From: Gina Miller (nanogirl@halcyon.com)
Date: Tue Oct 29 2002 - 14:30:16 MST
The Nanogirl News
October 29, 2002
Nanotechs called to duty at Picatinny. Several nanotechnology companies will
be aiding in the development of smaller - but just as lethal - weapons at
Picatinny Arsenal, officials said Friday. The military base reached six
partnership agreements - two with businesses, the other four with
universities - to help launch a Manufacturing, Research, Development and
Education Center for Nanotechnologies, said Picatinny officials, who have
dubbed the center "Nano Valley." The center is being funded by $9.5 million
in federal grants received over the past two years. It will be spread out
among several of the 1,000 buildings at the 6,500-acre arsenal. (Daily
Record News 10/26/02)
http://www.dailyrecord.com/news/02/10/26/news7-nano.htm
The Simplest Pump. Researchers have created a nanoscale ion pump by punching
a tiny hole in a plastic sheet and applying an oscillating electric field.
Their modeling indicates that the single conical pore works like a ratchet,
according to the 4 November print issue of PRL. The group hopes that the
device will eventually help explain ion pumps and channels in biological
cells, the inspirations for their work. Micron-sized beads have already been
pushed "uphill," against electrochemical forces, through specially shaped
small holes. Zuzanna Siwy of the Institute for Heavy Ion Research (GSI) in
Darmstadt, Germany, and Andrzej Fulinski of Jagellonian University in Krakow
wanted to take the next step and pump single ions through nanosized pores.
(Physical Review Focus 10/23/02- to appear in the Nov. 4 02, paper issue)
http://focus.aps.org/v10/st19.html
The Drive Toward Intel 'Everywhere'. Intel says it wants to update the
majority of its semiconductor lineup by the end of 2004 to better reflect
emerging know-how like nanotechnology. The Santa Clara, Calif.-based chip
making giant said it would focus on 90-nanometer process technology to
advance its next generation of processors like it's next Pentium release -
Prescott. (internet.com 10/23/02)
http://www.internetnews.com/infra/article.php/1487471
IBM builds circuit with carbon monoxide modules. The smallest circuit yet
could mean big advances for processing power Just as a falling apple spurred
Isaac Newton's discovery of gravity, toppling dominoes have inspired
researchers to build the world's smallest computer circuits. Scientists at
IBM's Almaden Research Centre in San Jose, California, have built and
operated working computer circuits at a nanoscale using an innovative
approach in which individual molecules stream across an atomic surface like
toppling dominoes. (ZDnet10/25/02)
http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?j50433760&w=501400
Or read the CNN report at:
http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/biztech/10/25/ibm.nanotechnology.reut/index.htm
l
Computer Simulations Showcase Aluminum's Odd Behavior. Aluminum, a metal
known for its conductivity, could behave like a ceramic or semiconductor in
some situations, according to a new report. The metal may also endure
mechanical stress better than copper, which is typically considered to be a
stiffer metal, in nanotechnology applications. The findings, published today
in the journal Science, could point to improved nanoelectronics. (Scientific
American 10/25/02)
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=000B8B89-8441-1DB8-9
4E2809EC5880108
Plans set for Arlington Technology Incubator. Armed with $2.3 million for
nanotechnology tucked into the defense appropriations bill signed by
President George W. Bush on Oct. 23, university and chamber of commerce
officials have cemented plans to break ground for the Arlington Technology
Incubator and hope to launch the unusual facility by next March. The
12,500-square-foot center will house between 30 and 35 technology companies,
which will be startups or young companies doing cutting-edge research in the
fields of biotechnology and nanotechnology - the use of devices or materials
built to operate at a molecular level. (Dallas Business Journal 10/25/02)
http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2002/10/21/daily61.html
Molecular Shuttlecocks.C60 feathered with aromatic groups forms polar
liquid-crystalline materials. Japanese researchers have unveiled a new
design strategy for polar liquid-crystalline materials that they expect will
be applicable to optoelectronic devices. Other groups have attempted to make
such materials by using conical molecules, which stack to form columns with
a polar orientation. But the flatness of those conical molecules and their
ability to flip "have limited the success of this approach to making polar
liquid-crystalline materials," according to chemistry professors Eiichi
Nakamura, Masaya Sawamura, and Takashi Kato of the University of Tokyo and
their coworkers.-A buckyball feathered with five aromatic groups stacks like
shuttlecocks to form a polar columnar assembly- (C&E 10/21/02)
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/topstory/8042/8042notw4.html
Scientific breakthrough no ordinary yarn. A Chinese research team have found
new approaches to pull carbon nanotubes into continuous yarns up to 30
centimetres long - an achievement that may facilitate mankind's manipulation
of matter atom by atom in the future. The breakthrough was made by Jiang
Kaili and his colleagues at Beijing-based Tsinghua University in May, the
latest issue of science magazine Nature stated. Jiang described the carbon
nanotube yarns as thin ribbons composed of parallel threads that have
diameters in the range of several hundred nanometres, with the width of the
yarn roughly depending on the number of threads in it. (China Daily
10/26/02)
http://www1.chinadaily.com.cn/hk/2002-10-26/91319.html
The 3rd annual Upstart Europe conference, included topics: Biotechnology,
Nanotechnology, Mergers & Acquisitions, New Funds, Wireless, Payment along
with the announcement of the winners of the Tornado 100. For those who where
unable to attend this year we have some of our speaker presentations
available in PDF format...Includes PDf of Tim Harper. See list below first
graphic of this website. (Tornado Insider)
http://www.tornado-insider.com/upstarteurope/default.asp
Sugar coating insulates molecular wires. A team of scientists from
University College London, Cambridge University and Oxford University in the
UK, and Humboldt University Berlin, Germany, has used supramolecular
chemistry to insulate molecular wires made from conducting polymer
molecules. Coating the molecules with ring-like sugars called cyclodextrins
improved their light-emitting properties. (nanotechweb.org 10/23/02)
http://nanotechweb.org/articles/news/1/10/18/1
Nanoscientists to Brainstorm Processes for Building Hybrid Structures at
Atomic Scale. A select group of 60 scientists from across the country will
convene at the University of Chicago Friday, Nov. 15 and Saturday, Nov. 16,
to discuss the emerging field of nanohybrid structures. Nanoscientists build
these structures to develop smaller, faster computers, accelerate drug
discovery and development, and spur a variety of other potential
applications. (Ascribe 10/25/02)
http://www.ascribe.org/cgi-bin/spew4th.pl?ascribeid=20021025.065746&time=07
2041%20PDT&year=2002&public=1
Gene Tweaking Safely Doubles Life Span. A US team has doubled the lifespan
of the nematode worm with no apparent physiological side effects. The key to
what appears to be uncompromised longevity is to silence a gene involved in
ageing at just the right point in a worm's life cycle. In previous work
involving interfering with the gene, longer life was only achieved at the
cost of a loss of ability to reproduce in C. elegans. "But knocking down the
gene after the worms reach adulthood increases their life span without
affecting their reproduction," says Cynthia Kenyon at the University of
California, San Francisco, who led the research. (New Scientist 10/24/02)
http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99992969
New nanoparticle coating mimics dolphin skin. Researchers at Washington
University in St. Louis are seeking to splice RNA-docking molecules to a
novel breed of nanoparticles -- specially structured "nanocages" -- for
on-the-mark, stay-put delivery of diagnostic and disease-fighting agents.
Said nanoparticles, dubbed knedels for their similarity to a popular Polish
dumpling, also hold promise for other, non-medical payoffs (e. g., as a foil
to maritime fouling). (Washington University 10/27/02)
http://news-info.wustl.edu/news/casw/wooley.html
Thinking small and big. Researchers across the Carolinas are thinking big
thoughts about small things, pioneering in a field that promises one of
greatest technological advances of the 21st century. By thinking small - at
the molecular level - these researchers hope to develop a device that can
travel through the body's circulatory system, tracking down and destroying
any cancer cell in its path. They expect to manipulate the structure of
carbon atoms to create products that are 100 times as strong as steel, so
tough that a tube the size of a pencil could carry the weight of 20 cars.
(Charlotte Business jrnl. oct.25 print issue)
http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2002/10/28/focus1.html
Israel on cutting edge of the nanotech revolution. Good things come in small
packages. And, in this case, they come in microscopic packages of
one-millionth of a millimeter. This is nanoworld, where a DNA string is a
veritable giant, and a single cell is unthinkably huge. This is the last
frontier of chemistry, one step before sliding into physics...And, the
Israeli scientific and business community is at the forefront of this
emerging field. Israel is widely recognized one of the leading powers in
nanotechnological research, with one team, led by Reshef Tenne of Weizmann
Institute of Science in Rehovot, recently being nominated for the World
Technology Award alongside teams from IBM, Harvard and MIT. (Israel21c via
Israel High-Tech Investor Magazine 2002, 10/28/02)
http://www.israel21c.org/bin/en.jsp?enPage=BlankPage&enDisplay=view&enDispWh
at=object&enDispWho=Articles%5El214&enZone=technology&enVersion=0&
Neutron Holography. Neutron holography with atomic-scale resolution has been
performed, for the first time, with an "inside-detector" approach.
Holography generally includes a source of illuminating waves, an object to
be imaged, and a detector or film in which waves direct from the source
interfere with waves scattered from parts of the object. The interference
pattern, stored in the detector medium, is later read out (and a 3D image of
the object viewed) by sending waves into the detector. (AIPS 10/15/02)
http://www.aip.org/enews/physnews/2002/split/609-1.html
Hybrid Plastics' nanomaterials: From inner molars to outer space. Hybrid
Plastics is working with several partners to roll out a rather impressive
little molecule with a plethora of possible applications. Pentron Corp., a
dental supply firm, announced a dental bonding agent called NanoBond, based
on Hybrid's POSS technology and NASA is testing versions of Hybrid's
plastics on the exterior of the International Space Station. (Small Times
10/28/02)
http://www.smalltimes.com/document_display.cfm?document_id=4904
Nanotechnology: Opinion: Big opportunities for small objects - Mildred
Dresselhaus (PDF) (from Materials Today) Midred Dresselhaus (MIT) discusses
nanotechnology. (10.24.02)
(Material Research Society News page 10/24/02)
http://www.materialstoday.com/pdfs_5_11/opinion.pdf
Nanotubes hang tough. Tiny nanotubes form super-tough material when glued
together. By sandwiching tiny but super-tough carbon nanotubes between
layers of polymer, researchers have created a revolutionary material that is
six times stronger than conventional carbon-fibre composites and as hard as
some ultrahard ceramic materials used in engineering. An international team
led by Nicholas Kotov of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater say their
new material could be used in space engineering or for long-lasting medical
implants. Because the composite is completely organic (carbon-based), it is
as lightweight as traditional carbon-fibre materials. (Nature 10/14/02)
http://www.nature.com/nsu/021007/021007-13.html
US Global Aerospace, Inc.,formerly Caring Products International, Inc.,
Acquires NanosilTSuper-Hydrophobic Treatment Technology through an exclusive
license agreement with Moose River Consulting, Inc. NanosilT is a
proprietary super hydrophobic surface modification process that produces
surfaces that are designed to repel water completely. NanosilT actually
modifies the chemical structure of the polymer surface on a nano-scale
(molecular level). Atoms of silicon are incorporated into the molecular
structure at key points to change the electrical nature of the polymer
material. Using this method, the water repellancy can be "tuned" for optimum
performance. (Hoovers Online 10/29/02)
http://hoovnews.hoovers.com/fp.asp?layout=displaynews&doc_id=NR20021029290.2
_05da000de250d777
Army researchers eye nanomachine-based 'smart' paints for combat vehicles.
U.S. Army experts are trying to embed microscopic electromechanical machines
in paint that could detect and heal cracks and corrosion in the bodies of
combat vehicles, as well as give vehicles the chameleon-like quality of
rapidly altering camouflage to blend in with changing operating
environments. Officials of the Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command's
Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (TACOM-ARDEC) at
Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., are working with scientists at the New Jersey
Institute of Technology in Newark, N.J., to develop nanotechnology-based
"smart" coatings for Army vehicles and other material. (Military & Aerospace
Electronics, October 2002)
http://mae.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=Articles&Subsect
ion=Display&ARTICLE_ID=158414
Nanosys Licenses Seminal Technology in Semiconductor Nanowire
Heterostructures from the Regents of the University of California. Nanosys
Inc. completed an exclusive licensing arrangement, with The Regents of the
University of California, for key intellectual property from the Laboratory
of Dr. Peidong Yang. Dr. Yang's patent portfolio covers fundamental
compositions of matter and methods for the creation of novel nanowire
heterostructures; nanoscopic semiconductor wires, one ten-thousandths the
width of a human hair, that have
their composition controllably modulated along their length and/or width to
create features that are hundreds of times smaller than those on a current
generation Pentium microprocessor chip. (PR Newswire 10/28/02)
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-28
-2002/0001829609&EDATE=
Wear your nanotech attitude to work. You are at a party and somebody jostles
you and knocks your drink, or maybe some chutney or chocolate sauce, onto
your cool Rs 1,000-plus cotton shirt you bought for the occasion and ruins
it. Your worst fears have come true. But such fears could soon be history,
thanks to nanotechnology. US-based Nano-Tex, LLC, which is using this
revolutionary new technology to create, change and improve textiles at the
molecular level, has introduced products that markedly improve the
performance of everyday fabric like cotton. And six months into their global
commercial introduction, one of these products is available in India __ in
Arvind Brands' flagship formalwear brand Arrow. ( Times of India 10/24/02)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/articleshow?artid=26200196
Duke researchers report technique to make more-uniform 'buckytubes'. Duke
University chemists report they have made a significant advance toward
producing tiny hollow tubes of carbon atoms, called "nanotubes," with
electronic properties reliable enough to use in molecular-sized circuits. In
a report posted Oct. 28, 2002, in the online version of the Journal of the
American Chemical Society, the Duke group described a method to synthesize
starting catalytic "nanocluster" particles of identical size that, in turn,
can foster the growth of carbon nanotubes that vary in size far less than
those produced previously. (EurekAlert 10/28/02)
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-10/du-dr102802.php
New Technique Reveals Structure of Films With High Resolution. Scientists
have developed and tested a new imaging technique that reveals the atomic
structure of thin films with unprecedented resolution. For the first time,
the technique has shown very precisely how the atoms of the first layers of
a film rearrange under the action of the substrate on which the film is
grown. The results of the study are reported as the cover story of the
October issue of Nature Materials. "This technique directly provides a very
precise image of atomic positions within a film and at the interface between
a film and a substrate," says Ron Pindak, a physicist at the National
Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) at the U.S. Department of Energy's
Brookhaven National Laboratory and one of the authors of the study. "With
the current growing interest in the study of nanomaterials, which are the
size of a few atoms, this technique will probably be key in devising such
materials and understanding their properties." (Brookhaven National
Laboratory press release 10/29/02)
http://www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/pubaf/pr/2002/bnlpr102902.htm
Tailor-made Cancer Drugs: Wave of the Future? Washington University chemist
offers radical new strategy in fight against cancer. Today, even the best
cancer treatments kill about as many healthy cells as they do cancer cells
but John-Stephen A. Taylor, Ph.D., professor of chemistry at Washington
University in St. Louis, has a plan to improve that ratio. Over the last
several years, Taylor has begun to lay the conceptual and experimental
groundwork for a radical new strategy for chemotherapy -- one that turns
existing drugs into medicinal "smart bombs," if you will...In related work,
Taylor said he will be using overexpressed RNA sequences to help target
drugs in research with Washington University colleague Karen Wooley, Ph.D.,
associate professor of chemistry, and other collaborators. The group hopes
to splice Taylor's RNA-docking molecules to Wooley's new breed of
nanoparticles for on-the-mark, stay-put delivery of diagnostic and
disease-fighting agents. (Washington University 10/27/02)
http://news-info.wustl.edu/news/casw/taylor.html
Nanomechanic devices sniff out whisky. Back in the mid-1980s the inventors
of the atomic force microscope (AFM) - a device that profiles surfaces by
scanning them with a sharp probe mounted on a cantilever beam - probably
never imagined that one day sensors based on AFM technology would be able to
"smell" whisky. But now cantilever-based nanomechanic devices can do all
this and more. Liz Kalaugher reports. (Nanotechweb October 2002)
http://nanotechweb.org/articles/feature/1/10/4/1
Nanoco Offers Samples to Prove Quantum Dot Process. Nanoco Ltd., a start-up
spun out of the U.K.'s University of Manchester, is not only shipping
multi-gram quantities of quantum dots, it's also giving away free samples.
The company calls its quantum dots "NanoDots," and it uses a patented
process to make standard dots or dots made to custom specifications. The
process Nanoco has patented uses a unique "single source" precursor that
does not rely on the toxic, flammable and unstable materials used in the
"double source" process.
(Nanoelectronicsplanet 10/23/02)
http://www.nanoelectronicsplanet.com/nanochannels/products/article/0,4028,10
460_1486891,00.html
Happy Halloween Ghouls and Ghosts!
Gina "Nanogirl" Miller
Nanotechnology Industries
http://www.nanoindustries.com
Personal: http://www.nanogirl.com
Foresight Senior Associate http://www.foresight.org
Extropy member http://www.extropy.org
"Nanotechnology: Solutions for the future."
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