small plans: nanotechnology for the building industry

Visit us at Green Technology Forum

2007-01-11T13:24:00.000-08:00

Thanks for visiting smallplans, and I invite you to come see us at Green Technology Forum. There you'll find the latest news, commentary and research on nanotechnology and biotechnology for growing green businesses. Whether you're in design, science, business or education you'll find valuable information and insights on these revolutionary technologies at GTF.

Mood lighting for walls and ceilings

2006-07-11T09:14:00.000-07:00

Imagine changing the color of your walls and ceilings to fit your mood. That's what researchers at the University of Surrey hope to achieve with solid state lighting devices using nano-composite materials.

"This will completely change the way we use lighting," said, project leader Professor Ravi Silva. "Ultra Low Energy High Brightness Light (ULEHB) lighting will produce the same quality light as the best 100 watt light bulb, but using only a fraction of the energy and last many times longer."

These new ultra low energy lighting devices will be fabricated using carbon nanotube-organic composites which will significantly reduce energy running costs, thus reducing carbon dioxide emissions at power generating stations, says a report at Azonano.com.

ULEHB lighting may offer a cost efficient and clean replacement solution for mercury based fluorescent lamps and many other low efficiency 'heat producing' light sources.

Potential uses such as variable mood lighting over a whole wall or ceiling opens up a range of exciting applications. ULEHB is also expected to have wide uses in signage, displays, street lighting, commercial lighting, public buildings, offices and image projectors. The patented technology can also be used for low cost solar cell production and has the versatility to be tuned to produce eye pleasing coloured light. (photo halfass.com)

Nanotubes as Minuscule Metalworking Tools

2006-06-17T19:03:00.000-07:00

Bombarding a carbon nanotube with electrons causes it to collapse with such incredible force that it can squeeze out even the hardest of materials, much like a tube of toothpaste. Now, research at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) suggests that carbon nanotubes can act as minuscule metalworking tools, offering the ability to process materials as in a nanoscale jig or extruder, according to an RPI press release.

Engineers use a variety of tools to manipulate and process metals. For example, handy “jigs” control the motion of tools, and extruders push or draw materials through molds to create long objects of a fixed diameter. The newly reported findings suggest that nanotubes could perform similar functions at the scale of atoms and molecules, the researchers say.

“Researchers will need a wide range of tools to manipulate structures at the nanoscale, and this could be one of them,” says Pulickel Ajayan, the Henry Burlage Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Rensselaer.

The researchers filled carbon nanotubes with nanowires made from two extremely hard materials: iron and iron carbide. When irradiated with an electron beam, the collapsing nanotubes squeezed the materials through the hollow core along the tube axis, as in an extrusion process (pictured).

These jigs could be perfect nanoscale laboratories to study the effects of deformation in nanostructures by observing them directly in an electron microscope, the researchers suggest. (photo RPI)

Nanotec offers protection for wood, glass, metal, concrete and textiles

2006-06-07T09:33:00.000-07:00

Nanotec is an Australian firm producing a range of nanocoatings for protecting wood, metal, concrete, glass and textiles.

Nanoseal Wood is, according to the company website, a water-based nanotechnology product for long lasting water repellent effect on wood.

Nanoseal Wood enables wood to resist decay and discoloration by wood-decay fungi, which need moisture to live.

Due to the water repellent effect Nanoseal Wood also decreases the swelling and shrinking that lead to cracking and warping.

The nano-hydrophobic treatment is resistant to friction, UV-stable and change temperature steady

Key Benefits:

Water-repelling
Dirt-deflecting
Weather protection
UV - weather-resistant
Easy to clean- Self cleaning effect
Environmentally sound technology

I’ve just ordered some to use in the construction of the new office of Nanosearch, my research and advising firm (more on that later). I’ll let you know how it performs.

Conference explores design, ethics and nanotechnology

2006-06-05T11:04:00.000-07:00

The Experimedia Center at the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia will be the site of “Questions for the Future: Ethics, Nanotechnology and Design” on July 13.

The conference is sponsored by lab.3000, a “centre of excellence in design committed to building Victoria’s design capability and reputation across design professionals, creative industries, manufacturing and education.”

Speakers include:

Dr. Peter Binks, CEO of Nanotechnology Victoria Limited and member, Advisory Board for the National Nanotechnology Taskforce, a prominent speaker and writer on issues of nanotechnology, presenting an overview on nanotechnology products.

Mark Seggie, a graphic designer from Resin Design.

Mats Bjorklund will demonstrate how he animates nanotechnology materials, materials too small for the human eye to see.

Professor John St James Stewart Buckeridge, Chair of the Bioethics Committee of the International Union of Biological Sciences, and consultant on environmental ethics to UNESCO’s COMEST, will present an ethical viewpoint on nanotechnology products and materials.

“One droplet of this tiny product,” according to Buckeridge’s presentation abstract, “could wipe out the entire US army...... What if?”

That’s one of the oddest tag lines I’ve ever seen for a nanotech talk. What product is he talking about? It certainly doesn’t exist today, nor will it ever exist (if only because the US army’s spread around the globe and couldn’t be isolated to wipe out with a single drop of anything.)

Sounds like another alarmist attention-getter intended to fill seats at the event by raising false fears among the general public.

But I love the idea of a conference focusing on ethics, design and nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is going to change how we design everything, so we’d better start exploring the consequences today. (photo lab.3000)

Nanotech sensors to be featured at Sensors Expo 2006

2006-06-02T04:09:00.000-07:00

Nanotech-enabled sensors will be featured at next week’s Sensors Expo 2006 outside Chicago.

Applied Nanotech (ANI) will present carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide devices and a hydrogen sensor for power transformers.

ANI will exhibit products and technologies related to four advanced sensor platforms: gated metal oxide sensors (GMOS), photo-acoustic sensing system (PAS), metal nanoparticle sensors (MNPS), and enzyme-coated carbon nanotube biosensors (ECNT). Nanotech-enabled sensors have application in commercial, industrial processing, building environmental control and monitoring, defense, and homeland security. (photo ANI)

Better beer thanks to nanotech insulation

2006-05-31T12:39:00.000-07:00

Nanotechnology is truly impacting every aspect of our lives these days, now including the beer we drink.

Industrial Nanotech said in an announcement today that the maker of Corona, the fourth most popular beer in the world, is using Nansulate High Heat for thermal insulation and corrosion protection on an interchanger, a common piece of industrial equipment found in the industry.

And get this: The interchanger showed a 20 degrees Centigrade (36 degrees Fahrenheit) difference after a three coat application of Nansulate, at a thickness of approximately 7 mils (seven one thousands of an inch).

So let’s see, we’ve got fiberglass at R-19, rigid foam at R-30, and now Nansulate at about what, R-1,000,000,000? Pretty good stuff.

They make paint for buildings too. (photo beerpictures.net)

Nanobeads create environmentally friendly wood preservative

2006-05-25T13:32:00.000-07:00

Researchers at Michigan Technological University have discovered a way to embed organic insecticides and fungicides in plastic beads only about 100 nanometers across, according to an AScribe Newswire report.

"Six hundred of them in a row would be about the width of a human hair," says Peter Laks, a professor in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, who pioneered the work along with Pat Heiden, a chemistry professor.

Suspended in water, the beads are small enough to travel through the wood when it is placed under pressure. "Wood has a very fine, sieve-like structure," Laks said. "You need particles small enough to fit through those very small channels."

The beads go right to the heart of the wood and stay there, protecting it from decay.

The technology has been licensed to the New Jersey-based company Phibro-Tech, which supplies chemicals to the wood preservation industry.

The technology may be tiny, but the advantages could be huge. "It allows the industry to use more environmentally friendly biocides," said Jim Baker, Michigan Tech's director of technology partnerships.

Thermal barrier coating wins award

2006-05-24T13:39:00.000-07:00

nCoat has announced that one of its nano-structured coatings has won the Utah Innovations Award in the Chemicals/Materials Science category of the fourth annual Stoel Utah Innovations Awards competition.

The winning nCoat nanotechnology-based coating is specially designed to protect materials requiring a high level of heat resistance (thermal barrier). The nCoat coating has been tested and used for use on space vehicles to create thermal barriers upon re-entry. nCoat's nano-coating has been tested to withstand temperatures in excess of 4,200 degrees Fahrenheit for sustained durations.

"The commercial prospects are huge and apply across multiple markets,” said Paul Clayson, nCoat's co-founder, CEO and chairman. “This team has created a world-class product." (photo nCoat)

Mercury-devouring nanomaterial now commercially available

2006-05-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

A material designed to capture and remove mercury and other toxic substances from industrial waste streams is now available for commercial use, according to EurekAlert.

Battelle has licensed the SAMMS technology developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to Steward Environmental Solutions of Chattanooga, Tenn. Battelle operates the laboratory for the Department of Energy and transfers lab-developed technologies to the marketplace.

SAMMS, or Self-Assembled Monolayers on Mesoporous Supports, is a technology that can be tailored to selectively remove metal contaminants without creating hazardous waste or by-products. Steward intends to initially market use of the SAMMS for treating stack emissions from coal fired power plants, process industry and municipal facilities.

In tests conducted at PNNL, 99.9 percent of mercury in simulated waste water was successfully removed. That reduction places the mercury levels well below the Environmental Protection Agency's discharge limits. This could equate to significant savings in disposal charges for users with mercury or other toxic metals in their facility waste streams, said Rick Skaggs, PNNL commercialization lead. (photo PNNL)

Site analysis for nanotech labs

2006-05-19T06:39:00.000-07:00

Departing from our usual emphasis on materials, let’s look at the design of nanotech labs.

Nanotechnology facilities, according to R&D Magazine, are appearing rapidly at university campuses, government installations, and science parks around the world due to the extensive governmental and institutional competition to exploit the economic development advantages of this relatively new technology.

The first important steps for nanotechnology facilities include site and facility assessments to see if the research, can indeed, be performed on the site.

In terms of nanotech facility planning, a “one site does not fit all” approach may be the best description. The research being carried out in these facilities require controls for excessive vibration, noise, electromagnetic interference (EMI), and radio frequency interference (RFI), all which vary from site to site, as well as strict attention to “interior contaminants” including, temperature, air quality, and life safety issues.

All of these design issues must be identified and quantified as early as possible in order to minimize cost impact on the project.

The full article is available in pdf form. (photo Purdue University)

Hybrid coatings increase hardness of plastic

2006-05-18T00:44:00.000-07:00

Increasing the surface hardness of many materials opens them up for use in a wide variety of new applications. These new hybrid materials could be used in areas like anticorrosion coatings for metals, scratch and abrasion resistant coatings for plastics, antistatic films plus color decorative coatings for glass and plastics.

Researchers at the Universidad Autonoma de Sinaloa, Fuente de Poseidon y Prol and Centro de Investigacion y Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional developed composite materials with reinforced properties to produce hybrid coatings combining the complementary properties of inorganic and organic materials.

They found that the hardness of the hybrid coatings was three to ten times higher than that of ordinary acrylic plastics. Their full paper is available at azom.com. (photo Plastics Institute of America)

Nanotube sandwich creates super-strong fabric

2006-05-11T19:06:00.000-07:00

By stacking layers of ceramic cloth with interlocking nanotubes in between, a team of researchers has created new composites with significantly improved properties compared to traditional materials. The “nanotube sandwiches” could find use in a wide array of structural applications, according to a Rensselaer press release.

To make the new materials, the researchers at Rensselaer and the University of Hawaii at Manoa deposited a forest of carbon nanotubes across the surface of a cloth woven from fibers of silicon carbide — a ceramic compound made from silicon and carbon. The fabric layers were infiltrated with a high-temperature epoxy matrix, and then several layers of cloth were stacked on top of each other to form a three-dimensional composite “sandwich,” with interlocking nanotubes acting to fasten the layers together.

The researchers ran several experiments to test the new material’s properties, and they found that the interlocking nanotubes provided remarkable improvements in strength and toughness under various loading conditions.

Tests also showed that both the thermal and electrical conductivity of the new composites were significantly improved, which means that they could potentially be employed as sensors to monitor crack propagation in various structures. (photo University of Hawaii/Vinod Veedu)

Wireless sensors sniff out toxins

2006-05-11T03:20:00.000-07:00

While nanotechnology is transforming the materials buildings are made from, there’s another more subtle revolution underway as well. It’s in the area of remote sensing, which could have a big impact on controlling Sick Building Syndrome, improving building security, and the operation of appliances and HVAC systems.

Thanks to nanotechnology, sensors are becoming so small that we can monitor many conditions in buildings in ways never possible before. Dr. Kensall Wise, Director of the Center for Wireless Integrated MicroSystems at the University of Michigan calls wireless integrated microsystems (WMS) "the final frontier in the pervasiveness of microelectronics.”

He’s working on a micropower environmental monitor for the precision analysis of gaseous materials. This wristwatch-sized device can detect the presence of toxic gasses at the level of just 100 parts per trillion. It can also monitor temperature, humidity, pressure and more. It can recognize the presence of mustard gas in a building’s air supply in just 4 seconds.

Oh, and microsensors can sniff out money too. US border security officials sponsored the development of a sensor at the University of Michigan that detects the gasses given off by the ink on paper bills, making it easier to catch currency smugglers.

Wise presented his findings in “Wireless Integrated Microsystems (WMS): Coming Revolution in the Gathering of Information” at the Nano Science and Technology conference in Boston. (photo University of Michigan)

Solar startups shine at NSTI conference

2006-05-09T17:20:00.000-07:00

Solar startups took center stage at today’s Nano Science and Technology conference in Boston.

Solar represents less than .5% of today’s energy market, but that’s about to change. The solar market is $7 billion, growing 30% annually, and with crude oil prices going through the roof, that percentage is sure to grow.

Nanotechnology figures to be a big player in the new solar market, as two startups pitching to investors today demonstrated.

Damoder Reddy presented a technology pioneered by startup Solexant that captures infrared (IR) radiation typically not captured by traditional silicon-based solar cells. 45% of solar radiation is IR, explained Reddy, and today's solar technologies don't capture it.

The company uses IR photon absorbing nanostructures and brodband thin film solar cells that can be combined with traditional solar cells to create hybrid cells.

The technology could be used to create window films that generate energy and reduce heat gain, said Reddy.

David Waimann presented OrionSolar Photovoltaics’ plan to produce low-cost dye cell photovoltaics.

Dye cells can be much less expensive than silicon cells, potentially reducing the cost per peak watt from $2 to 65 cents.

Waimann and his colleagues think the biggest market for solar will be the do-it-yourself (DIY) market because of the high cost of installation. They propose to cut the cost of DIY installations in half with their 'concertina' folding panels. (photo OrionSolar)

Architectural applications abound at Nano Science and Technology conference

2006-05-09T09:36:00.000-07:00

Today’s post comes to you live from the floor of the 2006 Nano Science and Technology conference in Boston, where I’m presenting the work of my NanoStudio.

There’s no shortage of nanomaterials for the construction industry, including the following:

Spire Corporation makes Building Integrated Photovoltaics that enable architects and contractors to integrate photovoltaic technology into the design of a building or structure so that the solar components also serve as structural or design elements.

Evident Technologies offers quantum dots for white LEDs, leading to lighting fixtures of any color and shape.

Raynor Industries is the world’s leading producer of single-walled carbon nanotubes, which they believe will eventually replace steel in buildings because they are 100 times stronger at 1/6 the weight.

Advance Nanotech fosters a wide range of building-related applications including flexible displays.

Accsense makes tiny wireless sensors for monitoring temperature, humidity and a host of other environmental factors.

Miami to host “The Future of Nanocoatings and Ultra-thin Films” conference

2006-05-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

The Future of Nanocoatings and Ultra-thin Films conference will be May 17, 2006 in Miami.

According to host Intertech-Pira:

The Future of Nanocoatings and Ultra-Thin Films will give you a chance to move from studying projections and hype to learning how the technology can add real value and tangibly improve your products – with genuine benefits for your bottom line!

This breakthrough technology is undoubtedly ripe with potential but how do you move it from the lab to the market? The Future of Nanocoatings and Ultra-Thin Films brings together experts from across the supply chain to explore and demonstrate routes to commercial success. You’ll hear live case studies from companies that have generated outstanding results. Find out how to achieve the rewards and avoid pitfalls.

This is a vital event for businesses across the coating and nanotechnology supply chain. You need up-to-date information on the latest technological developments and commercial realities in nanocoatings and ultra thin films:

Discover new applications for your products, get updates on what the competition is doing and scientific breakthroughs with investment potential.

Understand end users’ demands, expectations and needs. Assess the current market situation and the direction your company should take for the future.

Get the first hand information about the most exciting technological innovations. Assess their potential for improving your existing products, streamlining production, reducing costs, and staying in the frontline of your industry. (photo City of Miami Beach)

Bio-based composite gives new meaning to green roof

2006-05-04T20:06:00.000-07:00

Researchers at the University of Delaware’s Department of Chemical Engineering and Center for Composite Materials have created a bio-based composite roof structure using soy.

Soy oil-based resin and cellulose fibers, in the form of paper sheets made from recycled cardboard boxes, were successfully used to manufacture the composite structures.

The roof was designed and a 1/3 scale structure was manufactured. Following this 1/3 scale design, two composite panels were manufactured to serve as the two sides of a pitched roof connected at the ridge.

The recycled paper was tested in composite sheets and structural unit beams and gave the required stiffness and strength required for roof construction.

The authors, M.A. Dweib, B. Hu, H.W. Shenton III and R.P. Wool, have made their abstract and article available in the journal, Composite Structures.

Cabot enters pipe insulation arena with four new Nanogel products

2006-05-04T07:26:00.000-07:00

Cabot Corporation has entered the oil and gas insulation market with the launch of four new Nanogel aerogel products, says a company press release.

The four new products use Nanogel aerogel, Cabot's branded aerogel in different forms and are marketed under the names Expansion Pack, Compression Pack, Particle Pack, and Thermal Wrap.

With an operating temperature range from -200 degrees C to 250 degrees C (-330 degrees F -480 degrees F), Nanogel systems can be used where many competing insulations cannot.

The Particle Pack system leverages Cabot's proprietary particle filling techniques to fill annular spaces of any size or dimension. Cabot has been using this technology to fill spaces as narrow as a few millimeters with Nanogel aerogel in the building and construction market. In particulate form Nanogel flows like water and with proper vibration techniques can be densely packed for long life, high performance use without settling or shifting without any residual air gaps.

Sometimes called "frozen smoke," aerogels are the lightest and best insulating solids in the world. Nanogel, Cabot's branded aerogel is a hydrophobic aerogel produced as particles each of which consists largely of air (approx. 95%) trapped in nano-sized pores that severely inhibit heat transfer through the material.

Nanogel is already available for a variety of building applications.

Nanowire electrodes: the link between brain and building?

2006-05-02T20:10:00.000-07:00

Researchers at New York University and MIT have developed a nanowire electrode that can send and receive signals to the brain, according to Technology Review.

"This is a completely out-of-the box way to think about enabling deep-brain stimulation," says Joseph Pancrazio, program director for neural engineering projects at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Patrick Anquetil, a mechanical engineering postdoctoral fellow at MIT, says they have made polymers that act as pressure sensors, and they see the possibility of using semiconducting polymers as the basis for simple electric switches.

"One thing that really excites us about this is, in principle, there's no reason why, with the same material, you cannot build a whole system in which you have contraction, measurement, sensing, and computation," says Anquetil.

Eventually, nanowire electrodes for sensing and computation could form the interface between brains and buildings. As buildings become smarter, they will become increasingly interactive with their users. Building components will increasingly be able to communicate with their users, raising the question of how much interaction we want.

Will we want to exchange information electronically with our buildings? Computers give us some distance between ourselves and our information, but as nanotechnologies like these advance, we’ll have the power to integrated that information more directly to our brains. Is that a good thing? (photo Zina Deretsky, National Science Foundation/Technology Review)

Gold nanoparticles are powerful heaters

2006-05-01T18:49:00.000-07:00

Nanoparticles of gold can act as tiny, precise and powerful heaters, according to a new study.

When stimulated with the right frequency of laser light, a small collection of metal nanoparticles, such as gold, can heat an area up to 1,000 times its size, according to Ohio University scientists Hugh Richardson and Sasha Govorov.

Other scientists are using that superheating capacity in novel applications that could result in huge reductions in heating bills, according to the Smart Economy Blog.

By suspending nanoparticles made of gold or other materials such as carbon, copper or copper oxide in water or other liquids, engineers have created 'nanofluids' which can transfer heat up to 400% faster than other liquids (up from 150% in 2003).

In a central heating system, nanofluids could increase efficiency without the need to use a more powerful pump, saving energy and providing major environmental benefits. (photo Hugh Richardson)

Carbon nanotubes used to create fire-resistant plastics

2006-04-30T19:11:00.000-07:00

Materials scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology are using carbon nanotubes to make plastics more resistant to fire.

Jack Douglas and his colleagues found that plastics containing nantubes don't burn as easily as ordinary plastics. The nanotubes create a layer of insulation when plastic boils, and also reduce the bubbling that fuels combustion.

"Normally,” Douglas said, “when plastic burns, it looks like a lava field. There are a lot of hot cracks where heat is being released. But in plastics containing carbon nanotubes, you don't get those cracks forming."

The nanotube alternative may help reduce the reliance on the toxic additives traditionally use to make plastics fire-resistant.

Hear the interview with Douglas at Earth & Sky. (photo Frank Douglas)

Tiny biomimetic camera creates artificial eye

2006-04-28T02:55:00.000-07:00

Here’s an invention that brings two major issues in nanotechnology to the fore.

Using the eyes of houseflies as models, a team of bioengineers at University of California, Berkeley, has created a series of artificial compound eyes, according to EurekAlert.

These eyes could eventually be used as cameras or sensory detectors to capture visual or chemical information from a wider field of vision than previously possible, even with the best fish-eye lens, said Luke P. Lee, the team's principal investigator. Potential applications include surveillance, high-speed motion detection and environmental sensing.

What he and his team came up with is a low-cost, easy-to-replicate method of creating pinhead-sized polymer resin domes spiked with thousands of light-guiding channels, each topped with its own lens. Not only are these units packed together in the same hexagonal, honeycomb pattern as in an insect's compound eye, but each is also remarkably similar in size, design, shape and function to an ommatidium, the individual sensory unit of a compound eye.

That’s the first issue this discovery raises: biomimicry. It seems that almost every day a new breakthrough occurs in nanotechnology based on a biological design. It’s great to see scientists looking at nature, wondering how it works, and applying that sense of wonder in the lab to create new things.

On the other hand, this particular advance raises the thorny issue of privacy, another frequent concern in nanotechnology. When we can fit a thousand cameras on the head of a pin, we’ll never know when we’re being watched.

We’ve already seen cellphones banned from many locker rooms because so many cells have cameras and it’s unclear when a picture’s being taken. But when cameras can be woven into clothing or invisibly integrated into buildings, how will we protect ourselves from unwanted observation? (photo Charles Krebs)

Nano-switch links biological, mechanical worlds

2006-04-27T02:48:00.000-07:00

A switch so small it can move DNA fragments could lead to deeper integration of biological and human-made materials.

The researchers used a type of molecular motor known as a 'Restriction-Modification enzyme'. This molecular motor attaches itself only to specific sequences of DNA.

The DNA strand is held upright by a magnetic field, pulling a magnetic marker at the end of the DNA strand. The molecular motor sits somewhere below the magnetic marker at a specific position, and does not move. When the molecular engine is started, when fed biological fuel ATP, it pulls the DNA strand, stopping when it reaches the magnetic marker.

“Frankly, some researchers didn't think what we were doing was possible,” says Dr Keith Firman, on the completion of the Mol-Switch project that he coordinates. “It could be used as a communicator between the biological and silicon worlds. I could see it providing an interface between muscle and external devices, through its use of ATP, in human implants.”

Six partners, the University of Portsmouth, UK; the National Physical Laboratory, UK; ENS/CNRS, France; TUDelft, the Netherlands; the University of Parma, Italy and the Institute of Microbiology in Prague, the Czech Republic, developed the nano-device over three years.

A switch capable of integrating biological materials like DNA with inorganic ones is an important step in the creation of biomaterials that combine the advantages of traditional, non-living materials like silicon for electronics or carbon for structures with living cells or DNA.

Architectural applications could conceivably include photosynthetic walls or breathable windows.

More info on the Mol-Switch project is available at Nanonet. (photo Cordis information service)

Photomicrography competition reveals nanoworld

2006-04-26T06:44:00.000-07:00

While we tend to focus on nanotechnology as a provider of new materials, it can also provide design inspiration.

At the Small World Photomicrography Competition website you’ll find an amazing array of images from the nanoworld. Most of the work is at the microscale, an order of magnitude bigger than nanoscale, but it's still a magnificent showcase exposing the beauty of an unseen world.

Pictured is last year’s 3rd prize winner by Stefan Eberhard, revealing the microstructure of crystallized vitamin A

I highly recommend the gallery both for its sheer aesthetic pleasure and as a way to get to know the nanoworld. A picture, in this case, is worth a billion words.

Paint-on laser could help materials communicate

2006-04-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

Ted Sargent carries a liquid laser in his briefcase.

Sargent, a Professor at the University of Toronto and Canada Research Chair in Nanotechnology, created the new laser using colloidal quantum dots — nanometre-sized particles of semiconductor that are suspended in a solvent like the particles in paint. “We’ve made a laser that can be smeared onto another material,” says Sargent.

According to Sjoerd Hoogland, a post-doctoral fellow and the first author of the paper, the laser’s most remarkable feature was its simplicity. “I made the laser by dipping a miniature glass tube in the paint and then drying it with a hairdryer,” he said. “Once the right nanoparticles are made, the procedure takes about five minutes.”

“We crystallized precisely the size of the nanoparticles that would tune the color of light coming from the laser. We chose nanoparticle size, and thus color, the way a guitarist chooses frets to select the pitch of the instrument,” Hoogland said.

The liquid laser’s primary application is in microelectronics, where it may help transfer information bits more rapidly than silicon. But the prospect of paint-on lasers certainly sounds interesting for its architectural applications.

Could paint-on lasers allow materials to send information to each other and to their users? Or perhaps their frequency could be tuned to enable common materials to emit visible light. (photo Trevor Johnston/University of Toronto)

OLED breakthrough could lead to light-emitting windows

2006-04-24T20:14:00.000-07:00

Interior lighting could look vastly different in the future, thanks to a breakthrough by researchers at the University of Southern California and Princeton University.

The team has created a highly efficient and long-lived natural light source using organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs).

Since OLEDs are transparent when turned off, the devices could even be installed as windows or skylights to mimic the feel of natural light after dark - or to serve as the ultimate inconspicuous flat-panel television.

Almost any surface in a home, whether flat or curved, could become a light source: walls, curtains, ceilings, cabinets or tables.

"With a future emphasis on manufacturing technology, this structure may provide an important, low-cost and efficient means that will replace incandescent lighting in many different applications," co-principal investigator Stephen Forrest said.

To learn more about how it works visit EurekAlert. Don’t miss the US Department of Energy site to learn more about white-light OLEDs. (photo DOE)

Nanotech market expected to reach $700 billion by 2007

2006-04-23T19:23:00.000-07:00

The world’s largest market research firm is predicting that the nanotechnology market will grow from $225 billion in 2005 to $700 billion by next year.

That’s the remarkable conclusion of Research and Markets’ hot-off-the-press report, “Nanotechnology - The Coming Revolution”.

“Until only a few decades ago,” notes the report, “nanotechnology was an unknown entity in the public space. But now it is widely known to be the next revolutionizing frontier of science.”

“It is widely understood to be the propeller of the new century of evolutions,” the report concludes.

The report covers nanotech applications in biomedical processes, space science, computing and robotics, drug delivery processes, and chip technology. Unfortunately, it overlooks the huge markets in construction, engineering and energy despite indications that nanotech is poised to have a big impact in all of these areas.

And in case you’re wondering how a technology market can more than triple in size in just two years, it’s because of the billions of dollars that are pouring into nanotech development, primarily through the federal government.

All of that research and development is now starting to work its way into the production and marketing of consumer products. At small plans we’ll continue to keep you up to date on those that impact architecture, engineering and construction. It should be an exciting year.

NanoStudio: architecture students design with nanomaterials

2006-04-20T18:34:00.000-07:00

Students in my architecture studio have come up with some very innovative designs using nanotechnology in our NanoStudio. In this third year architecture studio at the College of Architecture and Planning at Ball State University we explored the architectural applications of nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology has the potential to transform the built environment in ways almost unimaginable today. Carbon nanotubes, for example, have been created that are 250 times stronger than steel, 10 times lighter, and transparent. Similar advances are occurring in glass, plastics and concrete. Our mission for this project was to imagine the potential of one of these revolutionary materials, and implement it in the design of a residence.

I'll be presenting the work of the NanoStudio at the Nanotech 2006 show May 7-11 in Boston. Nanotech 2006 is the nation's largest nanotech conference, featuring more than 300 exhibitors and attract more than 3,000 attendees.

Nanotech making smart homes a reality

2006-04-19T19:12:00.000-07:00

Innovations in MEMS (MicroElectroMechnical Systems), nanomaterials and other emerging technologies are making smart homes a reality for the masses.

The January 2006 Bourne Report says that more sensors than ever are being adopted as a way to provide increased convenience to the consumer, with manufacturers of HVAC, lighting products and white goods among the first to adopt.

"Consumer-friendly products and approaches are what will truly drive the growth of this segment," said Marlene Bourne, Principal Analyst at Research and Markets, "and both MEMS and nanomaterials are playing a key role here." Photo MIT

Bomb-proof glass from transparent nanotubes

2006-04-18T19:29:00.000-07:00

A team of researchers at the University of Toledo was trying to make stronger, lighter armor for Army vehicles when the Army came calling with a special plea: Can you drop that research program and instead concentrate on making glass that can withstand bullets and bombs?

According to a report in The Blade, insurgents in Iraq had figured out they couldn't always knock out an armored vehicle, but they could shoot through the windshield glass. Walter Roy, a materials engineer for the Army, made a special trip to the University of Toledo "to plead with us about this," said Arun Nadarajah, a professor in chemical and environmental engineering.

"It's one thing if someone gives you this idea abstractly, [and] abstractly asks, 'Would you consider doing this?' Then, probably not. But he came and made a very emotional pitch to the group," he said.

"I never met another government official like him. This guy was very different," Mr. Nadarajah said.

It was a dilemma for the research group of eight scientists and a dozen graduate students. For the previous two years, they'd been busy expanding their expertise on carbon nanofibers, which make a human hair look downright obese. Nanofibers were to be the key to creating strong, light armor. But there's a problem with taking that expertise and applying it to the Army's new request: You can't see through carbon. The UT group's work wouldn't transfer easily into making better windshields.

When Mr. Roy of the Army made his request, the UT group was in the second year of a three-year contract to find the right way to make strong armor. Each year of the contract, the group got $900,000 to work on armored vehicles.

Changing research "was not an easy decision," Mr. Nadarajah said. But, ultimately, the group decided that "this was important enough to take a stab at changing our course."

The researchers haven't had to scrap all of their carbon work. For instance, some changes they made to carbon nanofibers to increase material flexibility can be made in the transparent materials as well.

The group is experimenting with materials that become transparent at the nanoscale. They will blend these reinforcing nanofibers with polymers such as the polycarbonate used in eyeglasses to create Army-ready windshields.

Spray coating blocks wi-fi signals

2006-04-17T18:58:00.000-07:00

NaturalNano has developed a spray coating embedded with copper-filled halloysite nanotubes which can be applied to the walls of a room, providing a passive blocking agent for radio frequency (RF) energy.

"Many existing structures including concert and convention halls, movie theaters, and other buildings could benefit from enhanced control over outside radio frequency radiation with a passive, cost-effective solution," said Michael Riedlinger, President of NaturalNano.

They've combined the shielding coating with a technology that enables authorized users to log onto a private network in an area that is otherwise RF shielded. "This technology," said Riedlinger, "also allows the facility operator to potentially charge fees for wireless access within an otherwise RF shielded environment."

For details on how it works, and a Fox Report video, visit NaturalNano. (image NaturalNano)

Thin-film and organic photovoltaics on the rise

2006-04-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

Integrated building and construction products such as photovoltaic-enabled roofing and window materials are projected to be the largest market opportunity in the booming thin-film and organic photovoltaics (PV) field, measuring $800 million by 2011.

EETimes reports that the total market for thin-film and organic PV is projected to be worth over $2.3 billion by 2011, according to NanoMarkets, an industry analyst firm.

Honda Motor Co., for example, has announced it will soon start full-scale production of thin-film PV products and Shell Oil has just sold off its conventional PV business to focus on thin film.

On the other hand, NanoMarkets points out that thin film and organic PV is also a technology space that has received its fair share of hype and controversy with competing claims by different manufacturers on where and how it can be applied, and disputes over conversion efficiencies and costs per watt.

On the materials front, amorphous silicon, the best established of the various thin-film PV materials, will represent an $800 million opportunity followed by organic and hybrid organic/inorganic materials and then CIS/CIGS.

Nano-tex to offer stain-resistant fabrics for interiors

2006-04-14T03:05:00.000-07:00

Nano-tex, the company that brought you stain-resistant pants, has entered the home furnishings market. Six leading commercial textile companies are incorporating Nano-Tex's stain resistant fabric treatment into their product lines. In a press release, the company said that

With Nano-Tex enhanced fabric, textiles ordinarily considered "off-limits" for commercial interiors -- such as light colored or delicate fabrics -- are now accessible, giving the design community greater creative freedom to realize their artistic vision.

Transparent to the eye and indistinguishable to the touch, Nano-Tex's stain resistant fabric treatment delivers the market's highest level of stain repellency and durability to protect fabrics from everyday spills and stains making it a logical choice for high-use and high traffic areas.

"The migration of enhanced textiles from apparel into commercial interiors is a natural evolution for Nano-Tex because both industries share a design and fashion sensibility," said Renee DeLack Hultin, executive vice president of global sales. (photo:bigfoto.com)

Smog-eating concrete under development

2006-04-12T13:21:00.000-07:00

Nanotechnology may play a major role in cleaning up the environment as building materials capable of scrubbing pollutants from the air come on line. According to an Associated Press report,

From catalytic converters to alternative fuels, the fight against big-city smog has
for years been fought inside combustion engines and exhaust pipes.

Now, scientists are taking the fight to the streets by developing "smart" building materials designed to clean the air with a little help from the elements.
Using technology already available for self-cleaning windows and bathroom tiles, scientists hope to paint cities with materials that dissolve and wash away pollutants when exposed to sun and rain.

"Among other things, we want to construct concrete walls that break down vehicle exhausts in road tunnels," said Karin Pettersson, a spokeswoman for Swedish construction giant Skanska. "It is also possible to make pavings that clean the air in cities."

This is the idea: UV rays hitting the titanium dioxide trigger a catalytic reaction that destroys the molecules of pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, which are emitted in the burning of fossil fuels and create smog when combined with volatile organic compounds.

Nanotech comes to Home Depot

2006-04-11T13:20:00.000-07:00

BEHR Paint has introduced a new Premium Plus Interior Sateen Kitchen and Bath Enamel, the first paint of its kind to utilize nanotechnology. According to the company, the nanotech component makes for superior physical and aesthetic qualities and enables the paint to double as an impenetrable safeguard against mildew and stains in those high-traffic areas of the home that are most susceptible.

"Kitchens and bathrooms are often the most difficult environments to maintain in a home," said Mary Rice, Vice President Marketing, BEHR Paints. "Using nanotechnology to create our new Kitchen and Bath Enamel has enabled us to provide a product with excellent application properties and color matching with a remarkably resilient finish to protect against the elements."

BEHR's new Kitchen and Bath Enamel is the product of an innovative formula created with nanotechnology in which key ingredients are reduced to nano-sized particles that enhance the performance of the paint, resulting in an extremely hard, durable finish. The product offers outstanding water resistance, provides excellent scrubbability, easy stain removal, superior stain blocking resistance and improved application properties.

The resilient finish helps the paint to retain its luminous sheen for longer periods of time. The more than 2,000 shades can be viewed, coordinated and applied to a virtual room using ColorSmart by BEHR at BEHR.com. The line is available for purchase at The Home Depot stores nationwide.

small plans: the new name of nanotechnology and design

2006-04-08T01:02:00.000-07:00

To jumpstart the rebirth of this blog, I've got a new name and a new "about" statement. These point to the new focus - nanotechnology for the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industries.

Some people unfamiliar with nanotech still ask me what it has to do with architecture. The answer is, plenty. Dozens of nano building products are already available, from self-cleaning windows to flexible solar cells. And many, many more are in development.

I want to make small plans your information hub for nanotech in AEC, and also a forum for discussion on its broader impacts. How, for example, will the coming improvements in building technology, from self-healing structures to distributed sensor networks, change the form and the making of our world?

Stay tuned for more discussion, debate, and updates on all the latest developments in this transformative technology.

Welcome back!

2006-04-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

Hello again. After four months devoted to my general nanotech blog at nanotechbuzz.com, and the contuning adventures of work as an Associate Professor in architecture, and now president of a nanotech research and advising firm (more on that later), I'm back at nanotechnology + design.

I'll continue to post to nanotechbuzz, and I hope you'll check it out for the latest news on nanotechnology in general, but I missed the focus on architecture, engineering and construction that nanotechnology + design provides.

There's plenty going in nanotechnology that applies to architecture, particularly in the area of new materials with some very interesting properties and potentials. And I think it's important that those of us responsible for designing and making the environment maintain an active discussion on the potential impacts of this powerful technology.

So welcome back, or if you're new to nanotechnology + design, welcome! I'm delighted to be back, and I look forward to providing you with the information and insights you're looking for.

Dr. George Elvin

photo: e-hawaii.com

Visit nanotechbuzz, the new home of nanotechnology and design

2005-12-10T00:40:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the success of this blog, I've been asked by Creative Weblogging to author a new and improved nanotech weblog, nanotechbuzz. There you'll find all the news on the latest developments in nanotechnology and design, plus expanded coverage of many other facets of nanotechnology. So come along and check out our new home at nanotechbuzz.com!

NSF CAREER Award for Nano-Fiber Reinforced Concrete

2005-12-08T20:02:00.000-08:00

Vanderbilt University assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering Florence Sanchez has won a prestigious CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for her research on the long-term durability of nano-structured cement-based materials. Sanchez wants to use the award to explore how new materials being developed by the nanoscience community might contribute to solving common problems in concrete construction. Nanofibers made of carbon, for example, might be added to a concrete bridge, making it possible to heat the structure during winter or allowing it to monitor itself for cracks because of the fibers’ ability to conduct electricity. more @ azonano.com

"In the future, everyone will be a designer"

2005-12-08T00:51:00.000-08:00

Fortune Magazine’s Innovation Forum last week hosted a session on “Design Matters" featuring BMW's Director of Design, Target's Creative Director, and the President of the Art Center College of Design. The consensus opinion was that, in the future, design would become just as important as literacy. Chris Bangle of BMW predicted that, "In the future, everyone will be a designer." more @ smarteconomy.typepad.com

Ferrofluid

2005-12-06T19:32:00.000-08:00

Ferrofluid is a solution containing nanoscale particles that respond to a magnetic field. Watch the video. more @ centripetalnotion.com

New nanotech website focuses on health and environment

2005-12-06T05:45:00.000-08:00

A partnership between the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Pew Charitable Trusts has resulted in the 'Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies' website. The site examines the effects of nanotechnology on human health and the environment. It aims to "ensure that as nanotechnologies advance, possible risks are minimized, public and consumer engagement remains strong, and the potential benefits of these new technologies are realized." more @ nanotechproject.org

Konarka receives NSF grant for Power Plastic

2005-12-05T03:03:00.000-08:00

Konarka Technologies, Inc., an innovator in developing and commercializing Power Plastic that converts light to energy, today announced it was awarded a $100,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. The grant will fund research to gain higher performance from Power Plastic that makes it possible for devices, systems and structures to have their own low cost embedded sources of renewable power. more @ nanotechwire.com

A new blueprint for self-assembly by design

2005-12-02T00:22:00.000-08:00

Princeton University researchers have devised an approach that would enable them to produce configurations of nanoparticles by manipulating the way the particles interact with one another. “If one thinks of a nanomaterial as a house, our approach enables a scientist to act as architect, contractor, and day laborer all wrapped up in one," their paper says. "We design the components of the house, such as the 2-by-4s and cement blocks, so that they will interact with each other in such a way that when you throw them together randomly they self-assemble into the desired house." more @ eurekalert.org

Why toucan beaks are models of lightweight strength

2005-12-01T05:34:00.000-08:00

Researchers at UCSD's Jacobs School of Engineering report that the secret to the toucan beak's lightweight strength is an unusual bio-composite. The interior of the beak is rigid "foam" made of bony fibers sandwiched between layers of keratin, the protein that makes up fingernails. "Our computer modeling shows that the beak is optimized to an amazing degree for high strength and very little weight," says Professor Marc A. Meyers. more @ eurekalert.org

Photosynthetic structure enlightened

2005-11-29T13:55:00.000-08:00

For the first time, scientists have obtained a detailed map of one of biology's most important light detectors, a protein known as phytochrome found in many plants. By resolving its three-dimensional structure, scientists can now tease out the secrets of how plants react to light. Their discovery may one day lead to such things as plants whose growth, flowering and death can be precisely manipulated. more @ checkbiotech.org

Have these experts drilled the world's smallest hole?

2005-11-29T03:33:00.000-08:00

Experts at Cardiff University have developed machinery so sophisticated that they can drill a hole narrower than a human hair. Researchers at the University's Manufacturing Engineering Centre are drilling holes as small as 22 microns (0.022 mm) in stainless steel and other materials. Such precision has potentially major benefits in medical and electronic engineering. more @ eurekalert.org

Nano noses into RFID

2005-11-28T03:59:00.000-08:00

Radio Frequency Identification tags are replacing Universal Product Code symbol bar codes. Rather than relying on light sensors to read between little black lines, RFID tags consist of integrated circuits connected to a tiny antenna. Nanosys is trying to develop a technology to print both chips and antennas at the same time, eliminating the need to connect them in a separate process. more @ forbes.com

Nanotube foams flex and rebound with 'super compressibility'

2005-11-27T03:51:00.000-08:00

Films of aligned carbon nanotubes can act like a layer of mattress springs, flexing and rebounding in response to a force. But unlike a mattress, which can sag and lose its springiness, these nanotube foams maintain their resilience even after thousands of compression cycles. more @ nanotechwire.com

Nano-sponges remove toxic metals

2005-11-26T11:50:00.000-08:00

Microscopic particles honeycombed with holes only nanometers wide soon could help purify industrial runoff, coal plant smoke, crude oil and drinking water of toxic metals. Chemists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash., developed the particles to remove mercury from oil in nuclear facility pumps, and have now broadened the potential applications of the particles and partnered with companies to bring them into greater use. more @ physorg.com

New nanomaterial toxicity study

2005-11-25T07:48:00.000-08:00

Researchers have found that exposing human skin cells to multiwalled carbon nanotubes arrests cell cycles and increases cell death. "We are among the first to describe the mechanism for carbon nanomaterial's toxicity at the molecular level," Fanqing Frank Chen of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory said. more @ nanotechweb.org

IBM unveils nanotube light source

2005-11-23T12:20:00.000-08:00

IBM Research said this week that it has discovered a minuscule light source from carbon nanotubes 1,000 times brighter than previously seen with light-emitting diodes (LEDs).The light could be used for optical probing at the level of single molecules -- which previously was impossible because of the way light diffracts at a small scale. more @ cnet.co.uk

UN predicts nanotech-enabled 'internet of things'

2005-11-22T07:32:00.000-08:00

Changes brought about by the internet will be dwarfed by those prompted by the networking of everyday objects, says a report released by the International Telecommunications Union at the UN net summit in Tunis. "It would seem that science fiction is slowly turning into science fact in an 'Internet of Things' based on ubiquitous network connectivity," said the report. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), sensors, robotics and nanotechnology will make processing power increasingly available in smaller and smaller packages so that networked computing dissolves into the fabric of things around us. more @ news.bbc.co.uk

Nanohybrid material enables flexible color-changing devices

2005-11-21T10:01:00.000-08:00

The Fraunhofer-Institut Silicatforschung is designing new electrochromic devices that are totally plastic and flexible, capable of changing colour on the simple application of an electric current. The main result of the project will be a new nanohybrid material with great electrochromic efficiency, to be integrated into plastic electrochromic devices with excellent characteristics in terms of cost, durability and range of colours. The end applications of these new electrochromic devices will be electrochromic spectacles as well as various applications in the textile and automotive sectors. more @ azonano.com

Gold nanparticles reduce toxic waste from petroleum products

2005-11-19T13:21:00.000-08:00

Perfumes, paints and cosmetics could be manufactured without producing so much toxic waste. Before petroleum hydrocarbons can be turned into useful household chemicals they have to be oxidized, a process that often relies on heavy-metal oxidants such as manganese or chromium compounds which create toxic waste. Now researchers at Cardiff University, UK, have oxidized perfume using a catalyst made from gold nanoparticles. more @ newscientist.com

Nanohairs help geckos walk upside down

2005-11-11T13:08:00.000-08:00

Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Metals Research in Stuttgart have succeeded in examining, in the smallest detail, the adhesive mechanisms on the soles of gecko feet – with about a billion nanohairs per foot. These tiny adhesive hairs put the gecko in direct physical contact with its environment, allowing it to stick to just about any ceiling and walk with its feet over its head. more @ physorg.com

Nanomaterials energize fuel cells

2005-11-10T10:47:00.000-08:00

NanoDynamics in Buffalo, N.Y., is developing fuel cells that employ nanotechnology to help supply power for longer times at less weight and size than batteries or conventional fuel cells. One 50-watt solid oxide fuel-cell prototype, roughly the size of a loaf of bread, is composed of roughly 20 percent nanomaterials and can generate some 3,000 watt-hours of electricity from just 5 pounds of propane. A conventional solid oxide fuel cell given that little propane would generate only one-half to one-third as many watt-hours. more @ physorg.com

The latest nanotech device: venetian blinds

2005-11-10T09:53:00.000-08:00

A molecule that flips its arms like the slats on a venetian blind might in the future find uses in computer displays, computer memory, or even windows that become tinted at the flick of a switch. more @ newscientist.com

Nanotalk: new book interviews nanoscientists

2005-11-09T08:22:00.000-08:00

A new book uses interviews with nanotechnologists to examine the social and ethical implications of their work. Nanotalk: Conversations With Scientists and Engineers About Ethics, Meaning, and Belief in the Development of Nanotechnology, according to author Rosalyn W. Berne, “is a book of conversations and explorations with thirty five nano-research scientists and engineers who share their ideas, experiences, perceptions, and beliefs about their work, humanity, nature, change, and the future of the world with nanotechnology." more @ cientifica.com

Nanotechnology center makes flexible solar cell breakthrough

2005-11-09T08:17:00.000-08:00

Researchers at Wake Forest University's Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials are working to create flexible, or “conformal,” organic solar cells that can be wrapped around surfaces, rolled up or even painted onto structures. “Imagine a group of hikers with a tent that, when you unrolled the tent and put it up, could generate its own power," said David Carroll, the center’s director. "Imagine if the paint on your car that is getting hot in the sun was instead converting part of that heat to recharge your battery.” more @ nanotechwire.com

Translucent nanosteel blocks heat and UV rays

2005-11-07T18:06:00.000-08:00

Parasols sprayed with steel might not sound like functional fashion accessories, but that is what Suzutora Corp. plans to market next summer. The textile processing company sprays approximately one nanometer particles of stainless steel onto polyester cloth to create a parasol that shuts out both heat and ultraviolet rays. The tiny particles can be used even on translucent cloth, which greatly increases the options for fashion designers. more @ asahi.com

IBM closer to replacing electricity with light in electronics

2005-11-07T18:02:00.000-08:00

IBM has announced its researchers have created a tiny device that represents a big advance toward the eventual use of light in place of electricity in the connection of electronic components, potentially leading to vast improvements in the performance of computers and other electronic systems. more @ azonano.com

Diamond nanotube composite could save energy

2005-11-07T16:25:00.000-08:00

Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have combined the world's hardest known material – diamond – with the world's strongest structural form – carbon nanotubes. They say a new process for "growing” diamond and carbon nanotubes together opens the way for its use in a number of energy-related applications. The resulting material has potential for use in wear-resistant coatings, high-voltage electronics, low-power, low-energy consumption flat panel displays and hydrogen storage. more @ ens-newswire.com

World’s smallest toothbrush scrubs capillaries clean

2005-11-07T12:38:00.000-08:00

Nano-sized toothbrushes that can clean very small surfaces have been developed by researchers. Fabricated out of millions of carbon nanotubes, the minuscule brushes could even paint the inside of capillaries thinner than a human hair. Carbon nanotubes are 30 times stronger than steel, yet five times less dense. They are highly elastic, resistant to heat, have large surface areas and even conduct electricity. more @ newscientist.com

Pitt professor wins prize for 'molecular lego set'

2005-11-06T12:31:00.000-08:00

A University of Pittsburgh researcher has been awarded the Foresight Institute’s Feynman Prize for experimental work for his work in developing a "molecular Lego set" that will enable, for the first time, the quick manufacture of sturdy, predictable nanostructures. Christian Schafmeister, assistant professor of chemistry and a researcher in the University's Institute of NanoScience and Engineering, is using his blocks to craft hinged, molecular traps that attract specific molecules, snap shut, and light up. "We're developing a new programming language for matter," he says. more @ nano.pitt.edu

Low cost waterproofing process through nanotechnology

2005-11-06T09:14:00.000-08:00

Ecology Coatings, Inc. has come up with a breakthrough technology for making ordinary wood pulp-based paper fully waterproof as well as mildew resistant at a much lower cost than the conventional process. The material, combining nano as well as micro particles, contains no water, toxic solvents or other liquid components that need to evaporate for the coating to set; it is cured by ultraviolet light. This eliminates the need for heat in the process, reduces manufacturing line space by 80 per cent and cuts energy consumption by 75 per cent. more @ hindu.com

3D barcodes to identify stolen valuables

2005-11-04T12:40:00.000-08:00

A microscopic cubic barcode that stores encrypted information has been developed by a team at the National Physical Laboratory at Teddington, near London. The cube, made of silicon coated with a 100-nanometre-thick layer of transparent plastic, can be attached to hard surfaces using adhesive, or woven into the canvas of paintings. To create the barcode, an electron-beam lithograph drills 90,000 small squares into the plastic coat of each face at five different depths. The position and depth of each square is unique, so data can be encrypted using a key-based code and stored digitally. more @ newscientist.com

E-Ink captures best nanotech company award

2005-11-04T09:23:00.000-08:00

E-Ink captured the 2005 Best of Small Tech Company of the Year award at Small Times Magazine's Best of Small Tech Awards ceremony in Chicago this week for its work in display technology. E-Ink developed a screen technology that utilizes power only when its content changes, allowing an image to remain on the screen after the power is cut. more @ businesswire.com

Bioactive bone cements use nano-sized titania particles

2005-11-04T00:59:00.000-08:00

Researchers at Kyoto University and their colleagues have developed bioactive bone cements containing nano-sized titania particles for use as bone substitutes. Their results show that the osteoconduction of the new material is significantly better than that of the other cements, and that it is a promising material for use as a bone substitute. more @ sciencedirect.com

Carbon nanotube membranes allow super-fast fluid flow

2005-11-04T00:05:00.000-08:00

Membranes composed of carbon nanotubes permit a fluid flow nearly 10,000 to 100,000 times faster than conventional fluid flow theory would predict because of the nanotubes' nearly friction-free surface, researchers at the University of Kentucky report in the Nov. 3 issue of Nature. more @ eurekalert.org

Nanotech market to top $1 trillion by 2011

2005-11-02T11:45:00.000-08:00

A new report from RNCOS, "World Nanotechnology Market - An Industry Update (2005)", predicts that nanotechnology will exceed $1 trillion in the world market by the end of 2010. Government spending on nanotech R&D has increased to over $3 billion per annum, and venture capitalists have increased their investments six times over the previous two years. Companies like Intel, IBM, DuPont, 3M, General Electric, Samsung and Hitachi, for instance, spent $3.8 billion on nanotech in 2004. more @ marketresearch.com

Soft Machines: unique design principles at the nanoscale

2005-11-02T11:07:00.000-08:00

"The theme of my book Soft Machines," says author Richard Jones, "is that the nanomachines of biology operate under quite different design principles from those we are familiar with at the macroscale. These design principles exploit the different physics of the nanoworld, rather than trying to engineer around them." more @ softmachines.org

Building nanomachines out of living bacteria

2005-11-02T02:44:00.000-08:00

Live bacteria could one day act as reconfigurable components for nanoscale electronic circuits, or even a scaffold for building nanomachines. "Nature has developed these fantastic building blocks," says Robert Hamers of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "Our approach is to simply grab onto them very gently." His team have been using electrodes to manipulate individual bacterial cells. more @ newscientist.com

Nano skyscrapers may precede space elevator

2005-11-02T02:39:00.000-08:00

Liftport, a space-infrastucture company, has been among those who support construction of a space elevator, a long thin cable made of carbon nanotubes anchored to a platform or ship at sea and extending out into space. Held in place by the earth's rotation, the space elevator, with the help of robots, would ferry materials to outer space. The carbon nanotube ribbon that is central to building an elevator to space will actually have more practical and immediate applications. more @ nanotechnology.com

Ecology Coatings wins Wall Street Journal 2005 tech award

2005-11-01T03:53:00.000-08:00

Ecology Coatings, a leading provider of nano-engineered ultraviolet curable coatings, is the winner of the Silver Award for Innovation in The Wall Street Journal's 2005 Technology Innovation Awards competition. Judges selected the firm's energy efficient industrial coatings for the technology's range of applications and environmental friendliness. more @ nanotechnology.com

Carbon nanotubes used in computer and TV screens

2005-11-01T03:48:00.000-08:00

A new kind of computer and TV screen, called a nano-emissive display or NED, is made from two sheets of glass, one covered by a layer of nanotubes standing on end, the other by a layer of blue, red or green phosphors. When charged, the nanotubes direct electrons at the phosphors, making them light up. Because the electrons have only a short distance to travel, an NED would use little power, says maker Motorola. more @ newscientist.com

Micro-organisms may be turned into nano-circuitry

2005-10-30T10:55:00.000-08:00

Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology have found a way to convert the silica encasing diatoms, micro-organisms commonly found floating in oceans, into other materials such as titanium dioxide, which readily conducts electricity. Diatoms can adopt an incredible diversity of shapes, and Kenneth Sandhage and his colleagues hope to exploit this characteristic to develop 3D circuits much more complex and powerful than existing electronics. more @ newscientist.com

Snow flea anti-freeze proteins to aid in transplants

2005-10-30T10:36:00.000-08:00

Researchers from Queen's University may have discovered a means to prolong the preservation period for organs for transplantation by isolating a novel antifreeze glycine-rich protein from snow fleas. As well as its potential for use in organ transplants, the researchers suggest it could help to increase frost resistance in plants, and inhibit crystallization in frozen foods. more @ biotech-weblog.com

Duke engineers build DNA 'nanotowers'

2005-10-29T00:12:00.000-07:00

Duke engineers using an enzyme called TdTase can vertically extend short DNA chains attached to nanometer-sized gold plates. This advance adds new capability to the field of bio-nanomanufacturing. "The process works like stacking Legos to make a tower and is an important step toward creating functional nanostructures out of biological materials," said Ashutosh Chilkoti, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Duke's Pratt School of Engineering. more @ nanoapex.com

Biotechnology revives Indiana TV assembly plant

2005-10-28T23:55:00.000-07:00

Cook Pharmica LLC yesterday opened a $70 million facility in the old RCA/Thomson TV assembly plant in Bloomington. The firm uses bioreactors to produce monoclonal antibodies, the basis of biotech pharmaceutical ingredients that target receptors within cells to deliver therapeutics. "We hope this plant can help spur the start of a mini-Silicon Valley for biotech in Indiana," said Cook Group Chairman Steve Ferguson. more @ insideindianabusiness.com

Biologically active coatings for dental implants

2005-10-28T06:49:00.000-07:00

Spire Corporation has been awarded a grant to develop nanophase calcium phosphate coatings loaded with bone morphogenic proteins. The coatings will be used to improve bone integration into dental implants, leading to more rapid and reliable device fixation. Roger Little, Chairman and CEO of Spire, stated, "This grant will permit Spire to develop a new generation of biologically active coatings for dental implants.” more @ azonano.com

Kurzweil: transcending biology through nanotechnology

2005-10-28T02:37:00.000-07:00

When it comes to envisioning the future, Ray Kurzweil follows Daniel Burnham's adage and makes no small plans, even for nanotechnology. In his new book, The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology, Kurzweil suggests that, "Nanotechnology will make it possible to create virtually any physical product using inexpensive information processes and will ultimately turn even death into a soluble problem." more @ singularity.com

Raspberry and lotus lead to water-shedding film

2005-10-27T07:54:00.000-07:00

Researchers from the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands have mimicked the structure of the lotus leaf to produce a strongly water-repellent surface. The coating consists of raspberry-like particles made of silica spheres bonded to an epoxy-based polymer film. "Mother Nature is the greatest teacher to mankind," said researcher Weihua (Marshall) Ming. "The dual-size surface roughness on, for instance, the lotus leaf has proven to be very effective in generating superhydrophobicity. Meanwhile, a raspberry fruit naturally demonstrates dual-size morphology. We simply connected the characteristics of these two 'products' - raspberry and lotus leaf - to prepare our superhydrophobic films." more @ nanotechweb.org

Report offers framework for testing nanomaterial toxicity

2005-10-27T01:18:00.000-07:00

A new report by the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) gives scientists a framework for assessing the potential human health effects from exposure to engineered nanomaterials. According to Julie W. Fitzpatrick, ILSI staff scientist and project manager for their Nanomaterial Toxicity Screening Working Group, “While there is little evidence to date that nanomaterials have toxic effects, the world’s scientists, industry, and governments are beginning to take a critical look at nanotechnology and to develop a research agenda for addressing key issues related to the impact of nanotechnology on health and the environment. This report is a necessary beginning to that process.” more @ azonano.com

New diamond nanotube composite material created

2005-10-26T15:01:00.000-07:00

Argonne researchers have combined the world's hardest known material – diamond – with the world's strongest structural form – carbon nanotubes. A new process for "growing” diamond and carbon nanotubes together opens the way for its use in a number of energy-related applications. more . . .

Expect nanotech in half of materials and processes by 2015

2005-10-26T14:16:00.000-07:00

M.C. Roco, chair of the U.S. National Science and Technology Council's subcommittee on nanoscale science, engineering, and technology, sees nanotechnology as the basis of a "new industrial revolution". "By 2015," he says, "I expect at least half of the newly designed advanced materials and manufacturing processes will be built using control at the nanoscale in at least one of the key components." more @ Nanotechnology magazine

Seashells provide insights for armor design

2005-10-25T19:03:00.000-07:00

Understanding the fundamental design principles of natural armor systems like shells may help engineers design improved body armor systems for humans in perilous situations, like soldiers and police officers. At MIT's Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies, researchers are studying the structure and mechanics of the tough inner layer of mollusk shells, called nacre, or mother-of-pearl. "The complexity we have observed in nacre at the nanoscale is quite amazing and seems likely to be a critical determinant of the toughness of the material," said Professor Christine Ortiz of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. more @ mit.edu

Biodesign institute architects foster collaboration by design

2005-10-25T06:13:00.000-07:00

Larry Lord, FAIA, principal of Lord, Aeck & Sargent, talks about his architecture firm’s work on the new $74 million Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University. The architects crafted vibration control zones using 18-inch concrete floors to stabilize sensitive nanotechnology equipment, and created an open laboratory plan that encourages collaboration between the institute's cross-disciplinary teams in biotechnology, nanotechnology, and information technology. more @ aia.org

AeroClay wins nanotechnology business ideas competition

2005-10-24T05:51:00.000-07:00

AeroClay, a material that is 98% air and 2% clay was one of two winners in the second annual International and North Coast Nanotechnology Business Idea Competition. According to Dr. David Schiraldi, the associate professor in Case Western Reserve University's Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering who developed it, AeroClay can be used in packaging or can be covered in a polymer to create lightweight materials for automobiles or other products. more @ nanotechwire.com

Companies rated for environmental, social performance

2005-10-24T03:48:00.000-07:00

Innovest Strategic Value Advisors has begun a Nanotechnology Index rating companies for environmental, social, and strategic governance issues.“Early testing reveals that some types of engineered nanoparticles may present risk in terms of human health and eco-toxicity,” says Innovest. For investors this could result in ‘perception risks’ that could affect markets for nanomaterials and end products, and which could result in 'product backlash', it adds. more @ IPE.com

Design magazine reviews nanotechnology

2005-10-23T01:50:00.000-07:00

Matter magazine laments the current level of development in nanotechnology, quoting Dr. Ralph Merkle that, "Today’s manufacturing methods are very crude at the molecular level. It’s like trying to make things out of LEGO blocks with boxing gloves on your hands." But they see the promise of nanotubes, nanohorns and nano-test-tubes as well. more @ materialconnexion.com

Risks of manufacturing nanomaterials studied

2005-10-22T00:32:00.000-07:00

Researchers from Rice University, US, Golder Associates, US, and XL Insurance of Switzerland have used insurance-industry techniques to examine the risks of manufacturing five different nanomaterials. While the study did not include the risks of the nanomaterials themselves, it concluded that the manufacturing processes for the nanomaterials presented fewer risks to the environment than industrial processes, such as oil refining. more @ nanotechweb.org

Quantum dots and hybrid LED may replace common light bulb

2005-10-21T12:26:00.000-07:00

Take an LED that produces intense, blue light. Coat it with a thin layer of special microscopic beads called quantum dots. And you have what could become the successor to the venerable light bulb. The resulting hybrid LED gives off a warm white light with a slightly yellow cast, similar to that of the incandescent lamp. more @ eaurekalert.org

Ultrathin nanocrystal solar cells developed

2005-10-20T23:43:00.000-07:00

Imagine a future in which the rooftops of residential homes and commercial buildings can be laminated with inexpensive, ultra-thin films of nano-sized semiconductors that will efficiently convert sunlight into electrical power and provide virtually all of our electricity needs. This future is a step closer to being realized, thanks to a scientific milestone achieved at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. more . . .

'Buckypaper': stronger than steel, harder than diamonds

2005-10-20T23:40:00.000-07:00

Working with a material 10 times lighter than steel - but 250 times stronger - would be a dream come true for any engineer. If this material also had amazing properties that made it highly conductive of heat and electricity, it would start to sound like something out of a science fiction novel. Yet one Florida State University research group, the Florida Advanced Center for Composite Technologies (FAC2T), is working to develop real-world applications for just such a material. more . . .

Nano-implant could help deaf hear music

2005-10-20T04:04:00.000-07:00

Scientists are developing a cochlear implant which could allow deaf people to hear music. Existing implants allow people to listen easily to speech, but not music, but a team at the UK's National Physical Laboratory have developed a device with a wider frequency range, which improves musical appreciation. They are working with researchers in the nanotechnology group at Cranfield University in Bedfordshire, UK, to develop a version which is significantly smaller, so it can fit into the cochlear. more . . .

Design pivotal in top ten nanotechnology applications

2005-10-19T21:19:00.000-07:00

Researchers at the Canadian Program on Genomics and Global Health at the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics have proposed the top ten nanotechnology applications they believe will help people in developing countries tackle their most urgent problems. Design plays a pivotal role in most of them:
Energy storage, production and conversion
Agricultural productivity enhancement
Water treatment and remediation
Disease diagnosis and screening
Drug delivery systems
Food processing and storage
Air pollution and remediation
Construction
Health monitoring
Vector and pest detection and control
more . . .

Underground cities built by nanobots?

2005-10-19T21:03:00.000-07:00

John Burch at Nano & Nature thinks nanotechnology could help conserve nature by driving architecure underground. "Instead of skyscrapers that reach 3000 feet," says Burch, "why not bury them and contribute the surface to a local nature conservatory?" more . . .

Rice U. finds no adverse effects from nanotubes in cells

2005-10-18T22:38:00.000-07:00

In some of the first work documenting the uptake of carbon nanotubes by living cells, a team of chemists and life scientists from Rice University and the University of Texas Health Science Center and Houston's Texas Heart Institute suggests that white blood cells showed no adverse effects after incubation in a dilute solution of nanotubes. The nanotubes also retained their unique optical signatures, which may make it possible to track individual cells within the body. more . . .