Nanotechblog

Does your wine taste bad? If yes then this may become history as University of California researchers are developing printed electronic nose vapor sensors which would keep a tab on the contents of wine or medicine and find out whether they have got spoilt or not. This system would be offering sensitivity and specificity at a cost which is much lower and this will ensure that integrated noses are available at less than five cents. As a result they will be thousand times cheaper as compared to electronic noses. In the long run it would be very much possible to integrate signal processing within the organic platform.

In this case to prevent analyte exposure, sensors are shifted due to biased stressing and differential architectures are implemented with two identical transistors in a bridge. In order to give a demonstration of the electronic nose the researchers undertook a study of the spoilage of wine and hence were able to exhibit wine spoilage with the aid of these sensors inside the wine bottle.

Via nanowerk

This is really possible! Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry has been using nanotechnology in order to confiscate illegally used subsidized diesel. The ministry is using the NanoTag programme under which the subsidized diesel is tagged with nanoparticles at distribution depots of all fuel companies before the distribution process begins.

Nanotechnology is being used by the ministry for detection of subsidized diesel and this had helped them in bringing down the fuel misuse cases by half and hence reduce smuggling of the fuel. With the aid of the nanotechnology, the team has been able to catch 342,400 liters of subsidized fuel.

Nanotechnology has surely proved efficient in bring down illegal activities which otherwise would have been hard to detect. Security agencies around the world can surely gain from it.

Via: nanowerk

Recent advancements in portable electronic devices have lead to an increase in demand for flexible batteries for powering them. Realizing this Japanese scientist have created paper like polymer based rechargeable battery. Designed by researchers of Waseda University, this battery has been created from redox-active organic polymer film which is around two hundred nanometers thick. The polymer comprises of nitroxide radical groups which tend to act as charge carriers.

Since the battery has high radical density therefore it has a high charge or discharge capacity and this kind of battery has advantages over other organic based materials limited by doping. Even the power rate performance is amazing since it just takes a minute for charging the battery fully.

It is expected that these batteries would be used for applications requiring high power capability as compared to high energy density like batteries in electronic devices and motor drive assistance.

Via nanowerk

If we believe the words of Dr Richard Holliday, industrial applications manager, World Gold Council, then a number of novel applications for gold is based upon developing markets for nanotechnology. This was stated in the Rand Refinery 2006 Annual Report and it also says that precious metals nanoparticles are already being deployed in autoimotive emission control catalysts.

Now a number of areas are being explored where gold nanoparticles can be deployed which includes areas such as pollution control, air cleaning and bulk chemical production. A number of big names such as BASF, Johnson Matthey and 3M have shown interests in development of commercial applications for gold catalysts.

Dr Richard Holliday stated:

Although gold nanoparticles are, by definition, tiny, significant quantities of particles are likely to be required in many of the potential commercial applications. Nanoparticles of precious metals such as platinum and palladium are already used in significant quantities in automotive emission-control catalysts.

If this turns out to be true then gold prices would surely shoot up to such an extent that a common man might have to think twice before buying it.

Via nanowerk

As per a latest report six nanotechnologies have been highlighted which can help in reducing the levels of carbon emissions. Cientifica, a U.K based company has identified these technologies which are either available or would make a mark in a period of two years.

Let me guide you through the list:

Aerogels

Acting as a substitute for glass they made their mark in 2003 and are developed using nano-sized pockets of air entangled in silica. Used as a substitute for glass, they can also be used for transportation for LNG.

Supercapacitator

Using physical charge separation between two electrodes for storing charge, they have wide applications and due to the low cost of production of energy could be used for replacement of lead acid batteries.

Nanocomposite materials

These materials are expected to replace steel in various constructions.

Fuel-borne catalysts

Awaiting approval in U.S, this technology works by allowing diesel fuel to burn in an efficient manner in an engine which can improve the economy and reduce particle emissions.

Let’s see how much these technologies are able to perform and benefit the world

Via nanowerk

Controlled molecular level motion is being used in a number of key natural processes which suggests that it could help in bridging the vacuum between the present generation of synthetic molecular systems which generally rely on electronic and chemical effects for carrying out their functions. Molecular level machines relate back to the period when ideas surrounding laws of thermodynamics were being formulated.

Researchers have figured out a way for taming molecular level movement and the progress which has been made with regards to utilization of synthetic molecular structures for performing tasks with regards to mechanical motion. Though this can be achieved but still there are a number of challenges and issues which need to be sorted out. Let’s see how much nanotechnology can contribute to it.

Via foresight

Researchers at the University of Alberta are looking to improve environmental sustainability by trying to figure out ways for improving oil sands development. Canadians are very much concerned about water being used in oil sands development. They are looking out for ways for developing an economically viable method for development of oil sands resources of Canada.

Randy Broiles, Senior V.P., Imperial Oil:

The centre is the first of its kind in Canada and its focus is of critical importance to our industry and our country. And it brings with it potentially game-changing technologies. At Imperial Oil, we strongly believe that investing in research and innovation is of critical importance to satisfying energy needs, but this path towards successful and environmentally responsible oilsands development is just too important and too urgent for any one company to undertake alone

Besides contemplating the use of non-aqueous solvents for separating and extracting bitumen from oil sands the researchers would also be focusing on bitumen extraction and up gradation projects.

Via nanowerk

One day, changes in body blood pressure can be monitored using ‘nanowires!’ A new class of components have been created using the piezoelectric effect in semi-conducting zinc oxide nanowires.

These nanowires can detect forces as small as a few piconewtons (10-12 N)! It is roughly the force required for “unzipping” a DNA strand. A piezoelectric effect can produce a current when they are bent.

Though normally, the zinc and oxygen ions’ positive and negative charges in the crystalline nanowires cancel each other out, the wires built by Wang’s team stand vertically on top of an electrode displaces the ions when bent. This phenomenon unbalances the charges and creates an electric field producing a current when the nanowire is connected to a circuit.

According to New Scientist, Yi Ciu of Stanford University told,

This is really great work. The wires have high sensitivity because they are very small, so tiny pressures can be measured.

Now, high quality prints of hidden fingerprints can be produced in just three minutes –using nanotechnology! The new process uses gold nanoparticles suspended in a stable solution of petrol ether, in which the nanoparticles “stick to the fingerprint residues through hydrophobic interactions.” It is confirmed by other experts in forensic science.

The Israeli researchers who designed this new way have replaced the traditional gold solution with a more stable equivalent — gold nanoparticles bristle with long hydrocarbon chains - which are suspended in petrol ether.

It is through hydrophobic interactions, the nanoparticles stick to the fingerprint residues. It can now be developed with silver as before. It eventually produces high quality prints after immersing them for just three minutes time!

The team has also developed a fingerprinting method for non-porous surfaces. For this, they used a petrol ether suspension of cadmium selenide/zinc sulphide nanoparticles, which are stabilized by long chain amines.

Unlike the team’s gold solution, the nanoparticles in this method fluoresce under UV light. It reveals clear fluorescent prints without needing any additional developing stage.

Photo Credit: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

One of the largest cell phone manufacturers in the world, Nokia is collaborating with the University of Cambridge in a number of areas including nanotechnology. A research facility has been established for this purpose which includes a team of ten scientists. Initially the scientists would be focusing on nanotechnology. Nokia wants to benefit from nanotechnology since space is considered to be an important commodity in the world of compact cell phones which come loaded with advanced functions such as music players, digital cameras, mobile TV and cashless payment.

Both Nokia and Cambridge would be reviewing the work being undertaken and also select new projects. Nokia has joined the league of a number of high tech companies looking to benefit from the scientific excellence of this eight hundred years old university.

It seems soon we all will be flaunting Nokia phones powered by Nanotechnology. I am waiting to get hold of one.

Via yahoo