ScienceDaily: Nanotechnology News

Tiny batteries: 3-D printing could lead to miniaturized medical implants, compact electronics, tiny robots

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:14:14 EDT

Three-dimensional printing can now be used to print lithium-ion microbatteries the size of a grain of sand. The printed microbatteries could supply electricity to tiny devices in fields from medicine to communications, including many that have lingered on lab benches for lack of a battery small enough to fit the device, yet provide enough stored energy to power them.

Working backward: Computer-aided design of zeolite templates

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:20:20 EDT

Taking a page from computer-aided drug designers, researchers have developed a computational method that chemists can use to tailor the properties of zeolites, one of the world's most-used industrial minerals. The method allows chemists to work backward by first considering the type of zeolite they wish to make and then creating the organic template needed to produce it.

Which qubit my dear? New method to distinguish between neighboring quantum bits

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:17:17 EDT

Researchers have proposed a new way to distinguish between quantum bits that are placed only a few nanometers apart in a silicon chip, taking them a step closer to the construction of a large-scale quantum computer. In a significant feat of atomic engineering, they were also able to read-out the spins of individual electrons on a cluster of phosphorus atoms that had been placed precisely in silicon.

'Chemical architects' build materials with potential applications in drug delivery and gas storage

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:23:23 EDT

Home remodelers understand the concept of improving original foundations with more modern elements. Using this same approach -- but with chemistry -- researchers have now designed a family of materials that could make drug delivery, gas storage, and gas transport more efficient and at a lower cost.

Efficient and inexpensive: Researchers develop catalyst material for fuel cells

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:12:12 EDT

Efficient, robust and economic catalyst materials hold the key to achieving a breakthrough in fuel cell technology. Scientists have developed a material for converting hydrogen and oxygen to water using a tenth of the typical amount of platinum that was previously required. With the aid of state-of-the-art electron microscopy, the researchers discovered that the function of the nanometre-scale catalyst particles is decisively determined by their geometric shape and atomic structure.

Simple and inexpensive process to make a material for carbon dioxide adsorption

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:46:46 EDT

Researchers in South Korea have developed a novel, simple method to synthesize hierarchically nanoporous frameworks of nanocrystalline metal oxides such as magnesia and ceria by the thermal conversion of well-designed metal-organic frameworks.

Nanoparticles helping to recover more oil

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:25:25 EDT

When petroleum companies abandon an oil well, more than half the reservoir’s oil is usually left behind as too difficult to recover. Now, however, much of the residual oil can be recovered with the help of nanoparticles and a simple law of physics.

Unzipped nanotubes unlock potential for batteries

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:33:33 EDT

Graphene nanoribbons and tin oxide make an effective anode for lithium ion batteries, as discovered in early tests.

Odors from human skin cells can be used to identify melanoma

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:33:33 EDT

Researchers identified odorants from human skin cells that can be used to identify melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. In addition a nanotechnology-based sensor could reliably differentiate melanoma cells from normal skin cells. Non-invasive odor analysis may be a valuable technique in the detection and early diagnosis of human melanoma.

Nanoparticle opens the door to clean-energy alternatives

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:28:28 EDT

Cheaper clean-energy technologies could be made possible thanks to a new discovery. An important chemical reaction that generates hydrogen from water is effectively triggered -- or catalyzed -- by a nanoparticle composed of nickel and phosphorus, two inexpensive elements that are abundant on Earth.

DNA brings materials to life: DNA-coated colloids help create novel self-assembling materials

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:44:44 EDT

A colloid is a substance spread out evenly inside another substance. Everyday examples include milk, styrofoam, hair sprays, paints, shaving foam, gels and even dust, mud and fog. One of the most interesting properties of colloids is their ability to self-assemble -- to aggregate spontaneously into well-defined structures, driven by nothing but local interactions between the colloid's particles. Self-assembly has been of major interest in industry, since controlling it would open up a whole host of new technologies, such as smart drug-delivery patches or novel paints that change with light. Scientists have now discovered a technique to control and direct the self-assembly of two different colloids.

Light-carved 'nano-volcanoes' hold promise for drug delivery

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:44:44 EDT

Researchers have developed a method for creating "nano-volcanoes" by shining various colors of light through a nanoscale "crystal ball" made of a synthetic polymer. These nano-volcanoes can store precise amounts of other materials and hold promise for new drug-delivery technologies.

Spot-welding graphene nanoribbons atom by atom

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:22:22 EDT

Scientists have created single atom contacts between gold and graphene nanoribbons.

Silicon-based nanoparticles could make LEDs cheaper, greener to produce

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 22:41:41 EDT

Researchers have created a material they say would make LED bulbs cheaper and greener to manufacture, driving down the price. Their silicon-based nanoparticles soften the blue light emitted by LEDs, creating white light that more closely resembles sunlight.

New quantum dot technique combines best of optical and electron microscopy

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:33:33 EDT

Researchers have developed a new microscopy technique that uses a process similar to how an old tube television produces a picture to image nanoscale features. Combining the best features of optical and scanning electron microscopy, the fast, versatile, and high-resolution technique allows scientists to view surface and subsurface features potentially as small as 10 nanometers in size.

Filmmaking magic with polymers

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:31:31 EDT

Self-assembled copolymer block film is now being fabricated with intricately organized nanostructures, giving them multiple functions and flexibility on a macroscale level never before seen.

Cameras five times more sensitive to light? An ultrasensitive molybdenum-based image sensor developed

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:31:31 EDT

Scientist have built a prototype for an image sensor based on the semi-conducting properties of molybdenite. It could one day result in cameras that are five times more light sensitive than current technology.

Nano-thermometer enables first atomic-scale heat transfer measurements

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:30:30 EDT

In findings that could help overcome a major technological hurdle in the road toward smaller and more powerful electronics, an international research team has shown the unique ways in which heat dissipates at the tiniest scales.

Luminous bacterial proteins detect chemicals in water

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:18:18 EDT

Scientists have developed a simple color sensor principle which facilitates the detection of residual medications, trace metals from industrial process waters, and many other substances. This is the concept: If the analyzed sample shines red, then the water is 'clean;' if its color turns green, however, then it contains the substances the scientists wish to detect.

Exposure to air transforms gold alloys into catalytic nanostructures

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:19:19 EDT

Scientists have created promising gold-indium oxide nanoparticles through room-temperature oxidation.

Polymer nanoreactors create uniform nanocrystals

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:09:09 EDT

Using star-shaped block co-polymer structures as tiny reaction vessels, researchers have developed an improved technique for producing nanocrystals with consistent sizes, compositions and architectures – including metallic, ferroelectric, magnetic, semiconductor and luminescent nanocrystals.

Nanofiber sensor detects diabetes or lung cancer faster and easier

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 11:17:17 EDT

Researchers in South Korea have recently developed a highly sensitive exhaled breath sensor by using hierarchical tin dioxide fibers that are assembled from wrinkled thin tin dioxide nanotubes.

Graphene and semiconductor technology together: Smaller, cheaper, better

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 08:42:42 EDT

Mobile phones that bend, self-powered nanodevices, new and improved solar cell technology and windows that generate electricity are but a few of the potential products from the union of semiconductors and graphene.

Less friction loss in combustion engines

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 08:42:42 EDT

Researchers have developed a method that can reduce engine friction and wear even during production of engine components. Special coatings can help to reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

'Popcorn' particle pathways promise better lithium-ion batteries

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 08:22:22 EDT

Researchers have confirmed the particle-by-particle mechanism by which lithium ions move in and out of electrodes made of lithium iron phosphate, findings that could lead to better performance in lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, medical equipment and aircraft.

Shape of nanoparticles points the way toward more targeted drugs

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 15:21:21 EDT

The shape of nanoparticles can enhance drug targeting, according to new research. The study found that rod-shaped nanoparticles -- or nanorods -- as opposed to spherical nanoparticles, appear to adhere more effectively to the surface of endothelial cells that line the inside of blood vessels.

Testing artificial photosynthesis: Fully integrated microfluidic test-bed for solar-driven electrochemical energy conversion systems

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:32:32 EDT

Researchers have developed the first fully integrated microfluidic test-bed for evaluating and optimizing solar-driven electrochemical energy conversion systems. This test-bed system has already been used to study schemes for photovoltaic electrolysis of water, and can be readily adapted to study proposed artificial photosynthesis and fuel cell technologies.

2-D electronics take a step forward: Semiconducting films for atom-thick circuits

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:31:31 EDT

Scientists have created single-layer films of molybdenum disulfide, a semiconductor and an important component in the development of two-dimensional electronics.

The diabetes 'breathalyzer'

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:31:31 EDT

Chemists have demonstrated a sensor technology that could significantly simplify the diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes through breath analysis alone.

Catching individual molecules in a million with optical antennas inside nano-boxes

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 09:51:51 EDT

Detecting one individual biomolecule amongst millions of other neighboring molecules has been technically impossible until now. Scientists have now devised the smallest optical device capable of detecting and sensing individual biomolecules at concentrations that are similar to those found in the cellular context.

Dance of the atoms: Clustering of atoms observed

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 08:41:41 EDT

Lone people standing in a ballroom don’t tend to move a lot. It’s only when they find a suitable dance partner that rapid motion sets in. Atoms on iron-oxide surfaces behave in a similar way: Only with the right molecular partner do they dance across the surface. Scientists have now filmed the atoms, proving that carbon monoxide is the partner responsible for the quick motion.

World's first large(wafer)-scale production of III-V semiconductor nanowire

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 08:39:39 EDT

Researchers have developed large-scale heteroepitaxial growth III-V nanowires on a Si wafer.

Carbon nanotubes for molecular magnetic resonances

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 19:57:57 EDT

Researchers have developed a new technique for measuring very weak forces on a molecular scale. Thanks to the use of carbon nanotubes, they have achieved the highest level of sensitivity to date. These results open the door for magnetic resonance imaging of individual molecules.

New framework for understanding the energetics of ionic liquids

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 16:03:03 EDT

A new study provides clues into the understanding of the behavior of the charged molecules or particles in ionic liquids. The new framework may lead to the creation of cleaner, more sustainable, and nontoxic batteries, and other sources of chemical power.

Whispering light hears liquids talk

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 08:53:53 EDT

Researchers have developed optomechanical sensors in which extremely minute forces exerted by light are used to generate and control high-frequency mechanical vibrations of microscale and nanoscale devices that will help unlock vibrational secrets of chemical and biological samples at the nanoscale.

Promising material for lithium-ion batteries

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:10:10 EDT

Laptops could work longer and electric cars could drive farther if it were possible to further increase the capacity of their lithium-ion batteries. The electrode material has a decisive influence on a battery's capacity. So far, the negative electrode typically consists of graphite, whose layers can store lithium atoms. Scientists have now developed a material made of boron and silicon that could smooth the way to systems with higher capacities.

Second life for possible spintronic materials: Manganese, gallium nitride merged in uniform layer

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 11:20:20 EDT

Ten years ago, scientists were convinced that a combination of manganese and gallium nitride could be a key material to create spintronics, the next generation of electronic devices that operate on properties found at the nanoscale.

Sensitive flow sensor: Hair sensor uncovers hidden signals

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 10:15:15 EDT

An “artificial cricket hair” used as a sensitive flow sensor has difficulty detecting weak, low-frequency signals – they tend to be drowned out by noise. But now, a bit of clever tinkering with the flexibility of the tiny hair’s supports has made it possible to boost the signal-to-noise ratio by a factor of 25. This in turn means that weak flows can now be measured.

Specifically sized gold nanoparticle spheres increase the sensitivity of a light-based chemical detector

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 09:59:59 EDT

A sensor that relies on reflected light to analyze biomedical and chemical samples now has greater sensitivity, thanks to a carpet of gold nanoparticles. Scientists have determined the ideal size of nanoparticle to improve surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors.

New microfluidic method expands toolbox for nanoparticle manipulation

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:43:43 EDT

Researchers have developed a new flow-based method for manipulating and confining single particles in free solution, a process that will help address current challenges faced by nanoscientists and engineers. The "microfluidic trap" is capable of 2-D particle manipulation using the sole action of fluid flow.

Tiny bubbles in your metallic glass may not be a cause for celebration

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 13:00:00 EDT

Bubbles in a champagne glass may add a festive fizz, but microscopic bubbles that form in metallic glass can signal serious trouble. That's why researchers used computer simulations to study how these bubbles form and expand.

Metal-free catalyst outperforms platinum in fuel cell

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 11:15:15 EDT

Researchers have discovered an inexpensive and easily produced catalyst that performs better than platinum in oxygen-reduction reactions -- a step toward eliminating what industry regards as the largest obstacle to large-scale commercialization of fuel cell technology.

Tiny airplanes and subs could be next hurricane hunters

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 15:33:33 EDT

Scientists envision a day when unmanned vehicles will swarm over, under and through hurricanes to help predict the strength and path of the storms.

Spintronics approach enables new quantum technologies

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 15:33:33 EDT

Researchers highlight the power of emerging quantum technologies in two recent articles. New technologies exploit quantum mechanics, the physics that dominates the atomic world, to perform disparate tasks such as nanoscale temperature measurement and processing quantum information with lasers.

Catalyst could jump-start e-cars, green energy

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 13:54:54 EDT

Scientists have designed a new type of nanostructured-carbon-based catalyst that could pave the way for reliable, economical next-generation batteries and alkaline fuel cells, providing for practical use of wind- and solar-powered electricity, as well as enhanced hybrid electric vehicles.

Detecting disease with a smartphone accessory

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 11:39:39 EDT

Engineers have created a new optical sensor that plugs in to a smartphone and, using disposable microfluidic chips, allows for inexpensive in-the-field diagnosis of Kaposi's sarcoma, a cancer linked to AIDS.

Scientists create novel silicon electrodes that improve lithium-ion batteries

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 09:47:47 EDT

Scientists have dramatically improved the performance of lithium-ion batteries by creating novel electrodes made of silicon and conducting polymer hydrogel, a spongy material similar to that used in contact lenses and other household products. The scientists developed a new technique for producing low-cost, silicon-based batteries with potential applications for a wide range of electrical devices.

Even with defects, graphene is strongest material in the world

Fri, 31 May 2013 11:47:47 EDT

Engineering researchers demonstrate that graphene, even if stitched together from many small crystalline grains, is almost as strong as graphene in its perfect crystalline form. This resolves a contradiction between theoretical simulations, which predicted grain boundaries can be strong, and earlier experiments, which indicated they were much weaker than the perfect lattice.

Building 3-D fractals on a nano scale

Fri, 31 May 2013 10:39:39 EDT

It starts with one 3-D structure with eight planes, an octahedron. This repeats itself to smaller octahedra: 625 after just four steps. At every corner of a new octahedron, a successive octahedron is formed. A truly fascinating 3D fractal ‘building’ is formed on the micro and nano scale.

Artificial magnetic monopoles discovered

Fri, 31 May 2013 10:39:39 EDT

Scientists have managed to create artificial magnetic monopoles. To do this, they merged tiny magnetic whirls, so-called skyrmions. At the point of merging, the physicists were able to create a monopole, which has similar characteristics to a fundamental particle postulated by Paul Dirac in 1931. In addition to fundamental research, the monopoles may also have application potential.

Innovative new nanotechnology stops bed bugs in their tracks -- literally

Thu, 30 May 2013 16:58:58 EDT

Bed bugs now need to watch their step. Researchers have developed a safe, non-chemical resource that literally stops bed bugs in their tracks. This innovative new technology acts as a human-made web consisting of microfibers 50 times thinner than a human hair which entangle and trap bed bugs and other insects.

Researchers coax clays to make human bone

Thu, 30 May 2013 15:28:28 EDT

Whether damaged by injury, disease or age, your body as an adult can't create entirely new bone, but maybe science can. Researchers are making strides in tissue engineering, designing scaffolds that may lead to ways to regenerate bone. Scientists have developed a novel method that uses nanosized clays to make scaffolds to mineralize bone minerals such as hydroxyapatite.

Scientists capture first images of molecules before and after reaction

Thu, 30 May 2013 14:20:20 EDT

Using atomic force microscopy, chemists for the first time can capture images of molecules before and after they react, which will allow them to better tune reactions to get the products they want. Chemists and physicists joined forces to develop the technique, which could help scientists study and improve catalytic reactions like those used widely in industry to make chemicals or crack oil.

Atom by atom, bond by bond, a chemical reaction caught in the act

Thu, 30 May 2013 14:20:20 EDT

Scientists have produced remarkable images of carbon atoms and the bonds among them. Resembling glowing textbook diagrams, hydrocarbon molecules are shown in high resolution for the first time before and after bond-breaking, rearrangement, and reforming of bonds during a complex chemical reaction.

New single virus detection techniques for faster disease diagnosis

Thu, 30 May 2013 11:13:13 EDT

Two independent teams have developed new optics-based methods for determining the exact viral load of a sample by counting individual virus particles. These new methods are faster and cheaper than standard tests and they offer the potential to conduct the measurements in a medical office or hospital instead of a laboratory.

New gene delivery method: Magnetic nanoparticles

Thu, 30 May 2013 11:11:11 EDT

Stent angioplasty saves lives, but comes with complications. A new nanoparticle gene delivery method will hopefully overcome limitations of gene therapy vectors and prevent complications associated with stenting. Stents are the platform for magnetically targeted gene delivery, where genes are moved to cells at arterial injury locations without side effects. These nanoparticles protect genes and help them reach their target in active form, a challenge in gene therapy.

Rabbit wears contact lenses with light-emitting diode: New class of transparent, stretchable electrodes

Thu, 30 May 2013 11:09:09 EDT

Scientists have demonstrated that a live rabbit could wear contact lenses fitted with inorganic light-emitting diode with no side effects. This new class of hybrid transparent and stretchable electrode paves the way for flexible displays, solar cells, and electronics.

Clear photos in dim light: New sensor a thousand times more sensitive than current camera sensors

Thu, 30 May 2013 09:46:46 EDT

Cameras fitted with a new revolutionary sensor will soon be able to take clear and sharp photos in dim conditions, thanks to a new image sensor.

Organic polymers show sunny potential: Groundwork laid for block copolymer solar cells

Wed, 29 May 2013 15:46:46 EDT

A new version of solar cells could open the door to research on a new class of solar energy devices. The photovoltaic devices are based on block copolymers, self-assembling organic materials that arrange themselves into distinct layers. They easily outperform other cells with polymer compounds as active elements.

Nanomedicines' impact on patients under the microscope

Wed, 29 May 2013 10:15:15 EDT

A pioneering imaging technique to track the effects of next-generation nanomedicines on patients has now been harnessed.