Latest Nanotechnology News

Inspired by nature: Paints and coatings containing bactericidal agent nanoparticles combat marine fouling
Monday, July 2, 2012 - 07:02

Scientists at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) in Germany have discovered that tiny vanadium pentoxide nanoparticles can inhibit the growth of barnacles, bacteria, and algae on surfaces in contact with water, such as ship hulls, sea buoys, or offshore platforms.

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First 3D Nanoscale Optical Cavities from Metamaterials
Wednesday, June 27, 2012 - 10:28

The world’s smallest three-dimensional optical cavities with the potential to generate the world’s most intense nanolaser beams have been created by a scientific team led by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California (UC) Berkeley. In addition to nanolasers, these unique optical cavities with their extraordinary electromagnetic properties should be applicable to a broad range of other technologies, including LEDs, optical sensing, nonlinear optics, quantum optics and photonic integrated circuits.

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Nanodiamonds cut through dirt to bring back ‘bling’ to low temperature laundry
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 - 11:29

Nanodiamonds, pieces of carbon less than ten-thousandths the diameter of a human hair, have been found to help loosen crystallized fat from surfaces in a project led by research chemists at the University of Warwick that transforms the ability of washing powders to shift dirt in eco friendly low temperature laundry cycles.

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Better surfaces could help dissipate heat
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 - 10:48

Heat transfer in everything from computer chips to powerplants could be improved through new analysis of surface textures. Researchers at MIT have found that relatively simple, microscale roughening of a surface can dramatically enhance its transfer of heat. Such an approach could be far less complex and more durable than approaches that enhance heat transfer through smaller patterning in the nanometer (billionths of a meter) range.

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Nano-Sandwich Technique Slims Down Solar Cells, Improves Efficiency
Monday, June 25, 2012 - 10:29

Researchers from North Carolina State University have found a way to create much slimmer thin-film solar cells without sacrificing the cells’ ability to absorb solar energy. Making the cells thinner should significantly decrease manufacturing costs for the technology.

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Study Improves Understanding of Surface Molecules in Controlling Size of Gold Nanoparticles
Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 07:04

North Carolina State University researchers have shown that the “bulkiness” of molecules commonly used in the creation of gold nanoparticles actually dictates the size of the nanoparticles – with larger so-called ligands resulting in smaller nanoparticles. The research team also found that each type of ligand produces nanoparticles in a particular array of discrete sizes.

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