Nanotechnology News – Latest Headlines

Nanoparticles - Shaken, not stirred, is best for cancer imaging

Tiny conjugated polyelectrolyte-nanoparticle probes produced by ultrasonication prove superior to commercial products.

Mar 4th, 2015

A new thermoelectric material to generate electric power from waste heat

The material, germanium-doped magnesium stannide, has a peak power factor of 55, with a figure of merit -a key factor to determine efficiency - of 1.4.

Mar 3rd, 2015

Energy level modification shows promise for higher efficiency quantum dot solar cells

Solar cells made out of lead sulfide quantum dots could eventually offer a cheaper, more flexible alternative to ones made using silicon, but they are currently much less efficient. However, altering the chemical composition of quantum-dot solar cells offers a way of tuning them to reach higher efficiencies.

Mar 3rd, 2015

Flower-like magnetic nanoparticles target difficult tumors

Researchers aim to treat deep-seated tumors, such as those found in pancreatic cancer, by using a flower-shaped magnetic nanoparticle capable of reaching deeper within the human body than currently available methods.

Mar 3rd, 2015

Supersonic electrons could produce future solar fuel

Researchers have taken a step closer to producing solar fuel using artificial photosynthesis. In a new study, they have successfully tracked the electrons' rapid transit through a light-converting molecule.

Mar 3rd, 2015

Researchers uncover news rules of friction at the microscopic level

Scientists explored friction at the microscopic level. They discovered that the force generating friction is much stronger than previously thought. The discovery is an important step toward understanding the physics of the cellular and molecular world and designing the next generation of microscopic and nanotechnologies.

Mar 3rd, 2015

Researchers show that electrons in graphene can be moved along a predefined path

Physicists have shown for the first time that electrons in graphene can be moved along a predefined path. This movement occurs entirely without loss and could provide a basis for numerous applications in the field of electronics.

Mar 3rd, 2015

Magnetic vortices in nanodisks reveal information

Researchers have found a new way to electrically read out the orientation of magnetic vortices in nanodisks. Their method relies on measuring characteristic microwaves emanating from the vortices. Knowledge about these signals could be used for constructing extremely small components for novel memory technology or wireless data transmission.

Mar 3rd, 2015

OLED-based large-surface light-emitting plastic film

Based on OLED technology and implemented by means of a printing machine, this method developed by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd provides an opportunity to create patterned and flexible light-emitting surfaces on advertising displays, info signs and lighting fixtures, for instance. The method also enables transparent smart surfaces to be attached to window panels or packaging.

Mar 3rd, 2015

The taming of magnetic vortices - a unified theory for skyrmion-materials

For the first time, a team of physicists succeeded in characterizing the electromagnetic properties of insulating, semiconducting and conducting skyrmion-materials and developed a unified theoretical description of their behavior. This lays the foundation for future electronic components with purpose-designed properties.

Mar 3rd, 2015

Graphene and glass coating improves battery performance

To improve lithium-sulfur batteries, researchers added glass cage-like coating and graphene oxide.

Mar 2nd, 2015

New nanodevice defeats drug resistance

Chemotherapy often shrinks tumors at first, but as cancer cells become resistant to drug treatment, tumors can grow back. A new nanodevice can help overcome that by first blocking the gene that confers drug resistance, then launching a new chemotherapy attack against the disarmed tumors.

Mar 2nd, 2015

Researchers use lab-scale human colon to study impact of copper nanoparticles on the environment

What do a human colon, septic tank, copper nanoparticles and zebrafish have in common? They were the key components used by researchers to study the impact copper nanoparticles, which are found in everything from paint to cosmetics, have on organisms inadvertently exposed to them.