http://phys.org/nanotech-news/ en-us Phys.org provides the latest news on nanotechnology, nanoscience, nanoelectronics, science and technology. Updated Daily. (Phys.org) -- Graphene is the wonder material that could solve the problem of making ever faster computers and smaller mobile devices when current silicon microchip technology hits an inevitable wall. Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms in a tight hexagonal arrangement, has been highly researched because of its incredible electronic properties, with theoretical speeds 100 times greater than silicon. But putting the material into a microchip that could outperform current silicon technology has proven difficult. http://phys.org/news257400658.html Nanotechnology Mon, 28 May 2012 05:34:48 EST news257400658 Scientists have created and imaged the smallest possible five-ringed structure – about 100,000 times thinner than a human hair – and you'll probably recognise its shape. http://phys.org/news257317217.html Nanotechnology Sun, 27 May 2012 19:00:01 EST news257317217 Multi-walled carbon nanotubes riddled with defects and impurities on the outside could replace some of the expensive platinum catalysts used in fuel cells and metal-air batteries, according to scientists at Stanford University. Their findings are published in the May 27 online edition of the journal Nature Nanotechnology. http://phys.org/news257319327.html Nanotechnology Sun, 27 May 2012 13:03:24 EST news257319327 (Phys.org) -- Tiny particles of cerium oxide do not burn or change in the heat of a waste incineration plant. They remain intact on combustion residues or in the incineration system, as a new study by Swiss researchers from ETH Zurich reveals. http://phys.org/news257152593.html Nanotechnology Fri, 25 May 2012 08:16:53 EST news257152593 (Phys.org) -- Researchers are edging toward the creation of new optical technologies using "nanostructured metamaterials" capable of ultra-efficient transmission of light, with potential applications including advanced solar cells and quantum computing. http://phys.org/news257092260.html Nanotechnology Thu, 24 May 2012 15:31:15 EST news257092260 In the growth of crystals, do nanoparticles act as "artificial atoms" forming molecular-type building blocks that can assemble into complex structures? This is the contention of a major but controversial theory to explain nanocrystal growth. A study by researchers at the DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) may resolve the controversy and point the way to energy devices of the future. http://phys.org/news257078986.html Nanotechnology Thu, 24 May 2012 14:00:16 EST news257078986 Berkeley Lab researchers have reported the first direct observation of nanoparticles undergoing oriented attachment, the critical step in biomineralization and the growth of nanocrystals. A better understanding of oriented attachment in nanoparticles is a key to synthesizing new materials with remarkable structural properties. http://phys.org/news257080715.html Nanotechnology Thu, 24 May 2012 14:00:14 EST news257080715 The scientific and technological literature is abuzz with nanotechnology and its manufacturing and medical applications. But it is in an area with a less glitzy aura—plant sciences—where nanotechnology advancements are contributing dramatically to agriculture. http://phys.org/news257080477.html Nanotechnology Thu, 24 May 2012 12:14:52 EST news257080477 (Phys.org) -- Cornell nanotechnology researchers have devised a new tool to study epigenetic changes in DNA that can cause cancer and other diseases: a nanoscale fluidic device that sorts and collects DNA, one molecule at a time. http://phys.org/news257056717.html Nanotechnology Thu, 24 May 2012 05:38:50 EST news257056717 A team from the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) has developed a technique to measure internal cell temperatures without altering their metabolism. This finding could be useful when distinguishing healthy cells from cancerous ones, as well as learning more about cellular processes. http://phys.org/news256985567.html Nanotechnology Wed, 23 May 2012 09:52:59 EST news256985567 To modify a metal surface at the scale of atoms and molecules — for instance to refine the wiring in computer chips or the reflective silver in optical components — manufacturers shower it with ions. While the process may seem high-tech and precise, the technique has been limited by the lack of understanding of the underlying physics. In a new study, Brown University engineers modeled noble gas ion bombardments with unprecedented richness, providing long-sought insights into how it works. http://phys.org/news256965978.html Nanotechnology Wed, 23 May 2012 04:26:27 EST news256965978 A new study shows that the availability of hydrogen plays a significant role in determining the chemical and structural makeup of graphene oxide, a material that has potential uses in nano-electronics, nano-electromechanical systems, sensing, composites, optics, catalysis and energy storage. http://phys.org/news256910979.html Nanotechnology Tue, 22 May 2012 13:09:48 EST news256910979 (Phys.org) -- By taking advantage of graphene’s favorable electrical and optical properties, and then adding an organic dopant, researchers have achieved the highest power conversion efficiency yet for a graphene-based solar cell. The 1.9% power conversion efficiency of the undoped devices increases by more than four times to 8.6% after doping. http://phys.org/news256804344.html Nanotechnology Mon, 21 May 2012 08:50:01 EST news256804344 A pioneering study to gauge the toxicity of quantum dots in primates has found the tiny crystals to be safe over a one-year period, a hopeful outcome for doctors and scientists seeking new ways to battle diseases like cancer through nanomedicine. http://phys.org/news256711413.html Nanotechnology Sun, 20 May 2012 13:00:13 EST news256711413 To prevent terrorist attacks at airports, it would be helpful to detect extremely low concentrations of explosives easily and reliably. Despite the development of various sensor technologies, dogs continue to be the most efficient detectors. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, a German and French team has now described a type of micromechanical sensor with a structure derived from the sense organs of butterflies. http://phys.org/news256568678.html Nanotechnology Fri, 18 May 2012 14:05:09 EST news256568678 (Phys.org) -- University at Buffalo researchers are making significant progress on rust-proofing steel using a graphene-based composite that could serve as a nontoxic alternative to coatings that contain hexavalent chromium, a probable carcinogen. http://phys.org/news256548460.html Nanotechnology Fri, 18 May 2012 09:00:03 EST news256548460 Kansas State University researchers have come closer to solving an old challenge of producing graphene quantum dots of controlled shape and size at large densities, which could revolutionize electronics and optoelectronics. http://phys.org/news256494325.html Nanotechnology Thu, 17 May 2012 17:26:06 EST news256494325 (Phys.org) -- Graphene has many promising applications on its own, but pairing the two-dimensional material with the semiconductor titanium dioxide (TiO2) extends its capabilities even further. A team of chemists at the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana, has demonstrated that graphene oxide (GO)-TiO2 films, when illuminated, cause electrons to hop from one side of the film to the other. When adding silver ions to the picture, this electron hopping can create films that have a semiconductor on one side of the GO and metal on the other. The resulting semiconductor-graphene-metal (SGM) films could serve as highly sensitive chemical sensors. http://phys.org/news256454750.html Nanotechnology Thu, 17 May 2012 06:26:10 EST news256454750 (Phys.org) -- Researchers have created an ultrasensitive biosensor that could open up new opportunities for early detection of cancer and "personalized medicine" tailored to the specific biochemistry of individual patients. http://phys.org/news256296373.html Nanotechnology Tue, 15 May 2012 10:27:15 EST news256296373 (Phys.org) -- Researchers in Spain have succeeded in building a photodetector that is a billion times more sensitive than other such detectors based on graphene and could herald the use of graphene based light sensors and solar cells. The team, from the Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, in Barcelona, describe their research and results in a paper they’ve published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology. http://phys.org/news256289648.html Nanotechnology Tue, 15 May 2012 09:10:01 EST news256289648 (Phys.org) -- The development of a new combination of polymers associating sugars with oil-based macromolecules makes it possible to design ultra-thin films capable of self-organization with a 5-nanometer resolution. This opens up new horizons for increasing the capacity of hard discs and the speed of microprocessors. The result of a French-American collaboration spearheaded by the Centre de Recherches sur les Macromolécules Végétales (CNRS), this work has led to the filing of two patents. It is published in the journal ACS Nano. This new class of thin films based on hybrid copolymers could give rise to numerous applications in flexible electronics, in areas as diverse as nanolithography, biosensors and photovoltaic cells. http://phys.org/news256206717.html Nanotechnology Mon, 14 May 2012 10:10:03 EST news256206717 (Phys.org) -- There’s nothing worse than a shonky pool table with an unseen groove or bump that sends your shot off course: a new study has found that the same goes at the nano-scale, where the “billiard balls” are tiny electrons moving across a “table” made of the semiconductor gallium arsenide. http://phys.org/news256201146.html Nanotechnology Mon, 14 May 2012 07:59:27 EST news256201146 Imagine charging your phone as you walk, thanks to a paper-thin generator embedded in the sole of your shoe. This futuristic scenario is now a little closer to reality. Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have developed a way to generate power using harmless viruses that convert mechanical energy into electricity. http://phys.org/news256040858.html Nanotechnology Sun, 13 May 2012 13:00:20 EST news256040858 (Phys.org) -- For more than a decade, scientists have tried to improve lithium-based batteries by replacing the graphite in one terminal with silicon, which can store 10 times more charge. But after just a few charge/discharge cycles, the silicon structure would crack and crumble, rendering the battery useless. http://phys.org/news255944906.html Nanotechnology Fri, 11 May 2012 08:48:38 EST news255944906 (Phys.org) -- A carbon nanotube sponge that can soak up oil in water with unparalleled efficiency has been developed with help from computational simulations performed at the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Oak Ridge National Laboratory. http://phys.org/news255880735.html Nanotechnology Thu, 10 May 2012 15:00:09 EST news255880735 (Phys.org) -- When creating nanomaterials, cracking is generally considered a problem; it usually means something has gone wrong and the result, as with other material making processes such as glass or ceramics, almost always means either reprocessing or sending the sample to the trash bin. Now however, a research team in South Korea has found a way to cause cracking on purpose when fabricating a nanomaterial, to produce a required result. They describe their process and results in their paper published in the journal Nature. http://phys.org/news255854530.html Nanotechnology Thu, 10 May 2012 08:30:02 EST news255854530 (Phys.org) -- Light-emitting diodes at infrared wavelengths are the magic behind such things as night vision and optical communications, including the streaming data that comes through Netflix. Cornell researchers have advanced the process of making such LEDs cheaper and easier to fabricate, which could lead to ultra-thin LEDs painted onto silicon to replace computer wiring with light waves. http://phys.org/news255849814.html Nanotechnology Thu, 10 May 2012 06:23:45 EST news255849814 As medical researchers and engineers try to shrink diagnostics to fit in a person's pocket, one question is how to easily move and mix small samples of liquid. http://phys.org/news255773473.html Nanotechnology Wed, 09 May 2012 09:11:28 EST news255773473 (Phys.org) -- With the age of the incandescent light bulb fading rapidly, the holy grail of the lighting industry is to develop a highly efficient form of solid-state lighting that produces high quality white light. http://phys.org/news255716825.html Nanotechnology Tue, 08 May 2012 17:27:23 EST news255716825 A group of researchers at the University of California, Riverside Bourns College of Engineering have developed a technique to keep cool a semiconductor material used in everything from traffic lights to electric cars. http://phys.org/news255709643.html Nanotechnology Tue, 08 May 2012 15:27:47 EST news255709643