Nanotechnology News

Arrays of 2 cm long carbon nanotubes produced by a group at the University of Cincinnati (UC) could be used in applications as diverse as sensors and textiles. The group used chemical vapor deposition on an oxidized silicon wafer topped by a metal/ceramic multilayer catalyst to grow the nanotubes. For experimental details, visit the UC site.

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a molecular nanolayer that can bond materials. The nanoglue consists of self-assembling nanoscale chains. The bond strength increases with temperature, up to as high as 700° C, making it suitable for industrial applications, as well as micro- and nanoelectronics.

A multi-nozzle nanoelectro-spray emitter array developed by scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory provides a means to interface mass spectrometers and lab-on-a-chip devices, opening the door to high-throughput screening for proteomics. The lithographically produced emitters consist of arrays of parallel silica nozzles mounted in silicon with a packing density of 100 nozzles per mm.

A nanopore in a lipid bilayer membrane can sort polymer chains, eliminating the need for the bulky, expensive mass spectrometers. The developers produced the 1.5 nm pore using alpha-hemolysin, a protein produced by certain bacteria to penetrate cell membranes. An applied electric current propels charged molecules through the pore; the reduction in current flow as they pass through the pore can be analyzed to determine particle mass.

Self-assembly techniques can create nanoscale vacuum gaps around on-chip conductors, says IBM, which is already using the method in its East Fishkill, NY fab. By substituting airgaps for insulating materials, the company has produced chips with faster current flow and reduced power demands. IBM expects to extend the spin-and-bake method to all of its facilities by 2009. Find out more from the press kit.

A laser-based single-molecule imaging system developed at Purdue will allow nanotechnology researchers to monitor moving molecules. Based on internal reflection and fluorescence imaging, the system has imaged packaging RNA molecules contained in the DNA-packaging motor of the 20 nm phi29 virus. This nanomotor is of interest for drug delivery.

Scientists from the University of Twente in the Netherlands have used quantum dot nanoparticles to perform both fluorescence microscopy and Raman microscopy on the same cell. Conventional fluorescent tags generate a signal that swamps the weak Raman scattering emitted by the cells. The nanoparticle tags emit light in a spectral region well-separated from the Raman signal, allowing data to be captured for both simultaneously.

Nanotechnology may be able to help the body regenerate organs, say Northwestern University researchers. The group injected molecules that self-assembled into nanostructures in the spinal tissues of paralyzed lab mice, who regained the ability to use their hind legs six weeks later. The technique has shown promise in other treatments. Find out more in this video.

Clothes maketh the man — and may just help keep that man from getting sick, thanks to nanotechnology. Cornell design student Olivia Ong used fabric coated with nanoparticles to produce a dress and jacket that fight bacteria and smog. The wearer could wipe his or her hands on the fabric and immediately sanitize them. A nice idea for trade show gear. Don't look for them at a store near you tomorrow, though; a square yard of the fabric would run around $10,000.