Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Nanoplasmonics - making a tiny rainbow

By varying the size and spacing of aluminum nanodisks, researchers generate images that contain over 300 colors and are not much wider than a human hair.


Research aims to improve lithium-based batteries

Research probing the complex science behind the formation of dendrites that cause lithium-ion batteries to fail could bring safer, longer-lasting batteries capable of being charged within minutes instead of hours.

One nanoparticle, 6 types of medical imaging

Tomorrow's doctors could use this technology to obtain a super-clear picture of patients' organs and tissues.


New laser-patterning technique turns metals into supermaterials

Hierarchical nano- and microstructures transform sheets of platinum, titanium and brass into light absorbing, water repelling, self-cleaning superstars.


Graphene enables all-electrical control of energy flow from light emitters

First signatures of graphene plasmons at telecommunications wavelength revealed.


Safety issues of using carbon nanotubes as biomaterials which come into contact with blood

The research demonstrates the opportunities and risks involved in using these innovative technologies in clinical practice.

High-tech hydrogels deliver on blood-vessel growth

Researchers introduce improved injectable scaffold to promote healing.


An electron takes 40 attoseconds to pass through a single layer of atoms

An international team of researchers has measured how fast an electron races through the atomic layers of a crystal lattice. The physicists used an extremely short laser pulse to time the speed: According to their measurements, the electron needs 40 attoseconds to pass through one layer of magnesium atoms.


New nanotechnology image contest hosted by the NNI

The goal is to envision where your research is headed and explain how 'seeing' at the nanoscale is important to reaching that vision. This contest is for students conducting nanotechnology research in the United States and U.S. territories.

Better separations with customized nanoparticle membranes

A new study describes a versatile new approach to control a membrane's electrostatic interactions with ions by depositing ligand-coated nanoparticles around the pore entrances.


Wearable nanowire sensor clears path to long-term EKG, EMG monitoring

Researchers have developed a new, wearable sensor that uses silver nanowires to monitor electrophysiological signals, such as electrocardiography (EKG) or electromyography (EMG). The new sensor is as accurate as the 'wet electrode' sensors used in hospitals, but can be used for long-term monitoring and is more accurate than existing sensors when a patient is moving.


Atoms can be in two places at the same time

According to the predictions of quantum mechanics, microscopic objects can take different paths at the same time. The world of macroscopic objects follows other rules: objects always moves in a definite direction. But is this always correct? Physicists have constructed an experiment designed to possibly falsify this thesis. Their first experiment shows that Caesium atoms can indeed take two paths at the same time.

Photometallization allows production of the entire circuitry on touchscreens in one step

Researchers are presenting a novel process that allows microscopic and macroscopic conductor tracks to be produced in one step.


A contractile gel that stores light energy

Scientists have made a polymer gel that is able to contract through the action of artificial molecular motors. When activated by light, these nanoscale motors twist the polymer chains in the gel, which as a result contracts by several centimeters.


Nonprofits sue EPA for failure to regulate pesticide products created with nanotechnology

The Center for Food Safety (CFS) filed a lawsuit last month against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the agency's failure to regulate novel nanomaterial pesticides.

New microcapsules have potential to repair damage caused by osteoarthritis

A new microcapsule treatment delivery method could reduce inflammation in cartilage affected by osteoarthritis and reverse damage to tissue.


A highly sensitive nanoplasmonic biosensor for drug allergy diagnosis

The new technique is a non-invasive procedure to detect the severity of an allergic reaction to amoxicillin. The developed biosensor platform is based on gold nanodisks, is very sensitive and works label-free, detecting the changes in the refraction index occurring at its surface after the binding of IgEs specific for amoxicillin.