Dec 17 2008
This week saw a group of "thought leaders" involved in the field of nanotechnology gather in the US to discuss the potential of the sector. The EntreTech Forum, held in Waltham, Massachusetts, on December 16th focused on the commercialisation of nanotechnology applications.
It is a field that gold features frequently in, with several nano-techniques using the precious metal already at the commercialisation stage.
The organisers of the US event stated: "The recent and rapid development of nanotechnology is poised to be one of the most significant developments in science of the emerging century."
Current technologies featured in sensor and diagnostic applications "merely hint" at the "thousands" of potential uses for nano-devices, they added.
Recently, scientists from the Universidad Politecnica de Valencia in Spain developed a more energy-efficient way to form azo compounds - which are used in dyes and paints - using gold nanoparticles.
The miniscule particles of gold were used as a catalyst to boost the process.