Ming Wu, UC Berkeley professor of electrical engineering and computer sciences and principal investigator of the study. "Optoelectronic tweezers can produce instant microfluidic circuits without the need for sophisticated microfabrication techniques."...read the wave

In the last few years, a team led by Gene Ice of the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has improved by a factor of nearly 10 the performance of mirrors that enable researchers to examine variations in structure and chemistry and even individual nanoparticles. Information at this fine level is essential to understanding composition and structure of materials, and researchers continue to push the boundaries.

"There's a worldwide race to develop high-performance mirrors that will dramatically expand the capabilities of major science facilities like the Advanced Photon Source and the Spallation Neutron Source," said Ice, a member of ORNL's Metals & Ceramics Division . "We are now able to see in far greater detail the three-dimensional heterogeneous - or dissimilar -- structure of materials and study internal interactions of one nanoparticle next to another." ...read the wave

Industrial Nanotech Inc., (Pink Sheets:INTK), an emerging nanotechnology-based solutions provider, is pleased to report that the Company is testing a newly developed prototype of Nansulate Translucent(tm) to be delivered via a spray can. The new spray delivery method of the high performance nanotechnology coating was engineered for household and industrial applications that can benefit from the smaller quantity offered and the ease of application that comes from a spray can. Management sees a significant retail marketing opportunity in offering a spray coating that can effectively insulate and prevent against corrosion.

The Company is currently working toward establishing distribution agreements for its spray coating. Industrial Nanotech is in discussions with a leading global consumer products company for the retail distribution of Nansulate Translucent(tm) to be packaged in a private label spray can. Additionally, a separate agreement is being negotiated that would position Nansulate Translucent(tm) for distribution by a successful building supply chain with 9 retail outlets in the Midwest...read the wave

Molecular recognition plays an important role in biological processes. In general, it involves fairly weak interactions between individual molecular fragments. However, markedly strong bonds are occasionally observed, such as those between antibodies and their antigens. One reason for this seems to be that antigens can have multiple binding sites, to which multiple antigen-binding sites in the antibody can bind at the same time. This once again demonstrates that the whole can be more than the sum of its parts; the multiple interactions are stronger than would be expected from the corresponding individual bonds. In addition, the specificity of the molecular recognition is higher. Researchers wish to use this phenomenon, known as multivalency, for the development of pharmaceuticals and targeted-imaging agents. “The idea is to attach several...read the wave

Nanotubes are seen as the “building blocks” of the future. Their high electrical conductivity, excellent mechanical strength and high thermal conductivity render carbon nanotubes (CNTs) ideal materials for a variety of industrial applications, such as automotive, gas (e.g., hydrogen) storage, fuel cells, microelectronics, biosensors and chemical sensors, polymer and ceramic reinforcement etc.

Nanothinx is a young spin off company, which focuses on the high-purity and low-cost production of multi-wall (MWNT) and single-wall nanotubes (SWNT) as well as on some of their uses. The company has spun-off from the Institute of Chemical Engineering and High Temperature Chemical Processes (ICE-HT) situated in Patras, one of the seven Institutes of the Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), which is one of the most important research establishments in Greece.

The production methods used by Nanothinx are based on the synthesis of carbon nanotubes with catalytic chemical vapour deposition (CCVD or CVD) from hydrocarbon feeds...read the wave

Abstract Nanobiotechnologies have been applied to improve drug delivery and to overcome some of the problems of drug delivery in cancer. These can be classified into many categories that include use of various nanoparticles, nanoencapsulation, targeted delivery to tumors of various organs, and combination with other methods of treatment of cancer such as radiotherapy. Nanoparticles are also used for gene therapy for cancer. Some of the technologies enable combination of diagnostics with therapeutics which will be important for the personalized management of cancer. Some of the limitations of these technologies and prospects for future development are discussed...read the wave

Touchstone Research Laboratory in Triadelphia will soon open its new carbon composite manufacturing plant, which will be located near Cabela's.

Touchstone will be manufacturing a product that could revolutionize several major industries in the nation, and though the cost of this new high-tech product is high now, Touchstone's expansion will drive down the price significantly.

"Imagine Styrofoam, only make it 1,000 times stronger and it doesn't burn," said Brian Joseph, co-owner of Touchstone. "You can take a sheet of it and shoot an 8-foot two-by-four at it at 100 mph, and it'll bounce right off."

He said that the new plant will employ several dozen highly paid employees with technical backgrounds over the coming years, though Joseph mentioned that the company can already claim a lot of expertise among the employees of its current facility...read the wave

The past 40 years have seen great advances in computer technology, largely involving the size and speed of the circuits that process and store information. Today's laptops, PDAs, and mobile phones are far superior in performance, and orders of magnitude smaller in size and price compared to the enormous computers of the mid-20th century. It all has to do with the industry's mantra called “Moore's Law.” Based on a 1965 prediction by Gordon E. Moore, who later co-founded Intel, the maxim says that the processing power of integrated circuits will double every 18 months. Moore's Law remains a cornerstone of the semiconductor industry, but researchers at Rensselaer say that foundation will soon crumble unless manufacturers make some radical changes — in a new dimension...read the wave

Iranian NanoTechnology Newsletter # 86

We are once again pleased to publish news from Iranian NanoTechnology Policy Studies Committee via their latest Iranian Nano Technology Newsletter.

This link is published as a service to many of our global visitors. Please note that the link is to a non-English language web site so we have not been about to check this link to ascertain if it contains any “non appropriate “ language or statements.

But judging from the earlier high standard of news published items from the Iranian NanoTechnology Policy Studies Committee, Nano Tsunami is happy to add this link to our site. However, Nano Tsunami cannot be held reasonable for any remarks made by the Iranian NanoTechnology Policy Studies Committee web site or their newsletters.

The Editor …read the wave

A portable, versatile and low-cost molecular detection tool being developed by a team of Computer code-makers may soon get the upper hand on code-breakers thanks to a new quantum cryptography method designed at the University of Toronto. Quantum cryptography uses particles of light to share secret encryption keys relayed through fibre-optic communications.

A paper published in the June 16 issue of the Physical Review Letter demonstrates how senders can vary the intensity of laser light particles (photons) used in fibre-optic communications to create decoys that catch eavesdropping attempts. "To exchange secret communication, the sender and the recipient first have to exchange a random series of 0s and 1s - known as the encryption key - through a sequence of photons,"...read the wave

A portable, versatile and low-cost molecular detection tool being developed by a team of European researchers promises to revolutionise the diagnosis of diseases such as cancer and open up new applications in sectors as diverse as environmental protection, chemical analysis and food safety.

Working in the field of micro- and nano-technologies, the IST programme-funded BioFinger project is due to begin testing its state-of-the-art system over the summer amid expectations for a commercial product to be available on the market within two to three years.

“What we are creating is a generic, highly precise and highly versatile tool to detect and analyse molecules in the blood and other fluids using nano and micro cantilevers,” explains project coordinator Joan Bausells at the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas in Spain...read the wave

In the last few years, semiconductor circuit features have shrunk to sub-100 nanometer (nm) dimensions, while the size of the thin silicon wafers that these circuits are constructed on has grown from 200 millimeters (mm) to 300 mm (about 12 inches). The payoff is a higher yield of finished devices from fewer wafers.

The tough part, however, is to make wafers substantially larger while simultaneously meeting higher quality control specifications. The optics and materials for "printing" nanoscale circuit lines require that the wafers used are perfectly flat and of uniform thickness. To help the semiconductor industry meet its 2010 quality control roadmap goals, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently developed a...read the wave

Avoid "dead water," the website advises, or else risk cardiovascular disease. According to Nanotechnology Limited, dead water is distilled or purified water that lacks minerals the body needs. The Chinese company claims that its product " nano water ," currently available in Hong Kong supermarkets, is not only pure but has enhanced properties that fight inflammation, cancer and even aging itself. Thanks to a "nanometer high-energy water activator," this superwater has smaller molecule clusters that enable more direct absorption by the body.

Whether these claims are true or not -- scientists that I directed to the website pronounced it "hilarious" and "completely bogus" while company officials declined comment -- "nano water" is piggybacking on one of the most heralded scientific advances of our generation...read the wave

THE cosmetics giant L'Oréal is marketing a range of skin treatments containing tiny “nano” particles, despite concerns about their possible long-term effects on the human body.

The products, which include anti-wrinkle creams such as Revitalift, are said to be absorbed deeper into the skin than more traditional treatments because of the far smaller size of their particles.

However, the cosmetic use of nanotechnology, originally employed in man-made fibres and pharmaceuticals, has led to calls from both the Royal Society and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in America for a comprehensive programme of research.

They aim to discover what effect the...read the wave

The diameter of an ion beam is only 20 nm and its aiming accuracy is 60 nm. "Single Nanoscale structures with unique properties are a treasure trove for developing novel nanoelectronic devices of the next generation.

However, understanding the properties of such nanoscale structures is harder than creating the nanostructures. Prof. Aono, who has been creating various nanostructures of interest by manipulating atoms and molecules using a probe tip of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM), has expanded his research field to the property measurement of nanostructures.......read the wave

UCLA chemists have created the first nano valve that can be opened and closed at will to trap and release molecules. The discovery, federally funded by the National Science Foundation, will be published July 19 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"This paper demonstrates unequivocally that the machine works," said Jeffrey I. Zink, a UCLA professor of chemistry and biochemistry, a member of the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA, and a member of the research team. "With the nano valve, we can trap and release molecules on demand. We are able to control molecules at the nano scale.

"A nano valve potentially could be used as a drug delivery system," Zink said...read the wave

The extremely high performance of the products of molecular manufacturing will make the technology transformative—but it is the potential for fast development that will make it truly disruptive. If it took decades of research to produce breakthrough products, we would have time to adjust. But if breakthrough products can be developed quickly, their effects can pile up too quickly to allow wise policymaking or adjustment. As if that weren't bad enough, the anticipation of rapid development could cause additional problems......read the wave

RIVERSIDE, Calif. www.ucr.edu – Osteoporosis sufferers and victims of broken bones may have the tiniest of friends in carbon nanotubes, according to researchers at the University of California, Riverside.

The strength, flexibility and light weight of carbon nanotubes – structures 100,000 smaller than a human hair – allow them to act as scaffolds to hold up regenerating bone, according to Distinguished Professor of Chemistry Robert C. Haddon , the director of the Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering at UC Riverside.

“They're the perfect replacement: Small, strong, and they're carbon based,” said Haddon, lead author of a paper titled A Bone Mimic Based on the Self-Assembly of Hydroxyapatite on Chemically Functionalized Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, which was published in June in the American Chemical Society's journal Chemistry of Materials . Haddon's UCR co-authors included graduate students Bin Zhao and Hui Hu, and postdoctoral researcher Swandhin K. Mandal...read the wave

Researchers from Korea, Italy, France and the ESRF have just observed how a molecule changes structure after being hit with a short flash of laser light. Thanks to very intense pulses of X-rays from the synchrotron and novel data analysis, they were able to confirm a long standing hypothesis regarding the evolution of this molecule. The results are published in the 14 July Science Express, the online counterpart of the journal Science.

The experiment was started by dissolving the molecule C2H4I2 in liquid methanol and then hitting it with a short laser pulse. This excited the molecule, which then cooled down while releasing heat into the surrounding liquid. As a consequence, the temperature rose and the liquid started to expand in response to the increase in temperature. The absorption of light triggered a chemical reaction, which the researchers studied with picosecond time resolution. They measured the change in shape and composition as early as 100 picoseconds after the initial explosion, then at 10 nanoseconds after, then 1 microsecond and so on. All these dancing atoms were confined to a tiny “dance floor” with a radius of about 6 Ångstroms (0.6 nanometres)...read the wave

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania propose to shrink circuits in order to save space and power and, more importantly, to accommodate electronic applications at much higher frequencies than are possible with current models, applications that include nano-optics, optical information storage, and molecular signaling.

Electric circuit elements, among them resistors, capacitors, and inductors, come in a variety of sizes to deal with a variety of applications at a range of frequencies. The familiar electrical grid, for example, operates at a frequency of 60 Hz. A circuit designed to process radio signals operates at the 100-megahertz range. A typical frequency domain for computers is 1 GHz. Higher still, microwave applications often operate at the 10-GHz (10 10 Hz) level...read the wave

A groundbreaking group of theoretical and experimental physicists is coming together to experiment with a phenomenon that disturbed Einstein and which could one day make super-fast quantum computers a possibility.

Centenary professor of quantum information science Vlatko Vedral is an expert in the theoretical study of entanglement – a phenomenon Einstein called ‘spooky action at a distance'. Two ‘entangled' particles are connected because the fate of one depends on the other. A change in one particle is communicated to the other even faster than the speed of light, breaking all traditional rules of physics.

Quantum entanglement forms the basis for emerging technologies including quantum computers, which have a far greater capacity than today's machines. Computers of the future fuelled by quantum bits could perform massive calculations – such as the factorisation of huge numbers – or complicated database searches...read the wave

PhotonAix members developed a new EUV (extreme ultraviolet) lithography process. This technique is suitable for manufacturing exceptionally small semiconductor structures, which are in demand for the chips used in ever more powerful PCs.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT, the Chair for Laser Technology at RWTH Aachen, AIXUV GmbH – all PhotonAix members – and Philips Extrem UV GmbH were honored with the science prize of the Donors' Association for the Promotion of Sciences and Humanities in Germany, which carries a 50,000-euro endowment. The team of collaborating partners from science and industry won the award for their especially productive, close cooperation on the development of a new EUV (extreme ultraviolet) lithography process...read the wave

According to Wall Street Journal columnist Lee Gomes, you know an idea's time has come when it "starts to be taught to undergraduates as though it is old hat." Gomes says that's what led him to sit in on a session of UC Berkeley's senior-level course in "Qubits, Quantum Mechanics, and Computers" last spring, C/CS/Physics 191 — a course otherwise known as quantum computing.

Two people the columnist heard speak that day, teacher Michael Crommie and guest Thomas Schenkel, are both staff scientists at Berkeley Lab, Crommie in the Materials Sciences Division and Schenkel in the Accelerator and Fusion Research Division (AFRD). Crommie, who is also a professor of physics at UC Berkeley, studies atomic and molecular structures on surfaces. Schenkel is heading a project at Berkeley Lab to demonstrate hardware for a quantum computer.

"In our class we start with a foundation in quantum mechanics and only later build up to the machinery we might use," says Crommie. Crommie teams with Umesh Vazirani, an associate professor in UC Berkeley's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences; the two created the course in concert with K. Birgitta Whaley, a UCB professor of chemistry....read the wave

BERKELEY, CA – Progress in nanoscience and nanotechnology depends not only on examining the surfaces of things but on seeing deep inside biological organisms and material structures to identify what they're made of — and what electronic, magnetic, optical, and chemical processes may be in play

For measuring internal variations in shape, organization, magnetism, polarization, or chemical make-up over distances of a few nanometers (billionths of a meter), x-ray microscopy not only complements electron microscopy but also offers important advantages. The XM-1 x-ray microscope at the Advanced Light Source, located at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, uses bright beams of "soft" x-rays to produce images that not only reveal structures but can identify their chemical elements and measure their electromagnetic and other properties as well...read the wave

Oxford UK -- Dr Kevin Matthews, CEO of a leading UK nanotechnology company Oxonica, has been awarded Entrepreneur of the Year 2005 in this year's Ernst & Young South Region final.

Kevin competed against 32 finalists from the South Region's most inspirational and dynamic entrepreneurs. The Science & Technology award was awarded to him in recognition of transforming Oxonica from an early stage technology house into one of Europe's leading nanotechnology businesses.

At the ceremony, which was held on Monday 27 June 2005, Kevin commented that this award was a great recognition of the teamwork and dynamism of the company that had taken initial research from the University of Oxford into innovative nanotechnology techniques and built a thriving company that was now commercialising these ideas and selling the resulting products around the world...read the wave

The development of nanotechnologies and nanosciences (N&N) is still at an early stage, though the market for nanotechnology-based products is expected to rise to hundreds of billions of euro by 2010. To foster public debate on the developments of research in this field, the NanoDialogue project was recently launched under the European Union's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).

While products using nanotechnologies are already on the market, and they already have a growing public profile through science fiction, public awareness of its real economic and social potential is probably still quite low. Dialogue on the societal and ethical issues raised by N&N, between researchers, citizens, civil society and business stakeholders, is becoming indispensable to democratic policy decisions in this area.

The European Commission is supporting specific actions to communicate N&N under the FP6 research work-programme in 'Nanotechnologies and nano-sciences, knowledge-based multifunctional materials and new production processes and devices' (NMP). The NanoDialogue project, or 'Nanodialogue - Enhancing dialogue on Nanotechnologies and Nanosciences in society at European level One', is being supported with a budget of 850,000 euro...read the wave

Carving a telephone pole is easy if you have the right tools, say a power saw and some large chisels. And with some much tinier tools you could even carve a design into a paper clip if you wanted to. But shrink your sights down to the nanoscale, to a nanowire that is 1,000 times smaller than the diameter of a paper clip, and you find there are no physical tools to do the job properly.

So a team of Northwestern University scientists turned to chemistry and developed a new method that can routinely and cheaply produce nanowires with gaps as small as five nanometers wide -- a feat that is unattainable using conventional lithographic techniques. The results will be published in the July 1 issue of the journal Science.

Carved gaps are essential to a nanowire's function, and controlling those gaps would allow scientists and engineers to design with precision devices ranging from tiny integrated circuits to gene chips and protein arrays for diagnostics and drug discovery...read the wave

West Chester, OH --- June 30, 2005 --- Today Small-Tech Tools announced the unveiling of the MEKA Hot Plate, a remanufactured hot plate for use in the emerging technologies of Microelectronics and Nanotechnology.

Small-Tech Tools, a provider of products and services to research institutions worldwide, is now bringing its expertise to the remanufacturing market. Cost conscientious customers who want production quality equipment will find that a remanufactured hot plate from Small-Tech Tools will meet their requirements.

The MEKA Hot Plate is 25% of the cost of similar new units with the same specifications and includes a no hassle warranty, i.e., return for any reason (don't like color, smell, taste, sound, etc.). “With our remanufacturing techniques, we are able to reduce the cost of the MEKA Hot Plate while obtaining production-worthy quality,” commented Steve Birdsong, Sales and Marketing Director of STT...read the wave

NanoBioNexus, Inc., a non-profit forum for business, networking and partnering opportunities in nanobiotechnology, celebrates its first anniversary and announces the continuing support of founding sponsor, Morrison and Foerster LLP. The significant milestones reached by the organization have also attracted new support and sponsorship including Duke Scientific Corporation; Buchanan Ingersoll LLP including attorneys from Burns Doane Swecker & Mathis; Veracast Communications; Rudolph and Sletten; Summit Financial Group; BayCreative; Biotech Vendor Services, Inc.; and ScienceMedia.

“I'm very pleased with the milestones we've achieved as an organization in our first year of operation,” commented Adriana Vela, Founder and Chair of NanoBioNexus (NBN). “Our programs are well attended and our partnership with the business community continues to expand. We were honored to receive an invitation to participate in a grant application from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and we're currently in discussions with several major scientific publishers that are interested in acquiring the NanoBioNexus News content for ongoing columns.” ...read the wave