Latest Nanotechnology News

Atomic levers in molecular tug-of war accelerate chemical reactions
Sunday, December 23, 2012 - 21:12

 Scientists have found that a molecule made with a polynorbornene backbone can act as a lever to open a ring embedded within the molecule 1000 times faster than a similar ring being tugged at on a polybutadiene scaffold. The results suggest that a simple change in the backbone may affect the how fast mechanically assisted reactions occur.

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Super-fine sound beam could one day be an invisible scalpel
Wednesday, December 19, 2012 - 15:57

A carbon-nanotube-coated lens that converts light to sound can focus high-pressure sound waves to finer points than ever before. The University of Michigan engineering researchers who developed the new therapeutic ultrasound approach say it could lead to an invisible knife for noninvasive surgery.

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Researchers Make Flexible, Low-voltage Circuits Using Nanocrystals
Monday, November 26, 2012 - 15:17

Electronic circuits are typically integrated in rigid silicon wafers, but flexibility opens up a wide range of applications.  In a world where electronics are becoming more pervasive, flexibility is a highly desirable trait, but finding materials with the right mix of performance and manufacturing cost remains a challenge.

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Making ‘nanospinning’ practical
Monday, November 19, 2012 - 17:24

Nanofibers — strands of material only a couple hundred nanometers in diameter — have a huge range of possible applications: scaffolds for bioengineered organs, ultrafine air and water filters, and lightweight Kevlar body armor, to name just a few. But so far, the expense of producing them has consigned them to a few high-end, niche applications.

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NIST Study Suggests Carbon Nanotubes May Protect DNA from Oxidation
Thursday, November 15, 2012 - 13:19

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have provided evidence in the laboratory that single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) may help protect DNA molecules from damage by oxidation. In nature, oxidation is a common chemical process in which a reactive chemical removes electrons from DNA and may increase the chance for mutations in cells. More studies are needed to see if the in vitro protective effect of nanotubes reported in the laboratory also occurs in vivo, that is, within a living organism.

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Novel process to detect proteins could simplify kidney disease detection
Wednesday, November 14, 2012 - 19:08

Srikanth Singamaneni, PhD, assistant professor of engineering, along with Evan Kharasch, MD, PhD, and Jerry Morrissey, PhD, at Washington University School of Medicine, have developed a biomedical sensor using gold nanorods designed to detect the elevation of the protein neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), a promising biomarker for acute kidney injury, in urine. Biomarkers are typically small molecules or proteins in the body whose concentration changes in response to disease or therapy.

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