The AZoNano.com "Nanotech Thought Leaders" series is a selection of articles that cover the key technology areas where Nanotechnology is making an impact and where it will make an increasing impact. All the articles are written by experts who have been invited as recognised leaders in their fields to provide a "state of the art" contribution.
2011
- Predictive Thermodynamics for Condensed Phases, and Nanotechnology
By Prof Leslie Glasser, Adjunct Research Professor, Nanochemistry Research Institute (NRI), Curtin University, Australia.
- Materials Science on a Single Defect Level: Dimensions of Complexity
By Professor Sergei V. Kalinin, The Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA.
- Nanotechnology in the UK
By Professor Peter J Dobson, Academic Director of Begbroke Science Park, University of Oxford, UK.
- Microfluidics and Biomedical Applications
By Dr Xianghong Ma, Director, Biomedical Engineering Research Group, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Aston University, UK.
- Responsive Microgel Composite Colloids for Plasmonic Sensing
By Prof. Luis M. Liz-Marzan, Departamento de Quimica Fisica, Unidad Asociada CSIC-Universidade de Vigo, Spain.
- AFM-IR: Infrared Sub-Cellular Imaging with an Atomic Force Microscope
By Dr Alexandre Dazzi, Université Paris-Sud, Laboratoire de Chimie Physique, Batiment 201-P2, 91405 Orsay, France.
- Time-Dependent Fields for a New Breed of Carbon-Based Nanodevices
By Professor Luis E. F. Foa Torres, Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola (FaMAF - CONICET), National University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
- The AtomChip: Bringing Nanofabrication and Quantum Optics Together
By Professor Ron Folman, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
- DNA as a Functional Polymer
By Professor Juewen Liu, Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
- Nanomechanical Test Instruments - A Buyers Guide
By Professor Mohan Ranganathan, Department of Mechanics and Systems, Polytechnics Engineering School, University of Tours, France
- Electron Microscope Based Fabrication and Nano-Mechanical Testing
By Professor Gurpreet Singh, Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Department, 3002 Rathbone Hall, Kansas State University Manhattan, Kansas
- B-C-N Nanotubes, Nanosheets, Nanoribbons, and Related Nanostructures
By Professor Yoke Khin Yap, Department of Physics, Michigan Technological University
- Developing Nano-structured Carbon Electrodes for Capacitive Desalination
By Professor Linda Zou, Desalination and Water Reuse, SA Water Centre for Water Management and Reuse, School of Natural and Built Environment, University of South Australia
- Carbon Nanomaterials for Designing Next-Generation Green Electronics
By Kaustav Banerjee, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Director of the Nanoelectronics Research Lab at UC Santa Barbara.
- Multifunctional Carbon Nanotubes - Introduction and Applications of Multifunctional Carbon Nanotubes
By Professor Saikat Talapatra, Department of Physics, Southern lllinois University Carbondale
- Biomolecular Electronics - An Overview and Future Trends in Biomolecular Electronics
By Professor Paolo Facci, nanobiolab, CNR-NANO, Modena, Italy.
- Thermochemistry of Nanosintering: Improving Nanostructure Control
By Professor Ricardo H. R. Castro, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Dept., University of California at Davis
- Nanopathology: A New Word to Describe the Nanoparticle-Human Body Interaction
By Dr. Antonietta M. Gatti, Stefano Montanari,
Laboratorio dei Biomateriali, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Italy
2010
- Nanoscale Crystal Plasticity: Rising to the Surface
By Professor Frederic Sansoz, Sansoz Research Group, The University of Vermont
- Nanomaterials Growth and Synthesis: Development of Next Generation Nanoscale Heterostructures
By Professor Nitin Chopra, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Center for Materials for Information Technology (MINT), The University of Alabama
- Nanoengineering of the Next Generation of Biological Surfaces
By Dr. Paula Mendes, School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham
- Planetary Nanomedicine: Does the World Need a Global Artificial Photosynthesis Project?
By Professor Thomas Faunce, Australian Research Council Future Fellow. College of Law and College of Medicine, Biology and the Environment, Australian National University
- Nanotechnology and Dermatology - The Role of Nanotechnology in Dermatology Research
By Dr Adam Friedman, Director of Dermatologic Research, Division of Dermatology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Turning Molecules into Motors
By Professor Charlie Sykes, Sykes Research Group, Tufts University
- 3-D Nanopatterning and Nanofabrication: Using Nano-Scalloping Effects in Bosch Deep Reactive Ion Etching
By Professor Chang-Hwan Choi, Nano and Microfluidics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology
- Carbon Nanotubes: Multiple Promising Applications and Learning on Fundamental Issues
By Professor Wolfgang Bacsa, Nanomaterials Group, Center for Materials Elaboration and Structural Studies (CEMES), France
- Direct-Write Fabrication of 1D Transistors and Non-CMOS Logic Gates: A Stimulus for Nanoelectronics to Mature
By Dr. Somenath Roy, Research Scientist, Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN), Singapore
- Nanomaterials and Dispersion Technology
By Professor Shlomo Magdassi, Institute of Chemistry, Casali Institute of Applied Chemistry, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Biomimetic Design Strategies for Healing at the Nanoscale
By Professor Anna Christina Balazs, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
- Nanoparticles for Molecular Imaging
By Professor Andrew Tsourkas, Cellular and Molecular Imaging Lab, Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania
- III-Nitride Semiconductor Nanowires - Novel Materials for Optoelectronic and Energy Applications
By Dr. George T. Wang, Principal Member of Technical Staff, Solid-State Lighting Science Energy Frontier Research Center, Sandia National Laboratories
- Development of Health and Safety Standards to Support Nanotechnology Work Health and Safety Management
By Dr Howard Morris, Nanotechnology OHS Program Manager, Safe Work Australia
- Biosensing with Nanotubes
By Professor Joe G. Shapter, School of Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences, The Flinders University of South Australia
- High-Performance Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with Nanostructured Platinum Counter Electrode Deposited by Chemical Reduction at Low Temperature
By Professor Jianyong Ouyang, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore
- Progress and Perspective of Carbon Nanotubes
By Professor Morinobu Endo, Faculty of Engineering and Institute of Carbon Science & Technology, Shinshu University, Japan
- Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopy (NSOM) - History and Applications
By Professor Aaron Lewis, Founder, Nanonics Imaging Ltd
- Nanotechnology and Risk Assessment
By Dr. Lang Tran, Bryony Ross and Rob Aitken, Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM)
- Nanotechnology for a Brighter and More Sustainable Future
By Professor Javier Garcia-Martínez, Elena Serrano and Guillermo Rusb, Molecular Nanotechnology Lab, Inorganic Chemistry Dpt, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain.
- Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine and the Rational Design of New-Age Delivery Systems
By Professor Kostas Kostarelos, Chair of Nanomedicine; Head, Centre for Drug Delivery Research, The School of Pharmacy, University of London
- Shaped Nanomembranes - Introduction to Shaped Nanomembranes
By Professor Oliver G. Schmidt, Institute Director, Institute for Integrative Nanosciences, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (IFW-Dresden)
- Magnetic Thin Films and Nanostructures: Patterning New Properties
By Professor Robert L. Stamps, Australian Research Council Professorial Fellow and Winthrop Professor, School of Physics, University of Western Australia
- Surface/Nano Engineering of Materials for Combating Biomaterials-Centered Infections and Enhancing Implant Integration
By Professor K.G. Neoh, Zhilong Shi, E.T. Kang and Professor Wilson Wang, National University of Singapore
- Graphene - The Substrate for Plastic Electronics
By Professor Kian Ping Loh, Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore
- Diffusion and Interdiffusion in the Synthesis of Semiconductor Nanostructures
By Fulvio Ratto, Istituto di Fisica Applicata "Nello Carrara" and Professor Federico Rosei, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique
- The Future of Molecular and Supramolecular Devices
By Professor Paul S. Weiss, Director, California NanoSystems Institute; Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Fred Kavli Chair in NanoSystems Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles
- Nanojoining - An Integration Technology for Nanodevices and Nanosystems
By Professor Norman Zhou, Director, and Professor Anming Hu, Research Assistant Professor, Centre for Advanced Materials Joining, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo
- Programmable Self-Assembly on Multicomponent Nano-Architectures
By Dr Krassen Dimitrov, Group Leader, Single Molecule Nanotechnology, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland
- NanoBarcodes for Single Biomolecules
By Dr Oleg Gang, Group Leader, Soft and Biological Nanomaterials, Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory
- Getting Technologies Such as Nanotechnology Out of the Universities
By Dr Thierry Bontoux, Founder and Director, TBx Consulting Ltd, U.K.
- Nanoporous Carbons for Today's Grand Challenges: Some Opportunities and Barriers
By Professor Mark J. Biggs, Head of School , School of Chemical Engineering; Director, Bio & Nanoengineering Faculty Research Group, The University of Adelaide, Australia
- Biological Entities in Stabilization of Nanomaterials
By Charusheela Rameteke, Tapan Chakrabarti and Ram Avatar Pandey, Environmental Biotechnology Division, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, India
- Nanotechnology and Economics - The Relationship Between Nanotechnology and Economics
By Professor Edward M. Cupoli, Professor and Head, NanoEconomics Constellation, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, University at Albany - State University of New York
- Recent Trends in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Technology
By Professor Ashutosh Tiwari, Nanostructured Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Utah
- Nanotechnology for Regenerative Medicine
By Professor Thomas Webster and Deborah Gorth, Director, Nanomedicine Laboratory, Brown University
- Nanotechnology and Water Purification
By Professor Volodymyr V. Tarabara, Principal Investigator, Environmental Nanotechnology Research Group: Membranes, Particles, Interfaces, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University
- The Diamond Revolution: Big-Time Applications for Really Small Diamonds
By Associate Professor James Rabeau, Group Leader, Quantum Materials and Applications (QMApp); Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Department of Physics, Macquarie University
- Nanomaterials for Sensing Applications
By Professor Perena Gouma, Department of Materials Science & Engineering, State University of New York (SUNY) Stony Brook
- Boron Nitride Nanotubes and Nanosheets - Introduction and Recent Advances
By Professor Dmitri Golberg, Nanotube Group Leader, Principal Investigator, International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Tsukuba, Japan
- Examining the Holy Grail of Nanotechnology: Safe By Design
By Dr. Sally Tinkle, Senior Science Advisor, National Institute of Environmental Health Science, National Institutes of Health
- Conformation Activity Relationships: Why Do Molecules Change Shape?
By Dr. Gerry Ronan, CEO, Farfield Group Ltd.
- Nanotechnology Risks - The Bigger Picture for Business and the Importance of 'Due Diligence'
By Dr. Steven M. Hankin, Director of Operations & Senior Consultant in Risk Assessment, SAFENANO
- Bionanotechnology - Combining Nanotechnology with Biology
By Professor Tony Cass, Deputy Director and Research Director, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London
- Nanocomposite Ceramics - What are Ceramic Nanocomposites?
By Professor Vikas Tomar, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University
- Functionalization of Nanoporous Materials Using Atomic Layer Deposition
By Professor Roger J. Narayan, Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University
- Nanoscale Multifunctional Materials: Nature Inspired Hierarchical Architectures
By Professor Sharmila M. Mukhopadhyay, Director, Center for Nanoscale Multifunctional Materials, Wright State University
- Nanomechanical Measurements and Tools
By Dr. Robert F. Cook, Nanomechanical Properties Group, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
- Nanohydroxyapatite Coatings, Powders and Platelets Produced via Sol-Gel Methods for Medical Applications
By Professor Besim Ben-Nissan, Faculty of Science, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia and Dr. Andy Choi
2009
- Unbound Engineered Nanoparticles (UNP) - Evaluation of Unbound Engineered Nanoparticles from a Worker Exposure and Environmental Release Perspective
By Dr. Kristin Bunker, Traci Lersch, Randall Ogle, Gary Casuccio, RJ Lee Group Inc. and Linnea Wahl, Environment, Health & Safety Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- Nano-Chemical-Electrical-Mechanical Systems and Energy Applications
By Professor Mark A. Shannon, Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Organic Semitransparent Photovoltaic Energy Converter (OSPEC) - A Green Solution to Today's Energy Needs
By Professor Xiaomei Jiang, Nanostructure Optoelectronics Lab, Department of Physics, University of South Florida
- SNNI's Proactive Approach to Healthier and Safer Nanomaterials
By Scott F. Sweeneya, Professor James E. Hutchisona, Professor Robert Tanguaya and Dr. Bettye L. S. Madduxa, Department of Chemistry, Materials Science Institute, University of Oregon and Oregon State University
- Nanoelectromechanical Systems (NEMS) - Introduction, Application and Challenges of Nanoelectromechanical Systems
By Professor Burhanuddin Y. Majlis and Professor Ille C. Gebeshuber, Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; Institute of Applied Physics, Vienna University of Technology and Austrian Center of Competence for Tribology, Wiener Neustadt.
- Nanoholes and Nanoparticles: Applications to Biomedical Microdevices
By Professor Bonnis Gray, Director, Microinstrumentation Laboratory; School of Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University
- Nanorobots and Microrobots - Potential Applications are Exciting, Many Challenges Remain to be Addressed
By Professor Brad Nelson, Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
- Health and Environmental Risks of Nanomaterials
By Dr. Michael Riediker, Coordinator NanoImpactNet; Head, Research Group "Particles and Health", Institute for Work and Health, Lausanne, Switzerland
- A Nano-Golden Era in Catalysis
By Professor D. Wayne Goodman, Distinguished Professor and The Robert A. Welch Chair, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University
- Nucleic Acid Engineering: Engineering DNA as Both a Genetic and a Generic Material
By Professor Dan Luo, Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University
- Graphene: From Physics to Applications
By Dr. Kostya S. Novoselov, School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Manchester
- Nanostructured Materials for Permanent and Bioresorbable Medical Implants
By Professor Yuri Estrin, Department of Materials Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia and Professor Hyoun-Ee Kim, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Korea
- Risks and Benefits of Nanotechnology
By Professor Barbara Herr Harthorn, Director, NSF Center for Nanotechnology in Society at University of California at Santa Barbara; Professor Nick Pidgeon, Department of Psychology, Cardiff University; Professor Terre Satterfield, Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia
- Nanostructuring: A Route for Enhancing Materials Response?
By Professor Carmen N. Afonso, Instituto de Optica - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Spain
- DNA for Biosensing Applications
By Professor Jingjiao Guan, Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Center for Materials Research and Technology; Integrative NanoScience Institute, Florida State University
- Temptation, Temptation, Temptation: Why Easy Answers About Nanomaterial Risk are Probably Wrong
By Dr. Kristen M. Kulinowski, Director, International Council on Nanotechnology; Executive Director, Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology; Faculty Fellow, Department of Chemistry, Rice University
- Nanomaterials - Securing the Future with Lessons from the Past
By Dr. Richard J. Lee, CEO, RJ Lee Group Inc
- Electronics With Single Molecules
By Dr. Kasper Moth-Poulsen and Professor Thomas Bjørnholm, Nano-Science Center, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
- Engineering of Nanomembranes for Emerging Applications
By Dr. Dusan Losic, Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia, Australia
- Polyelectrolyte Films - Versatile Approach to Generate Well-Controlled Environments for Tissue Engineering Applications
By Professor Lei Zhai, Nanoscience Technology Center and the Department of Chemistry, University of Central Florida
- Soft Lithography Enhances Biological Cells Imaging
By Professor Maan Alkaisi, Principal Investigator, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Material and Nanotechnology; Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Canterbury, New Zealand
- Fabrication of Organic Photovoltaic Devices
By Dr. Matthias Haeussler, Future Manufacturing Flagship, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia
- Materials-Biology Interactions, A Huge Challenge for Nanotechnological Applications
By Professor Harald F. Krug, Head of Laboratory Materials-Biology Interactions, Empa - Materials Science & Technology, Switzerland
- Are Carbon Nanotubes the Ultimate Water Transporters?
By Andrew Vogt, Cameron Shearer, Prof. Joe Shapter, Prof. Nicolas Voelcker and Dr. Amanda Ellis, Centre for Nanoscale Science and Technology and the School of Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences, Flinders University, South Australia.
- Functionalizing the Surface of Nanoparticles: The Approaches Used at the Adolphe Merkle Institute
By Dr. Hervé Dietsch and Professor Peter Schurtenberger, Adolphe Merkle Institute and Fribourg Center for Nanomaterials, University of Fribourg
- Carbon Nanotube Strain Sensors for Structure Health Monitoring in Bridges
By Professor Cheng Yan, School of Engineering Systems, Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Queensland, Australia
- Dynamics of Nanocatalytical Model Systems
By Professor Flemming Besenbacher and Dr. Peter Thostrup, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University
- Fractals in Nano-Devices
By Professor Richard Taylor, Department of Physics, University of Oregon
- Novel, Biologically Inspired Approach to High-Performance Batteries
By Professor Daniel Morse, Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara
- Using Nanotechnology to Improve Photocatalytic Efficiencies for Water Treatment
By Dr John Byrne, Nanotechnology & Integrated BioEngineering Centre, University of Ulster at Jordanstown
- Coventry Still Makes Transport; Unique Molecular Delivery Systems for Functional Polymers
By Dr. Daniel Lynch, Technical Director, Exilica Limited, Coventry, United Kingdom
- Incorporation of Nanotechnology in Textile Applications
By Dr. Karin Eufinger and Dr. Isbel De Schrijver, Centexbel, the Belgian Textile Research Centre
- Applications of Functionalized PMMA Derivatives in Nanobiomedicine and Nanotechnology
By Dr. Iraida Loinaz, Head of Biomaterials Unit, New Materials Department, CIDETEC-IK4
- Food as an Application Field for Nanotechnology
By Dr. Frans Kampers, Director, Wageningen BioNT, Wageningen University and Research Centre
- Using Nanotechnology to Measure Mercury
By Professor Suresh Kumar Bhargava, Dean, School of Applied Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
- Using Nanotechnology to Increase Data Capacity
By Professor Min Gu and Xiangping Li, Centre for Micro-Photonics, Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia
- How Nanotechnology Promises to Greatly Reduce the Manufacturing Cost of Fuel Cells
By Professor Rod Boswell, Head, Space Plasma, Power and Propulsion group of the Plasma Research Laboratory, Australian National University, Australia
- Nanofabrication and Evanescent Near Field Optical Lithography
By Professor Richard Blaikie, Director, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, University of Canterbury, New Zealand
- Targeted Nanoparticles as a Safe Platform for Delivery of RNAi Payloads to Immune Cells
By Shiri Weinstein and Dr. Dan Peer, Laboratory of Nanomedicine, Dept. of Cell Research and Immunology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences and the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University
2011 Thought Leaders
Predictive Thermodynamics for Condensed Phases, and Nanotechnology
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Thermodynamic relations may be regarded as the motor driving chemical processes (while chemical kinetics represents the brakes). In order to operate, the relations need to be powered with the fuel of values for the thermodynamic quantities concerned, such as enthalpies, entropies, heat capacities, Gibbs and Helmholtz energies, and so forth. The following discussion considers how these important values may be obtained. Read more
Materials Science on a Single Defect Level: Dimensions of Complexity
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The statement that a materials functionality is controlled by defects is perhaps the most recognized paradigm of materials science, solid state electrochemistry, and condensed physics alike. Defects define the electronic and transport functionality of semiconductors, strength of structural materials, and operational life times of energy storage and conversion devices. Read more
Nanotechnology in the UK
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This article from Professor Peter J Dobson discusses the contribution the united Kingdom's Research Councils have made in the nanotechnology arena, at the same time reminding us why nanotechnology is so important for the future of business. Read more
Microfluidics and Biomedical Applications
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This "Thought Leader' article from Dr Xianghong Ma, Director, Biomedical Engineering Research Group, Aston University discusses why microfluidic devices are ideal for applications in biomedical engineering. Read more
Responsive Microgel Composite Colloids for Plasmonic Sensing
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This "Thought Leader' article from Prof Luis M. Liz-Marzan discusses a novel and efficient method to coat CTAB-capped gold nanoparticles, opening up new avenues toward the fabrication of miniaturized sensing devices. Read more
AFM-IR: Infrared Sub-Cellular Imaging with an Atomic Force Microscope
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The existing tools available to perform infrared spectroscopy and microscopy at the nanometer scale are limited considering all the different near-field microscopes. However AFM-IR, a new infrared spectromicroscope coupling an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) to a tunable laser, allows researchers to derive chemical information on a scale not previously possible. Read more
Time-Dependent Fields for a New Breed of Carbon-Based Nanodevices
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The 1st of May of 1893 should have been a bitter day for Thomas Edison. That day, the Chicago World’s Fair, one of the biggest international expositions ever, was officially opened to the public. The event featured a large area of electric exhibits powered by alternating currents (ac) provided by Edison’s competitors. Read more
The AtomChip: Bringing Nanofabrication and Quantum Optics Together
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One of the scientific revolutions of the 20th century is Quantum Mechanics. It is a weird theory, extremely different from our day to day experiences, in which, for example, a particle can act as a wave or can be in several places at once. Read more
DNA as a Functional Polymer
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Sixty years ago, the famous structure of the DNA double helix was solved, bringing about the birth of modern molecular biology. Since then, DNA has been extensively studied as a genetic material. In the 1970s, solid-phase DNA synthesis was invented, allowing one to obtain arbitrary oligonucleotide sequences. Read more
Nanomechanical Test Instruments - A Buyers Guide
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Nanomechanical test methods such as nanoindentation and nano-scratch are now well established techniques for the characterisation and optimisation of thin films, coatings and micro-scale structures. Read more
Electron Microscope Based Fabrication and Nano-Mechanical Testing
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The early research involving manipulation and nano-mechanical testing of individual nanostructures was demonstrated by use of atomic force microscope (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscope (STM) based systems. For the first time, these microscopes allowed sub-nanometer scale observation as well as interaction with the specimen. Read more
B-C-N Nanotubes, Nanosheets, Nanoribbons, and Related Nanostructures
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The arrangement of carbon atoms differentiates a pencil lead from a pricey diamond. In the past three decades, new carbon materials such as fullerenes, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and graphene have attracted tremendous research interest and led to two Nobel Prizes, More recently, graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have gained increasing attention from the research community. Read more
Developing Nano-structured Carbon Electrodes for Capacitive Desalination
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Capacitive deionisation (CDI) is a promising alternative technology in desalination which is particularly suitable for small-scale inland brackish water desalination due to its lower energy demand and low maintenance requirements. This article looks at the desalination performance of various carbon electrodes and compares Graphene Nano Flakes (GNFs) with Activated Carbon (ACs) electrodes. Read more
Carbon Nanomaterials for Designing Next-Generation Green Electronics
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Low-dimensional allotropes of carbon (including two-dimensional graphene and one-dimensional carbon nanotubes and graphene nanoribbons), collectively known as carbon nanomaterials, have extraordinary physical properties that can be exploited for their exciting prospects in a variety of electronics applications. Read more
Multifunctional Carbon Nanotubes - Introduction and Applications of Multifunctional Carbon Nanotubes
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Over the past several decades there has been an explosive growth in research and development related to nano materials. Among these one material, carbon Nanotubes, has led the way in terms of its fascinating structure as well as its ability to provide function-specific applications. Read more
Biomolecular Electronics - An Overview and Future Trends in Biomolecular Electronics
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Biomolecular Electronics is a branch of nano-science and technology dealing with the investigation and the technological exploitation of electron transport properties in special classes of biomolecules. Read more
Thermochemistry of Nanosintering: Improving Nanostructure Control
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Nanostructured materials already play important roles in our everyday lives. From sun blockers to anti-scratching paintings, nanomaterials are revolutionizing how we see materials, improving their performances, and broadening the horizons of applications. Read more
Nanopathology: A New Word to Describe the Nanoparticle-Human Body Interaction
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A new word was invented in 2002: "Nanopathology", and that name was used as the title of an FP5 European Commission Project coordinated by Dr. Antonietta Gatti aimed at verifying the "impact of micro and nanoparticle in inducing pathologies". Read more
2010 Thought Leaders
Nanoscale Crystal Plasticity: Rising to the Surface
A crystalline material such as gold undergoing a permanent change in shape when loaded mechanically is the result of crystal plasticity. The scientific inquiry for the ideal strength against plastic deformation in crystals has been a focal point for research for almost 90 years. Read more
Nanomaterials Growth and Synthesis: Development of Next Generation Nanoscale Heterostructures
Professor Chopra's research combines expertise in nano/microfabrication, nanostructure growth, materials chemistry, and characterization and spectroscopic techniques to develop novel nanoscale heterostructures. Read more
Nanoengineering of the Next Generation of Biological Surfaces
The objective of Dr. Mendes' research at the University of Birmingham is to further develop the interdisciplinary surface bionanotechnology field both on a fundamental level and towards biological and medical applications. Read more
Planetary Nanomedicine: Does the World Need a Global Artificial Photosynthesis Project?
Many exciting areas of nanotechnology research are converging on artificial photosynthesis. The connection between the health of our plant and the humans it sustains is now part of a growing field termed 'planetary medicine.' Read more
Nanotechnology and Dermatology - The Role of Nanotechnology in Dermatology Research
Novel delivery vehicles generated through nanotechnology is raising the exciting prospect for controlled and sustained drug delivery across the impenetrable skin barrier. It is no surprise that nanotechnology is becoming a major focus of dermatologically oriented product development. Read more
Turning Molecules into Motors
While molecular machines driven by chemical, light or thermal energies can be found throughout nature, little progress has been made toward creating synthetic counterparts. Read more
3-D Nanopatterning and Nanofabrication: Using Nano-Scalloping Effects in Bosch Deep Reactive Ion Etching
This short review article overviewes a simple but useful method to fabricate 3-D dense-array nanostructures with good regularity of pattern, size, and shape over a large sample area. Read more
Carbon Nanotubes: Multiple Promising Applications and Learning on Fundamental Issues
At the 'Centre for materials elaboration and structural studies', Professor Wolfgang Bacsa and Pascal Puech and have much focused in screening CNTs with optical methods and developing physical processes for carbon nanotubes working closely with the materials chemists at different local institutions. Read more
Direct-Write Fabrication of 1D Transistors and Non-CMOS Logic Gates: A Stimulus for Nanoelectronics to Mature
IBN's single-step fabrication technique obviates the time-consuming and labor-intensive lithography process for nano-scale device fabrication, and enhances the fabrication accuracy and yield. Read more
Nanomaterials and Dispersion Technology
Utilization of nanomaterials very often requires their dispersion in various liquids, in order to enable embedding them homogenously in a device or in a final liquid product.
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Biomimetic Design Strategies for Healing at the Nanoscale
Nanotechnology is particularly relevant to both the utility and fabrication of self-healing materials. For example, as devices reach nanoscale dimensions, it becomes critical to establish means of promoting repair at these length scales. Read more
Nanoparticles for Molecular Imaging
Over the past decade there has been an explosion in the number of nanotechnology-based agents that have been applied to biological and medical applications. One particularly promising direction that has garnered a great deal of interest is molecular imaging. Read more
III-Nitride Semiconductor Nanowires - Novel Materials for Optoelectronic and Energy Applications
Research on semiconductor nanowires has grown exponentially over the last decade, with much attention focusing on their synthesis, fundamental properties, and potential applications. Read more
Development of Health and Safety Standards to Support Nanotechnology Work Health and Safety Management
Nanotechnologies bring the potential for enormous benefit, but there are also some risks associated with its use, given the limited knowledge about the health effects of new nanomaterials. Read more
Biosensing with Nanotubes
The great promise of nanotubes as biosensing elements is the potential to develop systems where direct electron transfer between enzymes and electrodes is possible. This innovation is key to the development of mediatorless (third-generation) enzyme biosensors. Read more
High-Performance Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with Nanostructured Platinum Counter Electrode Deposited by Chemical Reduction at Low Temperature
Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) are regarded as the next-generation solar cells owing to the low fabrication cost and high photovoltaic efficiency. A DSC usually has a mesoporous TiO2 work electrode, a monolayer of dye chemically attached to TiO2, an electrolyte and a counter electrode. Read more
Progress and Perspective of Carbon Nanotubes
For the last decades, nanotechnology has received lots of attention from our society as innovative solutions for the global problems. The most attractive nanotechnology-related nanomaterial is considered to be one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNT). Read more
Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopy (NSOM) - History and Applications
SNOM is the acronym for Scanning Near-Field Optical Microscopy, an alternative name for NSOM (Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopy). The resolution achieved is far better than that which conventional optical microscopes can attain. Read more
Nanotechnology and Risk Assessment
The management of health risk is a complicated process. In this short article, we will outline the method for managing the potential health risks arising from exposure to engineered nanoparticles (ENP). Read more
Nanotechnology for a Brighter and More Sustainable Future
Nanotechnology, with its unprecedented control over the structure of materials, can provide us with superior materials that will unlock tremendous potential of many energy technologies currently at the discovery phase. Read more
Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine and the Rational Design of New-Age Delivery Systems
The research efforts taking place within The Nanomedicine Lab are bridging the gap between fundamental nanomaterials engineering and pharmaceutical development towards the realisation of advanced therapeutic and imaging modalities. Read more
Shaped Nanomembranes - Introduction to Shaped Nanomembranes
The creation of 3D micro-and nanoobjects with well-defined and reproducible functionalities remains a key challenge in nanotechnology. A promising approach consists in shaping multifunctional nanomembranes into advanced 3D micro- and nanoarchitectures. Read more
Magnetic Thin Films and Nanostructures: Patterning New Properties
Exceptional advances in the control of material properties has been achieved, through careful manipulation of geometry on nano- and sub-nanometre length scales, in magnetoelectronics and nanomagnetism. Read more
Surface/Nano Engineering of Materials for Combating Biomaterials-Centered Infections and Enhancing Implant Integration
Bacteria readily adhere on all types of surfaces and form biofilms. The biofilm protects the colonizing microorganisms and thus, bacteria in a biofilm can be several orders of magnitude more resistant to antibacterial agents than their planktonic counterparts. Read more
Graphene - The Substrate for Plastic Electronics
Transparent and conducting electrodes are needed for applications in solar cells and energy conversion platform like water splitting. To date, there are not many types of transparent and conducting electrodes that can be mass produced cheaply. Read more
Diffusion and Interdiffusion in the Synthesis of Semiconductor Nanostructures
Semiconductor nanostructures have been studied extensively over the last two decades. Under proper processing conditions, the fabrication of heterogeneous junctions between different semiconductor materials results into three dimensional nanostructures with lateral dimensions in the nanoscale. Read more
The Future of Molecular and Supramolecular Devices
As nanoscale tools become more sophisticated, so does our ability to design and to assemble increasingly complex, precise supramolecular structures and devices. Read more
Nanojoining - An Integration Technology for Nanodevices and Nanosystems
Joining, whether at the nano-, micro- or macro-scale, has been an essential part of manufacturing and assembly of man-made products, providing mechanical coupling and support, electrical connection or insulation, environmental protection, etc. Read more
Programmable Self-Assembly on Multicomponent Nano-Architectures
Dr Krassen Dimitrov and his colleagues at the Single Molecule Nanotechnology group is now working on new methods for electronic detection of nanobarcodes, which will offer higher resolution than fluorescence, yet at very low costs. Read more
NanoBarcodes for Single Biomolecules
Approaches based on self-assembly of systems from individual components offer tremendous cost advantages and almost a magical ease of manufacturing compared to lithographic methods. Read more
Getting Technologies Such as Nanotechnology Out of the Universities
What is the role of universities and public research institution in providing technologies to the Industry? This is a question with many possible answers that will never reach a consensus if in the first instance we don't consider who Academics are, and what is their goal to achieve. Read more
Nanoporous Carbons for Today's Grand Challenges: Some Opportunities and Barriers
Nanoporous carbons have long played a role in the areas associated with these Grand Challenges (e.g. purification of drinking water; capture of volatile organic compounds from industry; gas masks), but they have an ever larger role to play into the future. Read more
Biological Entities in Stabilization of Nanomaterials
This article provides an introductory overview on the stabilization of nonmaterial by biological entities. Depending on the site of stabilization, they have been categorized into two groups as in vivo stabilizing entities and in vitro stabilizing entities. Read more
Nanotechnology and Economics - The Relationship Between Nanotechnology and Economics
Nanoeconomics is the alliance of nanoscience and economics to accelerate the pace of technological change. It is not the application of one field to study other field. Read more
Recent Trends in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Technology
Dye-sensitized solar cells have received considerable attention as a cost-effective alternative to conventional solar cells. DSSCs operate on a process that is similar in many respects to photosynthesis, the process by which green plants generate chemical energy from sunlight. Read more
Nanotechnology for Regenerative Medicine
Nanotechnology offers new engineering tools that can help us address the design problems associated with building better implants. Rrecent technological advancements mean that we now have the ability to manipulate materials (and their surfaces) with nanometer scale accuracy. Read more
Nanotechnology and Water Purification
This article outlined how nanotechnology is being used for water purification. In particular it focuses on biofouling resistant silver-polysulfone composite membrane, where the nanocomposite membranes were synthesized by incorporating silver nanoparticles into the polymer matrix of a membrane. Read more
The Diamond Revolution: Big-Time Applications for Really Small Diamonds
Over the last 10 years, diamond as a technological material has seen a renewed and increasing level of interest with genuine potential. In particular nanodiamonds are being looked at for uses such as biolabels, magnetometry and quantum technologies. Read more
Nanomaterials for Sensing Applications
The field of sensors encompasses a wide variety of materials and devices used for capturing physical, chemical or biological stimuli converting them to measurable output signals. Read more
Boron Nitride Nanotubes and Nanosheets - Introduction and Recent Advances
Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is a layered material with a graphite-type structure in which planar networks of BN hexagons are regularly stacked. As a structural analogue of carbon nanotubes, BN nanotube was firstly predicted in 1994 and synthesized the next year. Read more
Examining the Holy Grail of Nanotechnology: Safe By Design
Numerous research articles have examined the sensitivity of the relationship of scale, structure, composition, and emergent properties of nanomaterials to their behavior in biological systems and the environment. Read more
Conformation Activity Relationships: Why Do Molecules Change Shape?
In Farfield, our work over the past decade has revolved around the direct measurement of the shape or conformation of biomolecules and how this changes as the biomolecules function. Read more
Nanotechnology Risks - The Bigger Picture for Business and the Importance of 'Due Diligence'
The holistic process of risk analysis, advocated and practiced by SAFENANO - the UK's MNT Centre of Excellence in Nanotechnology Safety - is the basis of the assessment, management and communication of potential harm from substances, processes or technologies. Read more
Bionanotechnology - Combining Nanotechnology with Biology
If we define nanotechnology as the application of materials and devices with characteristic (i.e. property determining) length scales between 1 and 100nm to the development of new products and processes; then bionanotechnology is its interface with biological systems. Read more
Nanocomposite Ceramics - What are Ceramic Nanocomposites?
The definition of nanocomposite material has broadened significantly to encompass a large variety of systems such as one-dimensional, two-dimensional, three-dimensional and amorphous materials, made of distinctly dissimilar components and mixed at the nanometer scale. Read more
Functionalization of Nanoporous Materials Using Atomic Layer Deposition
Professor Narayan and his colleague at Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University have recently performed several studies to examine the use of atomic layer deposition for modifying the surfaces of nanoporous alumina membranes. Read more
Nanoscale Multifunctional Materials: Nature Inspired Hierarchical Architectures
This review will focus on carbon nanotubes attached on larger graphitic solids, which can range from simple flat graphite to complex cellular foams having open-interconnected porosity. Read more
Nanomechanical Measurements and Tools
The Nanomechanical Properties Group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, under the leadership of Dr. Robert F. Cook, develops measurement techniques and standards to enable the use of materials in nanomechanical applications. Read more
Nanohydroxyapatite Coatings, Powders and Platelets Produced via Sol-Gel Methods for Medical Applications
Nanotechnology has opened up innovative techniques for producing bone-like synthetic nanopowders and hydroxyapatite coatings. Although not called nanopowders, nanoscale materials have existed since the dawn of science using a range of chemical routes. Read more
2009 Thought Leaders
Unbound Engineered Nanoparticles (UNP) - Evaluation of Unbound Engineered Nanoparticles from a Worker Exposure and Environmental Release Perspective
Nanotechnology and the use of unbound engineered nanoparticles (UNP) is a rapidly developing area of material science. At this time there are no regulatory environmental release limits or worker exposure limits for unbound engineered nanoparticles. Read more
Nano-Chemical-Electrical-Mechanical Systems and Energy Applications
The quest is on for high power and energy density power sources at ever smaller sizes for applications ranging from on-chip sensors to insertable pharma-delivery to flying microrobots to more mundane applications powering PDAs and computers. Read more
Organic Semitransparent Photovoltaic Energy Converter (OSPEC) - A Green Solution to Today's Energy Needs
Organic solar cells or organic photovoltaics (OPV) based on conjugated polymers have attracted attention over the past decades because they may provide a cost-effective route to wide use of solar energy for electrical power generation. Read more
SNNI's Proactive Approach to Healthier and Safer Nanomaterials
In the next five years, the market for nanoenabled products is expected to top a trillion dollars. Yet, despite the many promises upon which nanoscience may deliver, our understanding of these materials and the means to control their structures/properties remain tenuous. Read more
Nanoholes and Nanoparticles: Applications to Biomedical Microdevices
Biomedical microdevices include any miniaturized devices or systems for biomedical from simple sensors for monitoring a single biological, to complex micro total analysis or lab-on-a-chip instruments that integrate multiple laboratory functions together with microfluidic sample manipulation. Read more
Nanoelectromechanical Systems (NEMS) - Introduction, Application and Challenges of Nanoelectromechanical Systems
NanoElectroMechanical Systems (NEMS) have critical structural elements at or below 100 nm. This distinguishes them from MicroElectroMechancial Systems (MEMS), where the critical structural elements are on the micrometer length scale. Read more
Nanorobots and Microrobots - Potential Applications are Exciting, Many Challenges Remain to be Addressed
Professor Brad Nelson and his colleagues at The Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems have recently demonstrated three distinct types of microrobots of progressively smaller size that are wirelessly powered and controlled by magnetic fields. Read more
Health and Environmental Risks of Nanomaterials
Even minute amounts of nanosilver protect against bacterial growth, nanoparticles in cosmetics efficiently block ultraviolet light, and thanks to nanopaints, surfaces are always perfectly clean. The secret behind these effects lies in the altered physico-chemical properties common to the nanoscale. Read more
A Nano-Golden Era in Catalysis
Since the discovery that nanosized-gold particles, highly dispersed on certain oxide supports, are active catalysts for a variety of reactions, numerous studies have addressed the structure and mechanisms associated with this activity. Read more
Nucleic Acid Engineering: Engineering DNA as Both a Genetic and a Generic Material
DNA is a truly amazing material. Mechanically, DNA can be rigid or flexible, tunable by its composition and length. Physically, DNA is very small - only 2 nanometer in diameter; yet its length is customizable with a resolution about 0.34 nm. Read more
Graphene: From Physics to Applications
Graphene is the newest member in the family of carbon allotropes. Although isolated graphene was reported for the first time only in 2004, the progress it made over these years is enormous, and it rightly has been dubbed "the wonder material". Read more
Nanostructured Materials for Permanent and Bioresorbable Medical Implants
Contemporary development of metallic implant materials is driven by the biocompatibility requirements and also by the need for improved mechanical performance of biomedical implants. Read more
Risks and Benefits of Nanotechnology
Attention to possible risks to human health and environment along with other public concerns about social and ethical issues is essential for responsible development of new technologies. NSF funded two national centers devoted to studying the societal implications of emerging nanotechnologies. Read more
Nanostructuring: A Route for Enhancing Materials Response?
A nanostructured material is nowadays a broad term used to refer to materials that have been either patterned or have structural features in the nanometer (nm) scale. Read more
DNA for Biosensing Applications
Although various DNA biosensing techniques have been developed, the demand for higher throughput and sensitivity methods is ever increasing. Nanotechnology offers great potential to meet the need by providing unprecedented tools that can precisely detect, manipulate, and assemble DNA. Read more
Temptation, Temptation, Temptation: Why Easy Answers About Nanomaterial Risk are Probably Wrong
Whilst many celebrate the amazing properties these novel materials can bring to technological applications, others fear we may be opening a modern Pandora's box. Read more
Nanomaterials - Securing the Future with Lessons from the Past
Nanotechnology has come to symbolize the next industrial revolution in America. The opportunities to reduce the scale of products, to make materials lighter and stronger, and to design machines that perform useful functions on the micrometer and smaller scale seem endless. Read more
Electronics With Single Molecules
Single molecule electronics is a research field focusing on the study of electron transfer through single molecules. One of the long-term goals is to develop devices with functional units defined by the single molecule. Read more
Engineering of Nanomembranes for Emerging Applications
Nanoscience and nanotechnology is recognized as the key strategy to improve conventional and develop new membrane technologies by exploring novel nanomaterials and nano-scale processes. Read more
Polyelectrolyte Films - Versatile Approach to Generate Well-Controlled Environments for Tissue Engineering Applications
One of the challenges in tissue engineering applications is to preserve cells normal physical activities on synthetic scaffolds and maintain tissue-specific function . Read more
Soft Lithography Enhances Biological Cells Imaging
The development of microarrays for analysis and manipulation of cells or viruses has attracted considerable interest from both researchers and biomedical related industry. Read more
Fabrication of Organic Photovoltaic Devices
The next generation of solar cells will be light, flexible, attractive and most importantly, cheap, because they will be made from organic (plastic) materials. Their flexible lightweight properties will enable them to be deployed over a wide range of new applications. Read more
Materials-Biology Interactions, A Huge Challenge for Nanotechnological Applications
The interaction of man-made materials with biological systems is an important issue, especially for products in the fields of medicine, food, cosmetics and other consumer products. The new possibilities offered by nanotechnology will, most likely, lead to an increase in contact with living systems. Read more
Are Carbon Nanotubes the Ultimate Water Transporters?
Water flow through a garden hose or a nanochannel (10-9 m) has incredibly different fluid flow transport mechanisms. In one case the theory of fluid dynamics holds and in the other nanoscale phenomena dominant. In a hose single water molecule transport is not a dominate feature however the unique properties of, in particular, carbon nanotubes make single water molecule transport a reality. Interestingly, it is the entry and exit of water molecules that is believed to be the factor limiting transport . So how does this come about? Read more
Functionalizing the Surface of Nanoparticles: The Approaches Used at the Adolphe Merkle Institute
For their integration into a desired matrix, nanoparticles often require a surface treatment after or during their synthesis to make them compatible with the surrounding matrix material. Colloidal particles are per definition a suspension of hard or soft particles suspended in a solution. For a successful synthesis and colloidal stability, a surface stabilization is necessary, which can either be electrostatic or steric. Read more
Carbon Nanotube Strain Sensors for Structure Health Monitoring in Bridges
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are rolled up sheets of graphite that form into a tube with only one layer of carbon atoms (single walled carbon nanotubes) or a tube with many layers of carbon atoms (multi wall carbon nanotubes) with diameters in the nanometer range and only a few microns in length. Read more
Dynamics of Nanocatalytical Model Systems
The world is facing a variety of serious challenges in securing more efficient and sustainable chemical and energy production. Catalysis already plays a central role in such technologies, but novel and inexpensive catalysts are urgently required if we are to meet the global challenges. Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) is a unique real-space technique of catalyst model systems that can provide new insights into industrial catalytic systems identifying the active sites, the importance of defect sites, and support effects. Read more
Fractals in Nano-Devices
Future nano-devices are expected to underpin many of the technologies that society relies on, ranging from household electronics to medical implants. One of the great challenges of bringing this promising future into reality lies in developing practical methods for constructing these highly intricate structures: How will we assemble electronic circuits that feature many more components than today's commercial circuits and where each component approaches the atomic scale? Read more
Novel, Biologically Inspired Approach to High-Performance Batteries
New materials are needed to radically transform the efficiencies of energy harnessing, transduction, storage and delivery, yet the synthesis of advanced composites and multi-metallic semiconductors with nanostructures optimized for these functions remains poorly understood and even less well controlled. Read more
Using Nanotechnology to Improve Photocatalytic Efficiencies for Water Treatment
Heterogeneous photocatalysis involves the use of a semi-conducting material which can be excited by the absorption of light. The applications of photocatalysis include water treatment and purification, air treatment and purification, and 'self-cleaning' surfaces. Photosynthetic applications are also widely reported including photoelectrolytic water splitting, CO2 reduction and organic synthesis. Read more
Coventry Still Makes Transport; Unique Molecular Delivery Systems for Functional Polymers
Coventry based advanced technology company Exilica Limited has recently teamed up with Rondol Technology Limited, a producer of polymer processing equipment, to produce prototype composite plastics containing Exilica's µ-Sq beads and Hollow silica shells. Read more
Incorporation of Nanotechnology in Textile Applications
Nanotechnology is considered one of the most promising technologies for the 21st century. On the one hand there is the economical impact from new and optimised products. On the other hand one expects a strong contribution of nanotechnology in decreasing the ecological impact and consumption of natural resources. Nanotechnology has the potential to improve the effectiveness of a number of existing consumer and industrial products and is expected to have a substantial impact on the development of new applications. Read more
Applications of Functionalized PMMA Derivatives in Nanobiomedicine and Nanotechnology
PMMA is a non water soluble polymer that can be synthesized in a very controllable way by different polymerization techniques, with a narrow molecular distribution and it is easily functionalizable. Among these advantages, this polymer is very stable and easy to handle. Read more
Food as an Application Field for Nanotechnology
Food is not the first field that comes to mind when looking for opportunities to apply the results of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Most people like their food natural and do not want too much technology to be involved. But when looking more closely, it becomes apparent that the food industry, society and, more importantly, the individual consumer can benefit from applications of nanotechnology. Read more
Using Nanotechnology to Measure Mercury
Mercury is a common environmental pollutant with well known bioaccumulative and neurotoxic properties. In the gas phase, elemental mercury has an average atmospheric residence time of 5.7 years before it is absorbed by aquatic life and enters into the food chain. Read more
Using Nanotechnology to Increase Data Capacity
Information storage is such an important aspect that it has been pioneering the development of information technology. As one of the most promising subsets, optical data storage has led to a series of revolutionary advances in this area. Read more
How Nanotechnology Promises to Greatly Reduce the Manufacturing Cost of Fuel Cells
There has been a lot of talk in the mainstream media regarding fuel cell powered vehicles as a greener and cleaner alternative to petrol engines over the past few years. A major obstacles to this revolution is the cost of hydrogen fuel cell power plants. Read more
Nanofabrication and Evanescent Near Field Optical Lithography
Optical lithography has driven many of the advances in nano-scale manufacturing, with its ability to print ever smaller features as the technology matures. Read more
Targeted Nanoparticles as a Safe Platform for Delivery of RNAi Payloads to Immune Cells
RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful strategy for suppressing gene expression in a sequence-specific manner. This strategy offers new potential opportunities for treating various diseases by addressing otherwise 'undruggable' targets. Read more