| Zhu, et. al., report on the use of “nanodome” solar cells to simultaneously improve optical absorption and enhance surface cleanliness. The resulting structures have power conversion efficiencies of 5.9%. |
Tags: Advanced Processes + Tools, Solar cells, Nanoparticles, nanodomes
Nanowerk, the leading information provider for all areas of nanotechnologies, added to its nanotechnology information portal a new free service for buyers and vendors of micro- and nanotechnology equipment and services. The new application, called nanoBIDS, is now available. nanoBIDS facilitates the public posting of Requests for Proposal (RFPs) for equipment and services from procurement departments in the micro- and nanotechnologies community. nanoBIDS is open to all research organizations and companies.
Tags: Busienss + Entrepreneurship
The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced in December 2009 over $31 million in funding through its Technology Innovation Program (TIP) for nine new cost-sharing projects that will support innovative, high-risk research in novel nanomaterials or nanomanufacturing technologies that address critical national needs. TIP is focused on developing new materials based on nanotechnology—advanced composites and “superalloys,” or smart materials—and expanding the capacity to incorporate these materials into new products. The acceleration of advanced nanomaterials and nanomanufacturing is a critical strategy to advance the growth and competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing.
Tags: Advanced Processes + Tools
Nanotechnology was a common theme contributing to many of last year’s R&D 100 competition winners. The competition, sponsored by R&D Magazine, considers technologies transitioning from research laboratories to commercialization, and selects winning submissions based on several figures of merit including intellectual innovation, market application, and technical maturity. This years winners included a range of micro and nanotechnologies covering a range of categories such as energy and power, electronics, microscopy, analytical instruments, nanomaterials, processes, and nanomanufacturing. While many were specific nanotechnologies, others were enabled through incorporation of nanoscopic elements. Examples of this year’s field of competition are described below, and additional information can be found at R&D Magazine.
Tags: Advanced Processes + Tools, Business + Entrepreneurship
This article represents the first in a series of briefs on the directed self assembly of nanostructures. Directed assembly can be expressed in the guided synthetic, stereochemical, and 3D configurational control of complex molecules, such as the rhibosome-assisted assembly of proteins. For these types of reactions, the final placement of these complex materials may not be controlled. Alternatively, a substrate can be preconditioned to preferentially guide the growth and/or assembly of nanostructures with desired morphologies and at desired locations. This class of directed assembly includes the phase segregation of diblock copolymers into well-defined domains on patterned substrates. This month’s article addresses recent advances in a third class of directed assembly processes, deterministic field assisted assembly. This approach leverages external fields and local topography to guide the placement of remotely synthesized nanostructures.
Tags: Advanced Processes + Tools, Self Assembly, Nanowires
| There are several advantages to metal-catalyst-free Carbon nanotubes, from use in a broader range of applications to easier purification, mitigated toxicity concerns, and lower prices of pure CNT materials. Synthesis of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) on non-metallic catalysts, as recently carried out by Liu B. et al. and Huang S. et al., demonstrates that one could generalize standard synthesis processes to capture the fundamental physics underlying the CNT nucleation and growth. |
Tags: Fundamental Science, Carbon nanotubes, Chemical vapor deposition (CVD)
The NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center for High-rate Nanomanufacturing (CHN) has announced their annual Industry Day Showcase to take place on February 2, 2010. The event will showcase the research of the Center, including Northeastern University, the University of New Hampshire, and the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
Tags: Fundamental Science, Advanced Processes + Tools
Two teams of Iowa State University researchers will receive a total of $8 million over three years from a $78 million U.S. Department of Energy program to research and develop advanced biofuels. Victor Lin - professor of chemistry, director of the Institute for Physical Research and Technology's Center for Catalysis at Iowa State, program director for Chemical and Biological Sciences at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory, and chief technologist and founder of Catilin Inc. - will lead a team embarking on a $5.3 million study of biodiesel production from algae.
Tags: Fundamental Science, Nanoparticles
In late December 2009, California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) received the first response1 to its January 22, 2009 information request regarding carbon nanotubes2. The original request targeted 26 purported California manufacturers and/or importers of carbon nanotubes3.
Tags: EHS + Regulation, Carbon nanotubes, Surveillance
Instrumentation, Metrology, and Standards for Nanomanufacturing IV, is slated to become the leading forum for the exchange of foundational information and discussion of instrumentation, metrology and standards which are needed components of nanomanufacturing. This conference is part of the NanoEngineering program track of SPIE's NanoScience + Engineering symposium, which will be held from August 1 - 5, 2010, in San Diego, CA. Deadlines for abstracts is January 18.
Tags: Advanced Processes + Tools
On January 7th, the Innovation Society Ltd. (St.Gallen) publicly released a "Nano Information Pyramid," which was proposed by Dr. Christoph Meili at the 5th International NanoRegulation Conference in Rapperswil, Switzerland, last November. The Pyramid outlines a schema for the provision of nanospecific information at every stage in the value chain.
Tags: Informatics and Standards
January 18th is the deadline for abstracts for the SPIE Nanoscience + Engineering Symposium, part of SPIE Optics + Photonics 2010.
Tags: Fundamental Science, Advanced Processes + Tools
An article published online today in Mass Higher Tech highlights the impact that nanotechnology can and likely will have on manufacturing in New England. In fact, the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies' Nanotechnology Map already lists Boston as the top Nano Metro, with more than 30 nanotecnology organizations in the city alone.
