Nanotechblog

People traveling in oceans and seas know that Streptomyces avermitilis which is a microscopic fungus is quite poisonous to acorn barnacles and other crustaceans and it has been noted that when some of this fungus is added to the paint for hulls of vessel it clears the surface from any barnacles. A study conducted by Goteborg University has proved this theory.

Just a small amount of the fungal extract is needed for affecting the nervous system of the barnacles and their growth on ship has been found out to lead to higher fuel consumption and emissions. The researchers have been working on anti foul paint which prevents organisms from attaching on to the surface.

The researchers were able to discover how the microscopic fungus could affect the barnacles and only around 0.1% mixture of pure fungal extract was sufficient for preventing the growth of acorn barnacles. It has been found out that the fungal extract is toxic only on the painted surface and when the paint is dissolved in water it does not pollutes it. The work of the scientists is based on the theory that fungal extract leads to the paint imitating the natural defense of the fungus against being eaten. This is an amazing discovery which would surely benefit the shipping industry.

Via nanowerk

Nanotechnology researchers of UC Berkeley have been successful in trapping molecules between sheets of gold and ultrafine gold tip of scanning tunneling microscope. The gold surface was heated and measured with the aid of microscopic tip. This showed that organic molecules could be used for generating electricity from heat. The research is still in the initial stages and a lot of work remains to be done in this aspect.

Arun Majumdar, Professor, mechanical engineering, UC Berkeley stated:

Ninety percent of the world’s electricity is generated by thermal-mechanical means and a lot of the heat is wasted. One and a half times the power that is generated is actually wasted.

If everything goes as per the plan then thermoelectric devices based on the molecules could emerge as an important source of power and reduce green house gas emissions with efficient fossil use.

Via foresight

A latest report by Investor Environmental Health Network states that investors who ignored health risks in cosmetics industry stand to lose. It is expected that improved health risk information, changes in European and U.S. regulation and increasing consumer pressure could cause trouble for the investors.

This is being regarded as a ticking bomb scenario where US FDA regulatory actions are only triggered when companies report themselves and this result in a system which allows significant consumer exposure to take place before rigorous safety testing takes place and at the end of the day puts the investors under huge risk.

Scientists have been pointing out that nanoparticles might reach the bloodstream and damage the lymph system and tissues. Though the health impact is broader in the cosmetic industry but their usage is posing a great concern since cosmetics companies are already implementing nanotechnology.

Via nanowerk

Now get fishing lures with a flavor of nanotechnology. ULVAC has created lures with a coating of polyimide film and it has a thickness of over several hundred nanometers which help in maintaining the shine of the lure irrespective of the viewing angle.

A spokesperson of ULVAC said:

When exposed to the natural light, the lure gets more colorful than the existing lures as if the lure itself emits colors. It is attractive to fish and so using this lure can provide better fishing results.

The lure has a glossy finish due to coating of polyimide film with a high light transmission formed as a result of vapor deposition polymerization. The rainbow colored lure will help in attracting large number of fishes in its trap.

This increases the chance of getting a good catch and is available in two models priced at $25 per piece. These lures are being traded on the internet under the brand name STROM since October.

Via nanowerk

The energy sector has a lot to gain from nanotechnology. This technology is offering next generation systems which rely on micro generation of energy stored in thin film batteries and since it works on the dual side of the equation, solar and wind generators can become further efficient with the help of nanoparticles in drive and collector mechanism.

In the case of thin film batteries, new materials which are created with the help of nanotechnology help in achieving components which are used for manufacturing batteries that are forty times more productive when compared to the batteries available as of now.

This is causing a shift in the world energy markets due to the new renewable and storage technologies and the wind and solar power can be stored with the help of film batteries which can be used for powering LED lights, power electronics and small applications.

Via businesswire

American scientists have stated that researchers should use green chemistry for reducing future risks from nanotechnology. Worldwide there seems to be a growing need regarding nanotechnology and various environmental and health impacts it can cause. This might affect the commercialization of nanotechnology industry.

The time has come when the scientists should give a serious thought to the designing of processes, materials and applications which will lessen the wastes and hazards and this is really important as discoveries in nanoscience changes take place in nanotechnology products.

Now the time has come when researchers need to give a serious thought to this issue and make efforts towards discovering the various cons associated with nanotechnology and try to rectify it. Since it is a new technology it would be easier to control it at this point of time before it gets negative publicity on some frivolous issue.

Via sciencedaily

Nanotechnology could be instrumental in healing and repairing human body. Nanotechnology could soon be a part of biomechanics care. There are innumerable ways in which nanotechnology could contribute to biomechanics and in the times to come patients will get rotator cuff repairs, bone repair therapies, stem cell-based treatments and wound healing treatments which all implement nanotechnology and hence would cause an improvement in the existing medical treatments.

Still a lot of research needs to be done and it might take around two years till these nanotechnology products are commercialized. Adding on to this researchers at the University of Virginia are using electrospinning for the creation of nanofibers which can promote healing.

This technology also has the power to heal diabetic and other types of wounds therefore nanotechnology has the power to contribute a lot to the mankind.

Via biomech

A professor at the Bourns College of Engineering has designed building blocks for memory devices with the help of telescoping carbon nanotubes something like high speed, low power microswitches. The designing would enable the use of binary or three stage switches in becoming a part of molecular scale computers.

In this design a hollow nano tube is inserted which is closed at both ends into a slightly larger one which created a telescoping motion with the aid of an electrostatic charge. A contact between nanotube and electrode leads to the creation of a conduction pathway with three possible positions.

As of now one of the problems for current non volatile memories is low speeds and the researchers were able to demonstrate the speed of these devices with the aid of simulations times of around ten to eleven seconds and data erasing time of ten to twelve seconds.

Via nanowerk

The automobile accessories segment has got the taste of nanotechnology since nano ceramic technology is being implemented in sun control films. It is expected to replace the traditional dyed, metallic and powder coated window films. These nano films can block 99% UV rays, 70% solar energy and is cent percent dye and metal free.

The nano films neither bubble, fade, blister, peel nor crack. These films could also be implemented in the building segment since they block heat and reduce the cooling load of the air conditioning and in turn bring down on the cost of power.

This patented technology has been developed by a German company and is expected to dominate the high end market for these films at present.

Via financialexpress

A hollow molecular sphere has been created by chemists in South Korea by polymerization of simple, flat building blocks without any aid of template for creation of 3 D shapes. Cucurbituril which is a hollow building block was used in the form of molecular ribbons. The name Cucurbituril is derived from the plant family to which pumpkin belongs.

The hollow cylinders were polymerized into higher order structures and were modified with 12 allyl groups pointing radially outwards. A polymerization reaction was triggered with the aid of linker and UV light. As a result a normal bell shaped curve distribution of sphere sizes is obtained for every set of physical and chemical conditions.

The researchers also showed that polymerised nanocapsules could accommodate guest molecules like carboxyfluorescein and also carry surface modifications which could lead them towards specific targets and this combination could be used in imaging and targeted delivery too.

Via nanowerk