SEPARATING THE HYPE AND THE BUZZ - Thursday, September 03, 2009

BREAKTHROUGHS

First pictures of a single molecule released
A single molecule of Pentacene, having 22 carbon atoms and 14 hydrogen atoms, is an organic molecule used in solar cells. Scientists at IBM (Zurich) have used an atomic force microscope (AFM) to record a picture of this molecule. The picture revealed the space between carbon rings to be 0.14 nanometers, almost one million times smaller than the diameter of a grain of sand. This result could have a huge impact on the field of nanotechnology.
See MailOnline

Study: Drug delivery targets tissues
Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have made news with their potential new drug delivery system. This mechanism can help deliver the nanoparticles into the tissue; this used to be an issue earlier, as these particles would only circulate in blood. This could prove beneficial for patients with tumors.
See Nanowerk and NanotechWire

NEWSWORTHY

China controversy
A recent study in the European Respiratory Journal details the deaths of 2 Chinese women—apparently from exposure to nanoparticles (although whether the workers took adequate safety measures is questionable). In all 7 women from the same facility were diagnosed with severe lung damage and tissue samples of the 2 victims were demonstrated to have ~30nm particles.
See See 20 20 Science, Rueters, The London News Net, Discover Magazine, NanoVIP and A to Z nano


Radioactive atoms inside fullerenes
Hollow carbon fullerenes (C80) can now be inserted with atoms of various metals. Fullerene nanoparticles could prove beneficial in identifying and selectively targeting brain tumor cells, with fewer side effects.
See Nanowerk

CNTs + Gold= tumor cell detection
Biomedical researchers at the University of Arkansas and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock have developed carbon nanotubes with gold to detect tumor. Carbon nanotubes coated with gold show better radiation, less toxicity and high laser absorption. Researchers found the use of these golden nanotubes in detecting cancerous cells in the lymphatic system, responsible for metastasis.
See A to Z nano
Predicting material failure
Research for improving the durability and reliability of electronic devices, is making advancement. Estimating potential cracks’ location and nature in the integrated materials can help achieve this- The Peridynamic theory (a simulation tool). Applications of such methods proves beneficial to electronic devices, hopefully to even aircrafts are bridges.
See A to Z nano
DNA coated nanotubes help kill tumors
Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine have successfully treated mice with prostate cancer. The procedure used multi-walled carbon nanotubes to treat prostate cancer tumors in mice, leaving only a small burn on the skin which healed within days.
See Nanotechwire
Link between nanoparticles and Alzheimer's?
Research is on at the University of Ulster on neuronanotoxicology. Scientists have been trying to find a link between manmade nanoparticles, like in sunscreen and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Following the discovery that nanoparticles could possibly have an effect on neurodegenerative diseases, investigations are being made to find out if there is a relation between these manmade particles to neuro-toxicology.
See A to Z nano and Nanowerk

Improving water desalinization
Researchers at The Australian National University are pioneering new methods of removing salt from seawater using boron nitride nanotubes. The hollow nanotubes can reject 100% of salt from seawater and produce potable water four times faster than conventional methods.
See Nanowerk and Small (Journal)



HONORABLE MENTION

New methods for microchip production
Microchips require crystal to be aligned perfectly and efforts to develop multi layer of crystals onto one chip. Doing so will help achieve a three dimensional integrated circuit, which could produce more power per unit surface area.
See A to Z nano
SELF-ERASING IMAGES
Researchers embed silver and gold particles on an organic gel, which they laminate. By exposing them to UV radiation, pictures of red (if they contain gold) and yellow (if they contain silver) can be seen. When these films are irradiated, the color changes in specific areas.
See A to Z nano
Nanofense protective masks
Researchers have started working on producing disposable protective face masks. The technology combines any type of nanoparticle (known) that can destroy viruses, bacteria, fungi or toxins with one or more hydrophobic or hydrophilic filters. Methods being considered are to coat, impregnate or use pellets of nanoparticles to the filter media.
See Nanotech Wire
Investigating Mercury
This research was supported by the federally funded Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology (CEINT), based at Duke, and the ACS’s Petroleum Research fund. Organic matter and sediments help microbes convert mercury into a highly dangerous form for all living organisms. When organic materials and compounds containing suphur (sulphides) come in contact, they form mercury nanoparticles which might lead to methylation.
See Nanotech Wire
Aid in molecular war against disease
Research on the nanoscale movements of ribosomes has been captured; taking in amino acids and genetic instructions they can produce proteins. To observe the nanoscale movements, x-ray crystallography was used and the picture was 21 nm wide.
See Nanotech Wire
The new NIST sandwitch
Organic matter sandwitched between metal and silicon, has resulted in creating switches made from individual molecules, resulting in miniaturizing of the electronic world. Applications are not restricted to chip design but also extend to biosensors.
See Nanotech Wire and Nanowerk

NIH funds nanotherapeutics INC. $30.9 to fight bioterrorism
Affilated with the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has contracted Nanotherapeutics Inc. for 5 years of funding to produce an inhalable version of the antiviral drug cidofovir in order to combat the possibility of use of smallpox (Variola major) in bioterrorism attacks.
See the press release and Nanotech Wire
LOWER COST, PRINTABLE SOLAR CELLS
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have provided proof-of-concept in the production of lower-cost solar cells. The solar cells are to feature nanoparticle “inks” that can be painted onto surfaces to take in sunlight. While no actual product has been developed for public use, the researchers believe that this advancement could lessen costs of photovoltaic devices to one-tenth of current prices.
See Nanowerk
Titanium dioxide to cure brain cancer?
Inorganic titanium dioxide with biological matter could prove to be a possible cure for brain cancer. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago's Brain Tumor Center are conducting experiments in this area of concern. This could be an answer to involving nanoparticles in the area of medicine.
See Nanotech Wire