Nanotechnology News – Latest Headlines

A new way to black gold

Colloidosomes made of gold nanoparticles offer strong plasmonic coupling.

Jul 24th, 2015

Acetic acid as a proton shuttle in gold chemistry

A recently published study gives a vivid example of unusual chemical reactivity found in the reactions with organogold complexes. Using the complex of modern physical methods joined with computational studies, the authors proposed reaction mechanism, where a molecule of acetic acid serves as a proton shuttle, transferring the hydrogen atom between the reaction centers.

Jul 24th, 2015

Illuminating the electronic properties of graphene

Researchers have shown that both the carrier mobility and the carrier density of graphene can be measured in a spatially resolved and non-destructive way - providing 'maps' of the electronic properties critical for the successful use of graphene in photovoltaics, electronics, spintronics and optics - using terahertz radiation and doing away with the need to fabricate devices.

Jul 24th, 2015

Changing the color of light

Research could lead to improved efficiency of solar cells, cancer treatments and medical imaging.

Jul 24th, 2015

Graphene - from science fundamentals to low-cost production

Keynote presentations on the third day of Graphene Week 2015 offered an eclectic mix of fundamental science and practical chemical engineering. Here we report briefly on each of the talks, beginning with an introduction to optoelectronics in 2D semiconductors and heterostructures, and concluding with an outline of a highly promising 'kitchen sink' approach to graphene production.

Jul 24th, 2015

A 'nanomachine' for surgery with no incision

Hybrid calcium phosphate-polymeric micelles incorporating gadolinium chelates for imaging-guided gadolinium neutron capture tumor therapy.

Jul 24th, 2015

Nanocages offer new direction in sustainable catalyst design

Engineers have developed a new approach to structuring the catalysts used in essential reactions in the chemical and energy fields. The advance offers a pathway for industries to wean themselves off of platinum, one of the scarcest metals in the earth's crust.

Jul 23rd, 2015

Super-stretchy fibers made by wrapping carbon nanotubes around rubber (w/video)

Researchers made electrically conducting fibers that can be reversibly stretched to over 14 times their initial length and whose electrical conductivity increases 200-fold when stretched.

Jul 23rd, 2015

Ultra-thin hollow nanocages could reduce platinum use in fuel cell electrodes

A new fabrication technique that produces platinum hollow nanocages with ultra-thin walls could dramatically reduce the amount of the costly metal needed to provide catalytic activity in such applications as fuel cells.

Jul 23rd, 2015

$3 million DOD grant for nanoelectronics

This NSSEFF award will enable an ambitious program that aims to merge two existing fields: semiconductor nanoelectronics and complex oxides.

Jul 23rd, 2015

Coral-mimicking nanoplatelets could emove toxic heavy metals from the ocean

A new material that mimics coral could help remove toxic heavy metals like mercury from the ocean, according to a new study.

Jul 23rd, 2015

Plasmonics study suggests how to maximize production of 'hot electrons'

New research could make it easier for engineers to harness the power of light-capturing nanomaterials to boost the efficiency and reduce the costs of photovoltaic solar cells.

Jul 23rd, 2015

Artificial moth eyes enhance the performance of silicon solar cells

Mimicking the texture found on the highly antireflective surfaces of the compound eyes of moths, researchers use block copolymer self assembly to produce precise and tunable nanotextured designs in the range of about 20 nm across macroscopic silicon solar cells. This nanoscale texturing imparts broadband antireflection properties and significantly enhances performance compared with typical antireflection coatings.