Archive for the ‘nanomaterial’ tag
New nanomaterial could be breakthrough for implantable medical devices
A team of researchers led by North Carolina State University has made a breakthrough that could lead to new dialysis devices and a host of other revolutionary medical implants.
The researchers have found that the unique properties of a new material can be used to create new devices that can be implanted into the human body – including blood glucose sensors for diabetics and artificial hemo-dialysis membranes that can scrub impurities from the blood.
Researchers have long sought to develop medical devices that could be implanted into patients for a variety of purposes, such as monitoring glucose levels in diabetic patients.
Read more on: Bio Tech, Electronics, implant, nanomaterialDetecting tiny twists with a nanomachine
Researchers at Boston University working with collaborators in Germany, France and Korea have developed a nanoscale torsion resonator that measures miniscule amounts of twisting or torque in a metallic nanowire. This device, the size of a speck of dust, might enable measurements of the untwisting of DNA and have applications in spintronics, fundamental physics, chemistry and biology.
Spin-induced torque is central to understanding experiments, from the measurement of angular momentum of photons to the measurement of the gyromagnetic factor of metals and a very miniaturized – about 6 microns — version of a gyroscope that measures the torques produced by electrons changing their spin states. It can be used to uncover new spin-dependent fundamental forces in particle physics, according to Raj Mohanty, Boston University Associate Professor of Physics.
Read more on: Electronics, nanomaterial, nanoscale, nanotechnologyNanomaterials may have large environmental footprint
Environmental gains derived from the use of nanomaterials may be offset in part by the process used to manufacture them, according to research published in a special issue of the Journal of Industrial Ecology.
According to a paper by Hatice ?engül and colleagues at the University of Illinois at Chicago, strict material purity requirements, lower tolerances for defects and lower yields of manufacturing processes may lead to greater environmental burdens than those associated with conventional manufacturing.
Read more on: Electronics, nanomaterial, nanotechnologyExtreme nature helps scientists design nano materials
Scientists are using designs in nature from extreme environments to overcome the challenges of producing materials on the nanometre scale.
A team from the UK’s John Innes Centre, the Scripps Research Institute in California and the Institut Pasteur in Paris have identified a stable, modifiable virus that could be used as a nanobuilding block.
Viral nanoparticles (VNPs) are ideally sized, can be produced in large quantities, and are very stable and robust. They can self-assemble with very high precision, but are also amenable to modification by chemical means or genetic engineering.
Some applications of VNPs require them to withstand extremely harsh conditions. Uses in electrical systems may expose them to high temperatures, and biomedical uses can involve exposure to highly acidic conditions. VNPs able to remain functional in these conditions are therefore desirable. The team identified viruses from the hot acidic sulphurous springs in Iceland. One of these, SIRV2, was assessed for its suitability for use as a viral nanobuilding block.
Read more on: Bio Tech, nanomaterial, nanotechnologyNon-invasive nanoparticle measurement
Technology that can determine the concentration of nanomaterials in living tissue has been licensed by The University of Texas at Austin to Houston-based nanoTox.
The technology was developed by James Tunnell, the Cockrell School of Engineering, which specialises in developing minimally invasive optical technologies for the detection, diagnosis and treatment if disease, in particular the application to cancer screening and therapeutics.
Read more on: Bio Tech, nanomaterial, nanoparticles, tissue, x-rayNano-material is key to clean drinking water
Scientists at the University of South Australia, have discovered a simple way to remove bacteria and other contaminants from water using tiny particles of pure silica coated with an active nano-material.
The water treatment process is a new concept, not used anywhere else in the world, which has the potential to make a significant contribution to the health of nations worldwide.
A recent UNESCO report reveals that more than 6,000 people die every day from water-related diseases, and the availability of quality drinking water, especially in the developing world, is fast becoming a major socio-economic issue.
Read more on: Electronics, nanomaterial, nanoparticles, nanotechnology, water