Nanotechnology Basics 

Nanotechnology Basics

What is nanotechnology and why is it considered transformative?

Nanotechnology involves manipulating matter at the nanoscale, holding promise across various disciplines. Its transformative potential lies in its ability to create unique properties and open doors to innovation.

How does the nanoscale differ from the macroscopic world in terms of physics?

At the nanoscale, quantum mechanics often overrides classical physics, leading to distinct material properties and altered behaviors due to increased surface area and electron behavior.

What are the two main approaches in nanotechnology, and how do they differ?

Nanotechnology employs bottom-up and top-down approaches. The former builds structures atom by atom, while the latter miniaturizes larger structures into the nanoscale range.

How does quantum confinement influence materials at the nanoscale?

Quantum confinement alters electronic and optical properties, evident in nanoparticles and nanoscale semiconductors, enabling novel electronic and optical device creation.

How does the surface area-to-volume ratio at the nanoscale impact reactivity?

The high surface area-to-volume ratio increases reactivity, influencing chemical reactions and catalytic processes, contributing to efficient catalysts and sensors.

What role do nanomaterials play in shaping the future of materials science?

Nanomaterials possess remarkable properties, such as exceptional mechanical strength and thermal conductivity, driving advancements in composites and electronics.

How has nanotechnology revolutionized healthcare through nanomedicine?

Nanomedicine redefines medical diagnosis and treatment through targeted drug delivery, improved treatment efficacy, and precise medical imaging using nanoparticles and quantum dots.

What new possibilities does nanotechnology offer for electronics and photonics?

Nanotechnology enables higher computational power and energy efficiency through the development of nanoscale transistors, quantum dots, and plasmonic devices.

How does nanotechnology contribute to a greener future in energy conversion and storage?

Nanomaterials enhance solar cell performance by capturing light more effectively, while nanoscale catalysts improve the efficiency and environmental impact of fuel cells.

How does nanotechnology address environmental challenges?

Nanotechnology aids in pollutant detection and remediation through nanoscale adsorbents, catalysts, and sensors for purifying air and water.

How have Nanoelectromechanical Systems (NEMS) impacted sensing technology?

NEMS devices, with tiny mechanical components at the nanoscale, offer exceptional sensitivity and accuracy, finding applications in medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and telecommunications.

What potential does nanorobotics hold, and in which areas could it be applied?

Nanorobotics envisions tiny, autonomous machines capable of complex tasks, including targeted drug delivery, precision manufacturing, and exploratory missions at the atomic scale.

What ethical and safety concerns arise with nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology prompts concerns about nanotoxicity, potential privacy invasion through miniaturized sensors, and the equitable distribution of its benefits across society.

How does nanotechnology prompt discussions about health and safety risks?

Nanomaterials' interactions with biological systems raise concerns about potential adverse effects on human health and the environment, necessitating careful assessment of nanotoxicity.

What privacy issues does nanotechnology introduce?

Miniaturized sensors and devices in nanotechnology could enable invasive surveillance, underscoring the need for privacy regulations and ethical guidelines.

How should nanotechnology's potential benefits be distributed?

Nanotechnology's benefits should be distributed equitably to avoid exacerbating societal disparities, ensuring access to healthcare, energy, and technology for all.

What is the significance of nanotechnology in terms of responsible development?

While nanotechnology offers marvels, it requires responsible stewardship with ethical considerations and safety precautions to ensure a future where benefits enrich human life while preserving the planet and society.

In conclusion, how would you summarize the impact of nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology showcases human ingenuity and curiosity with transformative impacts across sectors. Its responsible advancement holds promise for innovative solutions in healthcare, electronics, energy, and beyond.

Australia’s First facility Built for Nanoscience

Australia’s first facility built for nanoscience launched

The University of Sydney
20 April 2016

World-leading innovators visit for 2-day conference in $150m building.

The first facility built for nanoscience in Australia is launched at the University of Sydney today. The Australian Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology is the most advanced facility for nanoscience in the region.

Australia’s First Facility Built for Nanoscience

Leading scientific figures, pioneers and representatives from key organisations internationally are visiting Sydney for today’s launch of the Australian Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology (AINST) – and the official opening of its headquarters – the most advanced facility for nanoscience in the region – where design, fabrication and testing of devices can occur under one roof.

Officially opening the new $150mSydney Nanoscience Hub will be Australian Academy of Science’s President Andrew Holmes AM; senior executives from Microsoft in the United States are also visiting to tour the building and scientists speaking at the two-day conference as part of the launch include one of Israel’s top physicists, Moti Segev, whose centre at the Technion is collaborating on a project including the University of Sydney and the NSW government.

Nanoscience is expected to be more impactful this century than the industrial revolution was in the 19^th century. But “the buildings in which we work, rather than our imaginations, are what’s been limiting the science”, said Associate Professor Michael Biercuk, formerly a consultant to the US government organisation DARPA and now the research leader of a quantum flagship in AINST.

More than six years in the making, the award-winning Sydney Nanoscience Hub was co-funded with $40m from the federal government, includes teaching spaces alongside publicly available core research facilities that will support  fundamental research as well as the work of start-ups and established industry.

The Institute hosts some of the capabilities of the Australian National Fabrication Facility and of the Australian Microscopy and Microanalysis Research Facility – both co-funded by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). Researchers at the Institute contribute to two Australian Council Centres of Excellence: CUDOS, the Centre for Ultrahigh bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems; and EQuS, the Centre for Engineered Quantum Systems.

Professor Benjamin Eggleton, the Director of CUDOS who also heads the photonics flagship at AINST, said photonics (the study of photons – the building blocks of light) was already delivering real-world solutions: “Photonics is the backbone of the internet and underpins a $7 trillion industry,” Professor Eggleton said.

“Our team has led the world in photonic-based chip processing and we are now working on building a photonic chip – or a lab on a chip – that may one day be compatible with mobile phones, enabling them to sense environmental pollution or be used for testing blood samples to diagnose health issues.”

Vice-Chancellor Dr Michael Spence said the University-wide AINST reached across traditional disciplinary boundaries. “The Australian Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology continues the University of Sydney’s tradition in addressing multidisciplinary issues in a unique way to ensure that we are ready to solve the great challenges of science, engineering and beyond,” he said.AINST Director, Professor Thomas Maschmeyer, will also head one of five initiating flagships – in Energy and Environment – and this month announced a investment valued at $11m from the United Kingdom into a University nano spin-off. “There is little doubt that society must progressively transition to non-fossil-based energy,” Professor Maschmeyer said.

Professor David Reilly, research leader of the Institute’s quantum measurement and control flagship, said breakthroughs at the nanoscale hold the key to major advances in areas such as artificial intelligence and security. ““The challenge for us over the next few years is to take the physics results that we have probing the basic phenomena of quantum mechanics and see those results turn into technologies.”

Director of the Sydney Nanoscience Hub building Professor Simon Ringer said new science would be enabled through this purpose-built facility for nanoscience – the first in Australia. “This is the best building of its kind in our region. It will allow us to operate research instruments that enable us to ask questions at the frontiers of science.”

AINST Director of Community and Research, Professor Zdenka Kuncic said the ‘rules of the game’ in nanoscience were still being worked out.

“Perhaps the most exciting aspect of nanoscience is the potential for new discoveries, including in health and medicine,” she said. “We have only scratched the surface of the new knowledge that remains to be revealed.”

News Release Source :  Australia’s first facility built for nanoscience launched

Image Credit : The University of Sydney

Australian Scientists Created The World's Thinnest Lens

World's thinnest lens to revolutionise cameras

Australian National University (ANU)
11 MARCH 2016

Scientists have created the world's thinnest lens, one two-thousandth the thickness of a human hair, opening the door to flexible computer displays and a revolution in miniature cameras.

[caption id="attachment_227" align="aligncenter" width="530"] Australian Scientists Created The World's Thinnest Lens[/caption]

Lead researcher Dr Yuerui (Larry) Lu from ANU Research School of Engineering said the discovery hinged on the remarkable potential of the molybdenum disulphide crystal.

"This type of material is the perfect candidate for future flexible displays," said Dr Lu, leader of Nano-Electro-Mechanical System (NEMS) Laboratory in the ANU Research School of Engineering.

"We will also be able to use arrays of micro lenses to mimic the compound eyes of insects."

The 6.3-nanometre lens outshines previous ultra-thin flat lenses, made from 50-nanometre thick gold nano-bar arrays, known as a metamaterial.

"Molybdenum disulphide is an amazing crystal," said Dr Lu

"It survives at high temperatures, is a lubricant, a good semiconductor and can emit photons too.

"The capability of manipulating the flow of light in atomic scale opens an exciting avenue towards unprecedented miniaturisation of optical components and the integration of advanced optical functionalities."

Molybdenum disulphide is in a class of materials known as chalcogenide glasses that have flexible electronic characteristics that have made them popular for high-technology components.

Dr Lu's team created their lens from a crystal 6.3-nanometres thick - 9 atomic layers - which they had peeled off a larger piece of molybdenum disulphide with sticky tape.

They then created a 10-micron radius lens, using a focussed ion beam to shave off the layers atom by atom, until they had the dome shape of the lens.

The team discovered that single layers of molybdenum disulphide, 0.7 nanometres thick, had remarkable optical properties, appearing to a light beam to be 50 times thicker, at 38 nanometres. This property, known as optical path length, determines the phase of the light and governs interference and diffraction of light as it propagates.

"At the beginning we couldn't imagine why molybdenum disulphide had such surprising properties," said Dr Lu.

Collaborator Assistant Professor Zongfu Yu at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, developed a simulation and showed that light was bouncing back and forth many times inside the high refractive index crystal layers before passing through.

Molybdenum disulphide crystal's refractive index, the property that quantifies the strength of a material's effect on light, has a high value of 5.5. For comparison, diamond, whose high refractive index causes its sparkle, is only 2.4, and water's refractive index is 1.3.

This study is published in the Nature serial journal Light: Science and Applications.

News Release Source : World's thinnest lens to revolutionise cameras

Image Credit : Australian National University (ANU)

Australian University Leading The charge for Panel Powered Car

QUT leading the charge for panel-powered car

QUT (Queensland University of Technology)

06 November 2014

A car powered by its own body panels could soon be driving on our roads after a breakthrough in nanotechnology research by a QUT team.

[caption id="attachment_217" align="aligncenter" width="660"] QUT's Professor Nunzio Motta with one of the university's powerful nanotechnology microscopes.[/caption]

Researchers have developed lightweight "supercapacitors" that can be combined with regular batteries to dramatically boost the power of an electric car.

The discovery was made by Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Jinzhang Liu, Professor Nunzio Motta and PhD researcher Marco Notarianni, from QUT's Science and Engineering Faculty - Institute for Future Environments, and PhD researcher Francesca Mirri and Professor Matteo Pasquali, from Rice University in Houston, in the United States.

The supercapacitors - a "sandwich" of electrolyte between two all-carbon electrodes - were made into a thin and extremely strong film with a high power density.

The film could be embedded in a car's body panels, roof, doors, bonnet and floor - storing enough energy to turbocharge an electric car's battery in just a few minutes.

The findings, published in the Journal of Power Sources and the Nanotechnologyjournal, mean a car partly powered by its own body panels could be a reality within five years, Mr Notarianni said.

"Vehicles need an extra energy spurt for acceleration, and this is where supercapacitors come in. They hold a limited amount of charge, but they are able to deliver it very quickly, making them the perfect complement to mass-storage batteries," he said.

"Supercapacitors offer a high power output in a short time, meaning a faster acceleration rate of the car and a charging time of just a few minutes, compared to several hours for a standard electric car battery."

Dr Liu said currently the "energy density" of a supercapacitor is lower than a standard lithium ion (Li-Ion) battery, but its "high power density", or ability to release power in a short time, is "far beyond" a conventional battery.

"Supercapacitors are presently combined with standard Li-Ion batteries to power electric cars, with a substantial weight reduction and increase in performance," he said.

"In the future, it is hoped the supercapacitor will be developed to store more energy than a Li-Ion battery while retaining the ability to release its energy up to 10 times faster - meaning the car could be entirely powered by the supercapacitors in its body panels.

"After one full charge this car should be able to run up to 500km - similar to a petrol-powered car and more than double the current limit of an electric car."

Dr Liu said the technology would also potentially be used for rapid charges of other battery-powered devices.

"For example, by putting the film on the back of a smart phone to charge it extremely quickly," he said.

The discovery may be a game-changer for the automotive industry, with significant impacts on financial, as well as environmental, factors.

"We are using cheap carbon materials to make supercapacitors and the price of industry scale production will be low," Professor Motta said.

"The price of Li-Ion batteries cannot decrease a lot because the price of Lithium remains high. This technique does not rely on metals and other toxic materials either, so it is environmentally friendly if it needs to be disposed of."

The researchers are part of QUT's Battery Interest Group, a cross-faculty group that aims to engage industry with battery-related research.

News Release Source : QUT leading the charge for panel-powered car

DNA Origami to Turn One-Dimensional Nano Materials into Two Dimensions

Nano-platform ready: Scientists Use DNA Origami to Create 2-D Structures

Scientists at New York University and the University of Melbourne have developed a method using DNA origami to turn one-dimensional nano materials into two dimensions. Their breakthrough, published in the latest issue of the journal Nature Nanotechnology, offers the potential to enhance fiber optics and electronic devices by reducing their size and increasing their speed.

[caption id="attachment_212" align="alignleft" width="354"] Scientists Use DNA Origami to Create 2-D Structures[/caption]

"We can now take linear nano-materials and direct how they are organized in two dimensions, using a DNA origami platform to create any number of shapes," explains NYU Chemistry Professor Nadrian Seeman, the paper's senior author, who founded and developed the field of DNA nanotechnology, now pursued by laboratories around the globe, three decades ago.

Seeman's collaborator, Sally Gras, an associate professor at the University of Melbourne, says, "We brought together two of life's building blocks, DNA and protein, in an exciting new way. We are growing protein fibers within a DNA origami structure."

DNA origami employs approximately two hundred short DNA strands to direct longer strands in forming specific shapes. In their work, the scientists sought to create, and then manipulate the shape of, amyloid fibrils—rods of aggregated proteins, or peptides, that match the strength of spider's silk.

To do so, they engineered a collection of 20 DNA double helices to form a nanotube big enough (15 to 20 nanometers—just over one-billionth of a meter—in diameter) to house the fibrils.

The platform builds the fibrils by combining the properties of the nanotube with a synthetic peptide fragment that is placed inside the cylinder. The resulting fibril-filled nanotubes can then be organized into two-dimensional structures through a series of DNA-DNA hybridization interactions.

"Fibrils are remarkably strong and, as such, are a good barometer for this method's ability to form two-dimensional structures," observes Seeman. "If we can manipulate the orientations of fibrils, we can do the same with other linear materials in the future."

Seeman points to the promise of creating two-dimensional shapes on the nanoscale.

"If we can make smaller and stronger materials in electronics and photonics, we have the potential to improve consumer products," Seeman says. "For instance, when components are smaller, it means the signals they transmit don't need to go as far, which increases their operating speed. That's why small is so exciting—you can make better structures on the tiniest chemical scales."

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The research was supported by grants from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health (GM-29554), the National Science Foundation (CMMI-1120890, CCF-1117210), the Army Research Office (MURI W911NF-11-1-0024), the Office of Naval Research (N000141110729, N000140911118), an Australian Nanotechnology Network Overseas Travel Fellowship, a Melbourne Abroad Travelling Scholarship, the Bio21 Institute and Particulate Fluids Processing Centre. The work was carried out, in part, at the Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, which is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences.

Image Credit : kentoh/iStock

News Release Source :   Nano-platform ready: Scientists Use DNA Origami to Create 2-D Structures

Nanochannel Flow by Quantum Mechanics

Nanochannel Flow by Quantum Mechanics

Explanations of the surprisingly high flow observed in nanochannels by fluid slip at the channel walls are superseded by QED induced ionization of fluid molecules to produce frictionless flow as atoms undergo Coulomb repulsion.

PRLog (Press Release) - Jan. 23, 2014 - YOUNGWOOD, Pa. -- ,

Introduction
Liquid flow through nanochannels of carbon nanotubes and thin films has been observed [1-3] to be 2-5 orders of magnitude higher than predicted by assuming a no-slip condition at the channel wall as in the Hagen-Poiseuille equation of continuum mechanics. To explain this disparity, the fluid is generally thought to slip at the channel wall, but this is questionable because the calculated slip-lengths necessary to explain the flow enhancement exceed the typical slip on non-wetting surfaces by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude. Hence, fluid slip at the channel wall is an unlikely explanation for the observed flow enhancement in nanochannels.

[caption id="attachment_207" align="aligncenter" width="507"] Nanochannel Flow by Quantum Mechanics[/caption]

Instead, flow enhancement is more likely caused by the size effect of QM that causes the viscosity of the fluid to vanish in nanochannels that otherwise does not occur at the macroscale. QM stands for quantum mechanics. Since vanishing viscosity allows the Hagen-Poiseuille equation to remain valid,  MD was performed to show the viscosity does indeed vanish in nanochannels. MD stands for molecular dynamics.

Background
MD is commonly used [4,5] to explain enhanced nanochannel flow. However, the MD simulations are not valid because QM precludes the atom from having the heat capacity to conserve fluid friction by an increase in temperature. Instead, QED induces atoms in fluid molecules under the TIR confinement of the nanochannel to conserve frictional heat by the creation of EM radiation. QED stands for quantum electrodynamics, TIR for total internal reflection, and EM for electromagnetic. Standard MD computer programs assume the atom has heat capacity, and therefore to obtain valid MD solutions require modification to simulate the QM effect of a vanishing heat capacity on viscosity. See http://www.prlog.org/11774079-validity-of-molecular-dynam...

Application to Nanochannels
In nanochannels, the QM effect during fluid flow is illustrated in the thumbnail. The EM radiation from a laser heats the molecules in the nanochannel while QED conserves the heat by creating EM radiation that ionizes the molecules. However, lasers are not required. Indeed, the fluid molecules flowing through the nanochannel produce viscous frictional heat that is induced by QED to create ionizing EM radiation at the TIR confinement wavelength λ of the nanochannel, Here, λ = 2 nd, where n and d are the refractive index of the fluid and d the tube diameter or thin film thickness.  For d < 100 nm,the EM radiation has wavelengths λ in the UV and beyond, i.e., λ < 300 nm. Therefore, QED induced EM radiation in nanochannels has sufficient Planck energy to ionize most fluid molecules having ionization potentials of ~ 10 eV corresponding to  λ < 125 nm or d < 45 nm for n = 1.5. What this means is the fluid in nanochannels is charged with Coulomb repulsion between atoms tending to avoid atom contact and reduce viscosity.

The reduction in viscosity may be understood by considering the L-J potential between fluid and wall atoms. L-J stands for Lennard-Jones. Here, L-J parameter σ is the repulsive atom core and ε the attractive potential. The Coulomb potential repulses charged atoms to counter the attractive ε potential, and therefore the viscosity is reduced. A similar QM effect occurs as nanocrystals under Joule heating flow through smaller nanopores by Coulomb repulsion of QED induced ionized atoms. Seehttp://www.prlog.org/12245294-qed-charging-of-metal-nanoc...

MD Simulation and Results
The MD simulates a 2D model comprising 100 atoms in a BCC configuration of liquid argon under a constant shear stress. The BCC configuration has atomic spacing of 5.61 Å. The L-J potential is chosen to have σ = 3.45 Å and ε / k = 120, where k is Boltzmann’s constant. The MD computation box is 61.3 Å square. Time steps were < 2 fs.

The MD loading imposed a velocity gradient 1.6 x10¹⁰ / s normal to the flow direction having velocity of 100 m/s over the height of the  MD box.  After 150000 iterations, the L-J viscosity converged to ~ 80 micro-Pa-s. Experimentally, the viscosity of liquid argon depends on temperature and varies from 54 to 200 micro-Pa-s. But agreement between the MD simulation and experiment is not necessary as the purpose was to show the effect of Coulomb repulsion of charged atoms on viscosity.

Instead of performing MD for repulsive Coulomb forces between atoms including the attractive L-J potential ε, the Coulomb repulsion was first simulated by neglecting Coulomb repulsion and simply reducing the attractive L-J potential ε by a factor of 100. However, the MD solution diverged in < 20000 iterations suggesting the viscosity did indeed vanish. Because of this, MD solutions including Coulomb repulsion without reducing the attractive potential were not necessary to show frictionless flow in nanochannels. See Nanochannel Flow at http://www.nanoqed.org , 2014.

Conclusions
1. Slip-lengths [1,2] finding origin in classical physics cannot explain high flow observed in nanochannels. However, arguments [3] that limitless flow observed in nanochannels is precluded by frictional losses at the end of the channel are indeed valid. Ionization of atoms and recombination of charges is very rapid and continually occurring within the nanochannel, but as the atoms leave the channel there is no TIR confinement allowing the atom to regain its classical behavior causing frictional losses to indeed occur.

2. Claims [4] high nanochannel flow can be fully explained in the context of continuum fluid mechanics thereby justifying the lower flow enhancements predicted by MD are not valid. Nanochannel flow does not follow continuum mechanics, but rather QM. In fact, QED induced frictionless flow in nanochannels are likely to produce reported flow enhancements above Hagen-Poiseuille theory.

3. Under TIR confinement in nanochannels, QM denies the atom the heat capacity to conserve frictional viscous heating by an increase in temperature. Temperature changes simply do not occur in nanochannels. MD solutions [5] showing otherwise are invalid by QM. Instead, the viscous heating is conserved by QED inducing creation of EM radiation that ionizes the atoms to produce Coulomb repulsion that negates the fluid viscosity in the Hagen-Poiseuille equation to explain the reported flows.

References
[1] M. Majunder, et al., “Nanoscale hydrodynamics: Enhanced flow in carbon nanotubes,” Nature 438, 44, 2005.
[2] F. Du, “Membranes of Vertically Aligned Superlong Carbon Nanotubes,” Langmuir, 27, 8437, 2011.
[3] T. Sisan and S. Lichter, “The end of nanochannels,” Microfluid-Nanofluid, 11, 787, 2011.
[4] J. Thomas and A. McGaughey, “Reassessing Fast Water Transport Through Carbon Nanotubes. Nano Lett., 8, 2788, 2008.
[5] Z. Li, “Surface effects on friction-induced fluid heating in nanochannel flows,” Phys. Rev. E, 79, 026312, 2009.

Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/12271497/1

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News Release Source :  Nanochannel Flow by Quantum Mechanics

Gold Nanomesh Electrodes : New Flexible Transparent Conductor

UH researchers create new flexible, transparent conductor

Discovery brings bendable cell phone, foldable flat-screen TV closer to reality

University of Houston researchers have developed a new stretchable and transparent electrical conductor, bringing the potential for a fully foldable cell phone or a flat-screen television that can be folded and carried under your arm closer to reality.

[caption id="attachment_202" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Gold Nanomesh Electrodes : New Flexible Transparent Conductor[/caption]

Zhifeng Ren, a physicist at the University of Houston and principal investigator at the Texas Center for Superconductivity, said there long has been research on portable electronics that could be rolled up or otherwise easily transported. But a material that is transparent and has both the necessary flexibility and conductivity has proved elusive – some materials have two of the components, but until now, finding one with all three has remained difficult.

The gold nanomesh electrodes produced by Ren and his research associates Chuan Fei Guo and Tianyi Sun at UH, along with two colleagues at Harvard University, provide good electrical conductivity as well as transparency and flexibility, the researchers report in a paper published online Tuesday in Nature Communications.

The material also has potential applications for biomedical devices, said Ren, lead author on the paper. The researchers reported that gold nanomesh electrodes, produced by the novel grain boundary lithography, increase resistance only slightly, even at a strain of 160 percent, or after 1,000 cycles at a strain of 50 percent. The nanomesh, a network of fully interconnected gold nanowires, has good electrical conductivity and transparency, and has "ultrahigh stretchability," according to the paper.

And unlike silver or copper, gold nanomesh does not easily oxidize, which Ren said causes a sharp drop in electrical conductivity in silver and copper nanowires. Guo said the group is the first to create a material that is more stretchable and conductive at similar transparency, as well as the first to use grain boundary lithography in the quest to do so. More importantly, he said, it is the first to offer a clear mechanism to produce ultrahigh stretchability.

The grain boundary lithography involved a bilayer lift-off metallization process, which included an indium oxide mask layer and a silicon oxide sacrificial layer and offers good control over the dimensions of the mesh structure.

"This is very useful to the field of foldable electronics," Guo said. "It is much more transportable." Sun noted that Korean electronics maker Samsung demonstrated a cellphone with a bendable screen in October; LG Electronics has introduced a curved cellphone that is available now in Asia.

But neither is truly foldable or stretchable, instead curving slightly to better fit against the user's face. "For that kind of device, we need something flexible, transparent," Sun said of a foldable phone. "If we want to further that technology, we need something else, and the something else could be the technology we are developing."

Ren noted that, although gold nanomesh is superior to other materials tested, even it broke and electrical resistance increased when it was stretched. But he said conductivity resumed when it was returned to the original dimensions.

That didn't prove true with silver, he said, presumably because of high oxidation. The work at the University of Houston was funded by the Department of Energy, while that at Harvard was funded by a National Science Foundation grant.

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About the University of Houston

The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the nation's best colleges for undergraduate education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation's fourth-largest city, UH serves more than 39,500 students in the most ethnically and culturally diverse region in the country.

News Release Source :  UH researchers create new flexible, transparent conductor

Asymmetric Graphene Nanoribbons - New Devices That Control Heat Flow

Research could bring new devices that control heat flow

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Researchers are proposing a new technology that might control the flow of heat the way electronic devices control electrical current, an advance that could have applications in a diverse range of fields from electronics to textiles.

The concept uses tiny triangular structures to control "phonons," quantum-mechanical phenomena that describe how vibrations travel through a material's crystal structure.

[caption id="attachment_197" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Asymmetric Graphene Nanoribbons - New Devices That Control Heat Flow[/caption]

Findings in research using advanced simulations show the triangular or T-shaped structures - if small enough in width - are capable of "thermal rectification," or permitting a greater flow of heat in one direction than in the opposite direction, said Xiulin Ruan, an associate professor in Purdue University's School of Mechanical Engineering and Birck Nanotechnology Center.

Rectification has made possible transistors, diodes and memory circuits central to the semiconductor industry. The new devices are thermal rectifiers that might perform the same function, but with phonons instead of electrical current.

"In most systems, heat flow is equal in both directions, so there are no thermal devices like electrical diodes. However, if we are able to control heat flow like we control electricity using diodes then we can enable a lot of new and exciting thermal devices including thermal switches, thermal transistors, logic gates and memory," said Ruan, whose research group collaborated with a group led by Yong Chen, an associate professor in Purdue's Department of Physics and School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. "People are just starting to understand how it works, and it is quite far from being used in applications."

Findings are detailed in a research paper that has appeared online in the journal Nano Letters and will be published in an upcoming issue of the journal. The paper was authored by doctoral students Yan Wang, Ajit Vallabhaneni and Jiuning Hu and former doctoral student Bo Qiu; Chen; and Ruan.

The researchers used an advanced simulation method called molecular dynamics to demonstrate thermal rectification in structures called "asymmetric graphene nanoribbons." Molecular dynamics simulations can simulate the vibrations of atoms and predict the heat flow in a material.

Graphene, an extremely thin layer of carbon, is promising for applications in electronics and computers. The triangular structure must be tiny in width to make possible the "lateral confinement" of phonons needed for the effect. Findings also show thermal rectification is not limited to graphene but could be seen in other materials in structures such as pyramidal, trapezoidal or T-shaped designs.

Hu, Ruan, and Chen also published a paper four years ago in the journal Nano Letters, among the first to propose asymmetric graphene nanoribbons as a thermal rectifier in research using the molecular dynamics simulations. Although numerous studies have been devoted to this topic since then, until now researchers did not know the mechanism behind thermal rectification. The new findings show that this mechanism works by restricting vibrations as they travel through the small lateral direction of an asymmetrical structure.

"We demonstrate that other asymmetric materials, such as asymmetric nanowires, thin films, and quantum dots of a single material can also be high-performance thermal rectifiers, as long as you have lateral confinement," Ruan said. "This really broadens the potential of this rectification to a much wider spectrum of applications."

Thermal rectification is not seen in larger triangular-shape structures because they lack lateral confinement. In order for lateral confinement to be produced, the cross section of the structure must be much smaller than the "mean free path" of a phonon, or only a few to hundreds of nanometers depending on the material, Wang said.

"This is the average distance a phonon can travel before it collides with another phonon," he said. However, although the devices must be tiny, they could be linked in series to produce larger structures and better rectification performance. The concept could find uses in "thermal management" applications for computers and electronics, buildings and even clothing.

"For example, on a winter night you don't want a building to lose heat quickly to the outside, while during the day you want the building to be warmed up by the sun, so it would be good to have building materials that permit the flow of heat in one direction, but not the other," Ruan said.

A potential, although speculative, future application could be thermal transistors. Unlike conventional transistors, thermal transistors would not require the use of silicon, are based on phonons rather than electrons and might make use of the large amount of waste heat that is already generated in most practical electronics, said Chen.

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The research was funded by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

Writer: Emil Venere, 765-494-4709, venere@purdue.edu

Sources: Xiulin Ruan, 765-494-5721, ruan@purdue.edu
Yong P. Chen, 765-494-0947, yongchen@purdue.edu

IMAGE CAPTION:

Researchers are proposing a new technology that controls the flow of heat the way electronic devices control electrical current. Triangular graphene nanoribbons (a) are proposed as a new thermal rectifier, in which the heat flow in one direction is larger than that in the opposite direction. Thermal rectification (b) is not limited to graphene, but can also be seen in other "asymmetric nanostructure materials" including thin films, pyramidal quantum dots, nanocones and triangles. (Purdue University image)

A publication-quality graphic is available at http://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/2014/ruan-rectification.jpg

ABSTRACT

Phonon Lateral Confinement Enables Thermal Rectification in Asymmetric Single-Material Nanostructures
Yan Wang,†,‡ Ajit Vallabhaneni,†,‡ Jiuning Hu,‡,§ Bo Qiu,†,‡ Yong P. Chen,‡,§,∥ and Xiulin Ruan*,†,‡
† School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University
‡ Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University
§ School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University
∥Department of Physics, Purdue University

We show that thermal rectification (TR) in asymmetric graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) is originated from phonon confinement in the lateral dimension, which is a fundamentally new mechanism different from that in macroscopic heterojunctions. Our molecular dynamics simulations reveal that, though TR is significant in nanosized asymmetric GNRs, it diminishes at larger width. By solving the heat diffusion equation, we prove that TR is indeed absent in both the total heat transfer rate and local heat flux for bulk-size asymmetric single materials, regardless of the device geometry or the anisotropy of the thermal conductivity. For a deeper understanding of why lateral confinement is needed, we have performed phonon spectra analysis and shown that phonon lateral confinement can enable three possible mechanisms for TR: phonon spectra overlap, inseparable dependence of thermal conductivity on temperature and space, and phonon edge localization, which are essentially related to each other in a complicated manner. Under such guidance, we demonstrate that other asymmetric nanostructures, such as asymmetric nanowires, thin films, and quantum dots, of a single material are potentially high-performance thermal rectifiers.

Note to Journalists: An electronic copy of the research paper is available from Emil Venere, 765-494-4709, venere@purdue.edu

News Release Source :  Research could bring new devices that control heat flow

Nano Looms as the Next Pervasive Technology

Nano Looms as the Next Pervasive Technology

Science-based nanosystems could lead to the creation of fundamentally new services and devices.

FAIRFAX, Va., Dec. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Scientists working on a nanotechnology initiative that involves more than two dozen government agencies say that tiny is poised to be the titan of future technologies. The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), which also is engaging industry, academic partners and international participants, aims at moving discoveries from the laboratory into products that benefit both the military and public.

[caption id="attachment_190" align="aligncenter" width="409"] Nano Looms as the Next Pervasive Technology[/caption]

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130410/DC92618LOGO)

Several NNI leaders spoke with Rita Boland, senior news editor, SIGNAL Magazine, about the potential that nanotechnology will also offer health care and commercial sectors. "It's hard for me to imagine an area that won't be impacted by nanotechnology," says Dr. Lisa Friedersdorf, senior scientist, National Nanotechnology Coordination Office. "If we manipulate matter at these size scales, it's going to be part of everything we do."

Because of the broad reach promised by nanotechnology, partnerships will be important to ensure that fundamental research matches key needs. In addition, ensuring that the next-generation work force is well trained will result in commercialization of what nanotechnology enables and help overall economic health, Friedersdorf adds.

Dr. Lew Sloter, associate director, materials and structures, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, says he could see a period in which the military will intensively exploit the understanding of nanoscale phenomena, nanoprocesses and nanomaterials for more specific defense applications, such as flexible display devices. Nanotechnology also could serve as a catalyst in energetic materials, an area in which the military has highly unusual needs, he points out. Safer explosives, which release energy rather than a kinetic force, could be better controlled if using nanoparticulate powers, for example.

Read this and other fascinating articles about how advances in nanotechnology will transform the world in the next 10 to 15 years in the December 2013 issue of SIGNAL Magazine online.

SIGNAL Magazine is the official publication of AFCEA International.

Established in 1946, AFCEA is a non-profit organization serving its members by providing a forum for the ethical exchange of information and dedicated to increasing knowledge through the exploration of issues relevant to its members in information technology, communications and electronics for the defense, homeland security and intelligence communities.

SOURCE AFCEA International

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News Release Source : Nano Looms as the Next Pervasive Technology

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Scientists scale terahertz peaks in nanotubes

Scientists scale terahertz peaks in nanotubes

Rice University researchers find plasmonic root of terahertz signals in some carbon nanotubes 

HOUSTON – (Dec. 9, 2013) – Carbon nanotubes carry plasmonic signals in the terahertz range of the electromagnetic spectrum, but only if they’re metallic by nature or doped.

In new research, the Rice University laboratory of physicist Junichiro Kono disproved previous theories that dominant terahertz response comes from narrow-gap semiconducting nanotubes.

[caption id="attachment_187" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Scientists scale terahertz peaks in nanotubes[/caption]

Knowing that metallic or doped nanotubes respond with plasmonic waves at terahertz frequencies opens up the possibility that the tubes can be used in a wide array of optoelectronic amplifiers, detectors, polarizers and antennas.

The work by Kono and his Rice colleagues appeared online recently in the American Chemical Society journal Nano Letters.

Scientists have long been aware of a terahertz peak in nanotubes, the tiny cylinders of rolled-up carbon that show so much promise for advanced materials. But experiments on batches of nanotubes, which generally grow in a willy-nilly array of types, failed to reveal why it was there.

The origin of the peak was not explainable because researchers were only able to experiment on mixed batches of nanotube types, said Qi Zhang, a graduate student in Kono’s group and lead author of the paper. “All the previous work was done with a mixture of semiconducting and metallic tubes. We are the first to clearly identify the plasmonic nature of this terahertz response,” he said.

Rice’s growing expertise in separating nanotubes by type allowed Kono and his group to test for terahertz peaks in batches of pure metallic nanotubes known as “armchairs” as well as nonmetallic, semiconducting tubes.

“Metallic carbon nanotubes are expected to show plasmon resonance in the terahertz and infrared range, but no group has clearly demonstrated the existence of plasmons in carbon nanotubes,” Zhang said. “Previously, people proposed one possible explanation — that the terahertz peak is due to interband absorption in the small band gaps in semiconducting nanotubes. We rejected that in this paper.”

Plasmons are free electrons on the surface of metals like gold, silver or even aluminum nanoparticles that, when triggered by a laser or other outside energy, ripple like waves in a pond. Strong waves can trigger plasmon responses in adjacent nanoparticles. They are being investigated at Rice and elsewhere for use in sophisticatedelectronic and medical applications.

The Kono group’s research showed plasmons rippling at terahertz frequencies only along the length of a nanotube, but not across its width. “The only way charge carriers can move around is in the long direction,” Kono said. The researchers previously used this fact to demonstrate that aligned carbon nanotubes act as an excellent terahertz polarizer with performance better than commercial polarizers based on metallic grids.

Nanotubes can be thousands of times longer than they are wide, and the ability to grow them (or cut them) to specific lengths or to dope semiconducting nanotubes to add free carriers would make the tubes highly tunable for terahertz frequencies, Kono said.

“This paper only clarifies the origin of this effect,” he said. “Now that we understand it, there’s so much to do. We will be making various terahertz devices, architectures and systems based on carbon nanotube plasmons.”

Rice alumni Erik Hároz, now a postdoctoral researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Lei Ren, a researcher at TGS, co-authored the paper with undergraduate student Zehua Jin, postdoctoral researcher Xuan Wang, senior research scientist Rolf Arvidson and Andreas Lüttge, a research professor of Earth science and chemistry, all of Rice. Kono is a professor of electrical and computer engineering and of physics and astronomy and of materials science and nanoengineering.

The Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation and the Robert A. Welch Foundation supported the research.

-30-

Read the abstract at http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/nl403175g?prevSearch=kono&searchHistoryKey

Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews

Related Materials:

Kono Laboratory: http://www.ece.rice.edu/~irlabs/

Image for download:



http://news.rice.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/1209_PLASMONS-1-WEB.jpg

The ability to sort carbon nanotubes by type through a process called “density gradient ultracentrifugation (DGU)” allowed Rice researchers to test purified batches of nanotubes to find the cause of terahertz peaks in spectroscopic experiments. They determined that free electrons formed plasmons that ripple at terahertz frequencies in metallic and doped nanotubes. (Credit: Kono Laboratory/Rice University)

News Release Source : http://news.rice.edu/2013/12/09/scientists-scale-terahertz-peaks-in-nanotubes/

Scientists develop way to successfully give nanoparticle therapeutics orally

Scientists develop way to successfully give nanoparticle therapeutics orally

Findings will allow for more targeted, convenient drug delivery to treat chronic diseases, like diabetes

Boston, MA – Pop a pill or be poked by a needle? Being able to orally deliver microscopic particles—know as nanoparticles—loaded with medicine is a simple, convenient way to treat patients for various diseases, such as cancer or diabetes. But so far, nanoparticles can only be given via injection since they have trouble being readily absorbed by the intestine, which limits their usefulness.

[caption id="attachment_180" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Scientists develop way to successfully give nanoparticle therapeutics orally[/caption]

Now a study led by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is the first to report in the field of nanomedicine a new type of nanoparticle that can be successfully absorbed through the digestive tract. The findings may one day allow patients to simply take a pill instead of receiving injections.

The study will be published online November 27, 2013 in Science Translational Medicine.

The nanoparticles developed by the researchers are decorated with antibodies that attach to receptors found on the cell surfaces that line the intestines. Once attached, the nanoparticles gain entry past the cellular barriers in intestinal walls and into the bloodstream. According to the researchers, this type of drug delivery could also be useful in developing new treatments for conditions such as high cholesterol or arthritis.

"The novelty of actively being able to transport targeted nanoparticles across cell barriers can potentially open up a whole new set of opportunities in nanomedicine," said Omid Farokhzad, MD, director of the BWH Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Biomaterials, senior study author. "The body has receptors that are involved in shuttling proteins across barriers, as is the case in the placenta between the mother and fetus, or in the intestine, or between the blood and the brain. By hitching a ride from these transporters the nanoparticles can enter various impermeable tissues."

Until recently, after being injected into the body, nanoparticles travelled to their destination, such as a tumor, by seeping through leaky vessels. The research team, led by Farokhzad and Robert Langer, ScD of MIT, developed nanoparticles that could reach the target site without relying on injection nor leaky vessels.

For nanoparticles to be taken orally they need to cross the intestinal lining. This lining is composed of a layer of epithelial cells joined together to form impenetrable barriers called tight junctions. To ensure that the nanoparticles could cross these barriers, the researchers took a cue from research on how babies absorb antibodies from their mothers' milk. The antibodies would grab onto a receptor, known as neonatal Fc receptors, found on the cell surface. This gave them access across the cells of the intestinal lining into neighboring blood vessels.

Based on this knowledge, the researchers decorated nanoparticles with Fc proteins that targeted and bound to these receptors, which are also found in adult intestinal cells. After attaching to the receptors, the Fc-protein-decorated nanoparticles—toting their drug payload—are all absorbed into the intestinal lining and into the bloodstream at a high concentration.

According to the researchers, these receptors can be used to transport nanoparticles carrying different kinds of drugs and other materials—a feat that combines a versatile vehicle and an easily accessible passageway across cellular barriers.

To demonstrate how transport of Fc-targeted nanoparticles could impact the clinical space, the researchers focused on a diabetes treatment scenario, showing how oral delivery of insulin via these targeted nanoparticles could alter blood sugar levels in mice.

Insulin carried in nanoparticles decorated with Fc proteins reached the bloodstream more efficiently than those without the proteins. Moreover, the amount of insulin delivered was large enough to lower the mice's blood sugar levels. Aside from insulin, the researchers note that the nanoparticles can be used to carry any kind of drug to treat many diseases.

"Being able to deliver nanomedicine orally would offer clinicians broad and novel ways to treat today's many chronic diseases that require daily therapy, such as diabetes and cancer," said Langer. "Imagine being able to take RNA or proteins orally; that would be paradigm shift."

In terms of next steps, the researchers are working to enhance the nanoparticles' drug-releasing abilities to prepare for future pre-clinical testing with insulin and other drugs. They also plan to design nanoparticles that can cross other barriers, such as the blood-brain barrier, which prevents many drugs from reaching the brain.

"If you can penetrate the mucosa in the intestine, maybe next you can penetrate the mucosa in the lungs, maybe the blood-brain barrier, maybe the placental barrier," said Farokhzad.

###

This research was supported by the Koch-Prostate Cancer Foundation Award in Nanotherapeutics; National Cancer Institute Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence at MIT-Harvard; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Program of Excellence in Nanotechnology Award, National Institutes of Health (HHSN268201000045C, EB000244, EB015419-01, DK53056).

Lead authors of the paper are former MIT graduate student Eric Pridgen and former BWH postdoc Frank Alexis. Other authors are Timothy Kuo, MD, BWH Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine; Etgar Levy-Nissenbaum, Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Biomaterials, BWH Department of Anesthesiology; Rohit Karnik, PhD, MIT; and Richard Blumberg, MD, chief, BWH Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy.

The researchers disclose financial interests in BIND Therapeutics, Selecta Biosciences, and Blend Therapeutics, which are developing nanoparticle therapeutics.

Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) is a 793-bed nonprofit teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a founding member of Partners HealthCare. BWH has more than 3.5 million annual patient visits, is the largest birthing center in New England and employs nearly 15,000 people. The Brigham's medical preeminence dates back to 1832, and today that rich history in clinical care is coupled with its national leadership in patient care, quality improvement and patient safety initiatives, and its dedication to research, innovation, community engagement and educating and training the next generation of health care professionals. Through investigation and discovery conducted at its Biomedical Research Institute (BRI), BWH is an international leader in basic, clinical and translational research on human diseases, more than 1,000 physician-investigators and renowned biomedical scientists and faculty supported by nearly $650 million in funding. For the last 25 years, BWH ranked second in research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) among independent hospitals. BWH continually pushes the boundaries of medicine, including building on its legacy in transplantation by performing a partial face transplant in 2009 and the nation's first full face transplant in 2011. BWH is also home to major landmark epidemiologic population studies, including the Nurses' and Physicians' Health Studies and the Women's Health Initiative. For more information and resources, please visit BWH's online newsroom.

New Nanotechnology Fully Illustrated Children Books

New Nanotechnology Fully Illustrated Children Books

METCO Global releases new series of nanotechnology children books by Mark Tomassoni to educate and entertain young readers about nanotechnology

PRLog (Press Release) - Sep. 26, 2013 - TROY, N.Y. -- New Shelves Distribution is proud to announce that METCO Global has signed with NSD for worldwide distribution of a new series of nanotechnology books for children by author Mark Tomassoni marketed as Nanobots for Kids!  Nanotechnology involves building/manipulating materials at the molecular and atomic levels - the future here and now, today.

This exciting new series focuses on two nanotechnology characters, Nano and Nana, who apply unique nanotechnology skills to overcome many of today's ills and make the world a better place. As Tomassoni said, "Nano and Nana encounter a full range of strange and powerful forces in remote areas of the nanoworld.  They apply their vast powers of super computing, genomics, biomechanics, and artificial intelligence to overcome illnesses, pollution, starvation, and intergalactic communication."

[caption id="attachment_176" align="aligncenter" width="480"] New Nanotechnology Fully Illustrated Children Books[/caption]



The series contains the following titles:

Bots Escape a Black Hole  (ISBN:  978-0-9890303-1-1, $9.95)  Nano and Nana tell scientists to send nanobots to outer space since they are so economical and don’t need to eat or sleep.  They explore the solar system and visit nearby stars in our Milky Way galaxy.  But when a dangerous black hole seeks to swallow the bots, Nano applies quick thinking to ward off the evil black hole.

Bots to the Rescue  (ISBN:  978-0-9890303-3-5, $9.95)  Nano and Nana help children worldwide overcome illness, obtain good food and water, and help bring about peace.  Even though these are all good works, Nano and Nana are not sure they had achieved something really special.  But then a great opportunity presents itself for the bot to finally get a chance to help children achieve that something “special enough.”

Red, White and Blue Bots   (ISBN:  978-0-9890303-2-8, $9.95)  In the future, all the beautiful Washington, DC buildings will be covered with a special nanobot paint that can change colors through computer commands.  One day, the mean nanobot, McHugh, decides it’s time to change the nanopaint from white to many different colors.  The citizens become upset and want the buildings put back to white. But it was not as easy as the citizens think until Nano and Nana come to the rescue.

Teach Me About Bots  (ISBN:  978-0-9890303-4-2, $9.95)  Nano and Nana are used throughout the world in every imaginable aspect of life, from food, to clothing, to medicine, to underground utilities.  Children around the world are anxious to learn more about these microscopic electro/mechanical creatures.  This book shows how Ms. Frances McNaught educates girls and boys about these fascinating scientific developments reaching all our daily lives.

What Did That Bot Say?  (ISBN:  978-0-9890303-5-9, $9.95)  In the future, Nano and Nana will be found throughout our homes, and around the world. Children and adults will be excited to learn more about how nanotechnology will bring about changes in daily routine.  This book gives young readers a head-start.

Nano Goes Golfing  (ISBN:  978-0-9890303-0-4, $9.95)  Duffer McHugh loves his golf game but his shots go left and right and never straight to the hole.  Read this story to see how Nano comes to the aid of McHugh and helps create a new game similar to golf but called Bot-Golf that drives everyone’s shots perfectly straight and amazingly improves McHugh’s score overnight.

Nanotechnology points to the future for all humans.  Tomassoni's goal is to have some fun with this fascinating revolution and inspire readers to be better prepared.  Especially as children become more technology-fluent, the demand grows each day for an easy to understand series of books explaining how nanotechnology will be used in homes, medicine, food, fashion, clothing, cars, buildings, telecommunication, movies, music, media, publishing, outer space, sports, furniture, etc.

Mark Tomassoni worked in the U.S. and internationally providing facilities, logistics, engineering, construction, and security services before writing nanotechnology books for children.  He saw a need for light-hearted poetic and fully illustrated books that would educate and entertain readers of all ages about benefits and opportunities of nanotechnology, one of the 21st century’s most important technological advancements.  Though written from a futurist perspective, each book presents an insightful yet humorous look into how nanotechnology is evolving and what we may be able to expect in years to come.

To arrange an interview with the author, or to request a review copy, contact Nicole Riley at New Shelves Distribution – nicole@newshelves.com, (518) 261-1300.

Global Nano Packaging Market Opportunities in Nanotechnology

Global Nano Packaging Market Opportunities in Nanotechnology

Global Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023 - Opportunities for Nanotechnology

London (PRWEB) October 07, 2013

Report Details

The economic crisis has hindered packaging demand. This has led to an increase in global competition which has meant that the selection of goods on offer is as high as it has ever been. In fact, the marketplace is almost too saturated, with consumers having to sift through a number of similar looking products in order to find what they are looking for. However, the availability of nano packaging can provide some differentiation as it constitutes a unique, new form of packaging that has captured consumer attention. Visiongain expects the global nano packaging market to attain $20bn in 2013.

[caption id="attachment_168" align="aligncenter" width="479"] Global Nano Packaging Market Opportunities in Nanotechnology[/caption]

The global increase in competition has meant that the contemporary consumer has become more prudent and careful in their purchasing decisions and this has been even more important given the saturated nature of the shelf life. As a consequence, consumers have become more sophisticated and are looking for a higher level of quality in packaging than they are generally used to. The economic crisis has meant that this higher level of packaging quality is being demanded at an affordable price and consumers seem to be benefiting from this. Again, some of the features that nano packaging has to offer have been able to address the needs of the increasingly demanding consumer. Consumers are looking for extended shelf life to allow for flexibility in consumption, and this is an area that nano packaging has been able to address and there is a continuing research currently being conducted on the topic. The strong barrier properties of nano packaging are one of its most redeeming features and will play a considerable role in driving growth over the duration of the forecast period.

Why you should buy Global Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023: Opportunities for Nanotechnology

•Stay ahead with this in depth analysis of the nano packaging market prospects
-The report comprises 110 pages
•Get ahead by studying highly quantitative content delivering solid conclusions benefiting your research and analysis
-103 tables, charts, and graphs quantifying and forecasting the nano packaging market
•Read exclusive expert opinion interviews from industry specialists informing the analysis
-nGimat
•View global nano packaging market forecasts from 2013-2023 to keep your knowledge one step ahead of the competition
-The report provides an analytical overview with detailed sales projections and analysis of the market, the competitors, and the commercial drivers and restraints.
•Keep informed about the potential for each of the nano packaging submarkets with forecasts from 2013-2023
-Food nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-Beverage nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-Health care nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-Personal care nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-Other consumer nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-Industrial nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
•Learn about the opportunities in 15 leading countries with nano packaging market forecasts between 2013-2023
-US nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-Japan nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-Germany nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-Russian nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-France nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-China nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-South Korean nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-UK nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-Dutch nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-Canadian nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-Taiwanese nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-Swedish nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-Australian nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-Italian nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-Swiss nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
-RoW nano packaging forecast 2013-2023
•Understand the competitive landscape with profiles of 11 leading nano packaging companies
-Alcoa Inc
-Amcor
-Bemis
-Beijing ChamGo Nano-tech Co. Ltd,
-Color Matrix Corporation
-Honeywell
-InMat
-Klockner Pentaplast Group
-Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company Inc
-Nanocyl
-Stora Enso
•Discover the qualitative analysis informing the nano packaging market forecasts
-SWOT analysis of competitive factors: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats revealing what drives and restrains the industry and the prospects for established companies and new market entrants.

What makes this report unique?

Visiongain consulted widely with industry experts and a full transcript from an exclusive interview with nGimat is included within the report. As such, our reports have a unique blend of primary and secondary sources providing informed analysis. This methodology allows insight into the key drivers and restraints behind market dynamics and competitive developments, as well as identifying the technological issues. The report therefore presents an ideal balance of qualitative analysis combined with extensive quantitative data including global, submarket and regional markets forecasts from 2013-2023 - all identifying strategic business opportunities.

How the Global Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023: Opportunities for Nanotechnology report can benefit you

Visiongain's report is for anyone requiring analysis of the nano packaging industry and market. You will discover market forecasts, technological trends, predictions and expert opinion providing you with independent analysis derived from our extensive primary and secondary research. Only by purchasing this report will you receive this critical business intelligence revealing where revenue growth is likely and where the lucrative potential market prospects are.

If you buy our report today your knowledge will stay one step ahead of your competitors. Discover how our report could benefit your research, analyses and strategic decisions, saving you time. To gain an understanding of how to tap into the potential of this market and keep one step ahead of the competition you must order now our report the Global Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023: Opportunities for Nanotechnology

Visiongain is a trading partner with the US Federal Government
CCR Ref number: KD4R6

Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary
1.1 Global Market Overview
1.2 Benefits of This Report
1.3 Who is This Report For?
1.4 Methodology
1.5 Global Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023
1.6 Global Nano Packaging Submarket Forecasts 2013-2023
1.7 Leading 15 Nano Packaging National Market Forecasts 2013-2023

2. Introduction to the Nano Packaging Market
2.1 Nano Packaging Market Structure Overview
2.2 What is Nano Technology?
2.3 Examples of the Use of Nanotechnology in Packaging
2.4 Examples of Developments in Nanotechnology for Packaging
2.5 Controversy Regarding Nanotechnology

3. Global Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023
3.1 Read about the Drivers & Restraints in the Nano Packaging Market
3.2 Drivers
3.2.1 Longer Shelf Life
3.2.2 Increased Consumer Sophistication
3.2.3 Lightweighting
3.3 Restraints
3.3.1 Food Safety
3.3.2 Consumer Fear

4. Global Nano Packaging Submarket Forecasts 2013-2023
4.1 Read about the Evolution of the Global Nano Packaging Submarkets Over 2013-2023
4.2 Find out the Key Drivers in the Food Nano Packaging Submarket Over 2013-2023
4.3 Discover the Key Drivers in the Beverage Nano Packaging Submarket Over 2013-2023
4.4 Read about the Key Drivers in the Health Care Nano Packaging Submarket Over 2013-2023
4.5 Read about the Key Drivers in the Personal Care Nano Packaging Submarket Over 2013-2023
4.6 Read about the Key Drivers in the Other Consumer Nano Packaging Submarket Over 2013-2023
4.7 Read about the Key Drivers in the Industrial Nano Packaging Submarket Over 2013-2023

5. Leading National Nano Packaging Markets Forecast 2013-2023
5.1 Leading National Nano Packaging Markets Share Forecast 2013-2023
5.2 US Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023
5.2.1 Discover the Effects of the Economic Crisis on the US Nano Packaging Market
5.3 Japanese Nano Packaging Market
5.3.1 Discover the Importance of Innovation in the Japanese Nano Packaging Market
5.4 German Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023
5.4.1 Read about the Importance of Sustainability in the German Nano Packaging Market
5.5 Russian Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023
5.5.1 Learn about the Economic Conditions Dictating Growth in the Russian Nano Packaging Market
5.6 French Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023
5.6.1 Learn about the Relevance of Sustainability in the French Nano Packaging Market
5.7 Chinese Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023
5.7.1 Read about the Strength of the Chinese Nano Packaging Market
5.8 South Korean Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023
5.8.1 Learn about the Relevance of Food Safety in the South Korean Nano Packaging Market
5.9 UK Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023
5.9.1 Learn about the Importance of the Government in Determining Growth in the UK Nano Packaging Market
5.10 Dutch Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023
5.10.1 Learn about the Dutch Nano Packaging Market
5.11 Canadian Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023
5.11.1 Learn about the Importance of Sustainability in the Canadian Nano Packaging Market
5.12 Taiwanese Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023
5.12.1 Learn about the Taiwanese Nano Packaging Market
5.13 Swedish Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023
5.13.1 Read about Innovation in the Swedish Nano Packaging Market
5.14 Australian Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023
5.14.1 Learn about the Australian Nano Packaging Market
5.15 Italian Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023
5.15.1 Learn about the Italian Nano Packaging Market
5.16 Swiss Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023
5.16.1 Learn about Consumer Sentiment in the Swiss Nano Packaging Market
5.17 RoW Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023
5.17.1 Read about the RoW Nano Packaging Market

6. SWOT Analysis of the Nano Packaging Market

7. Expert Opinion
7.1 nGimat
7.1.1 Trends and Developments in the Nano Packaging Market and Their Causes
7.1.2 Factors Driving the Nano Packaging Market
7.1.3 Factors Restraining the Nano Packaging Market
7.1.4 Main Challenges and Opportunities Prevailing in the Nano Packaging Market
7.1.5 Evolution of the Nano Packaging Competitive Landscape

8. Leading Companies in the Nano Packaging Market
8.1 Alcoa, Inc.
8.2 Amcor
8.2.1 Amcor Overview
8.2.2 Amcor Acquisitions
8.2.3 Amcor Awards
8.2.4 Amcor News
8.3 Bemis
8.3.1 Bemis Overview
8.3.2 Bemis Acquisitions
8.3.3 Bemis Awards
8.3.4 Bemis News
8.4 Beijing ChamGo Nano-Tech Co., Ltd.
8.5 Color Matrix Corp
8.6 Honeywell
8.7 InMat
8.8 Klockner Pentaplast Group
8.9 Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc
8.10 Nanocyl
8.11 Stora Enso
8.12 Other Leading Companies in the Nano Packaging Market

9. Conclusions
9.1 Find out How and Why the Global Nano Packaging Market Will Evolve Over 2013-2023
9.2 Discover Some of the Most Important Drivers & Restraints Affecting the Global Nano Packaging Market
9.3 Global Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023
9.4 Global Nano Packaging Submarket Forecasts 2013-2023
9.5 Leading 15 National Nano Packaging Market Forecasts 2013-2023

10. Glossary

List of Tables

Table 1.1 Global Nano Packaging Market Forecast Summary 2013, 2018, 2023 ($bn CAGR %)
Table 1.2 Global Nano Packaging Submarket Forecasts Summary 2013, 2018, 2023 ($bn, CAGR %)
Table 1.3 Leading 15 National Nano Packaging Market Forecasts Summary 2013, 2018, 2023 ($bn, CAGR %)
Table 2.1 Examples of Nano Technology Use
Table 2.2 Examples of Developments in Nano Packaging
Table 3.1 Global Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 3.2 Global Nano Packaging Market Drivers & Restraints
Table 4.1 Nano Packaging Submarket Forecasts 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %)
Table 4.2 Food Nano Packaging Submarket Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 4.3 Beverage Nano Packaging Submarket Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 4.4 Health Care Nano Packaging Submarket Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 4.5 Personal Care Nano Packaging Submarket Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 4.6 Other Consumer Nano Packaging Submarket Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 4.7 Industrial Nano Packaging Submarket Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 5.1 Leading National Nano Packaging Markets Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %)
Table 5.2 US Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 5.3 Japanese Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 5.4 German Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 5.5 Russian Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 5.6 French Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 5.7 Chinese Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 5.8 South Korean Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 5.9 UK Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 5.10 Dutch Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 5.11 Canadian Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 5.12 Taiwanese Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 5.13 Swedish Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 5.14 Australian Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 5.15 Italian Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 5.16 Swiss Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative)
Table 5.17 RoW Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %, CAGR%, Cumulative
Table 6.1 SWOT Analysis of the Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023
Table 8.1 Amcor General Overview 2012 (Total Revenue, HQ, Ticker, IR Contact, Website
Table 8.2 Bemis Overview 2012 (Total Company Revenue, Revenue from Packaging, % Revenue from Packaging, Market Ranking, % Market Share, HQ, Website)
Table 8.3 Other Leading Companies in the Nano Packaging Market 2013 (Company)
Table 9.1 Global Nano Packaging Market Drivers & Restraints
Table 9.2 Global Nano Packaging Market Forecast Summary 2013, 2018, 2023 ($bn, CAGR %)
Table 9.3 Global Nano Packaging Submarket Forecasts Summary 2013, 2018, 2023 ($bn, CAGR %)
Table 9.4 Leading 15 National Nano Packaging Market Forecasts Summary 2013, 2018, 2023 ($bn, CAGR %)

List of Figures

Figure 1.1 Global Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR%)
Figure 1.2 Global Nano Packaging Submarket Forecasts 2013-2023 ($bn)
Figure 1.3 Leading 15 National Nano Packaging Markets Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn)
Figure 2.1 Global Nano Packaging Market Structure Overview
Figure 3.1 Global Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR%)
Figure 4.1 Nano Packaging Submarket Forecasts 2013-2023 ($bn)
Figure 4.2 Nano Packaging Submarkets Share Forecast 2013 (%)
Figure 4.3 Nano Packaging Submarkets Share Forecast 2018 (%)
Figure 4.4 Nano Packaging Submarkets Share Forecast 2023 (%)
Figure 4.5 Food Nano Packaging Submarket Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR%)
Figure 4.6 Food Nano Packaging Submarket Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 4.7 Beverage Nano Packaging Submarket Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR%)
Figure 4.8 Beverage Nano Packaging Submarket Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 4.9 Health Care Nano Packaging Submarket Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR%)
Figure 4.10 Health Care Nano Packaging Submarket Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 4.11 Personal Care Nano Packaging Submarket Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR%)
Figure 4.12 Personal Care Nano Packaging Submarket Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 4.13 Other Consumer Nano Packaging Submarket Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR%)
Figure 4.14 Other Consumer Nano Packaging Submarket Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 4.15 Industrial Nano Packaging Submarket Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR%)
Figure 4.16 Industrial Nano Packaging Submarket Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 5.1 Leading National Nano Packaging Markets Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn)
Figure 5.2 Leading National Nano Packaging Markets Share Forecast 2013 (%)
Figure 5.3 Leading National Nano Packaging Markets Share Forecast 2018 (%)
Figure 5.4 Leading National Nano Packaging Markets Share Forecast 2023 (%)
Figure 5.5 US Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %)
Figure 5.6 US Nano Packaging Market Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 5.7 Japanese Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %)
Figure 5.8 Japanese Nano Packaging Market Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 5.9 German Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %)
Figure 5.10 German Nano Packaging Market Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 5.11 Russian Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %)
Figure 5.12 Russian Nano Packaging Market Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 5.13 French Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %)
Figure 5.14 French Nano Packaging Market Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 5.15 Chinese Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %)
Figure 5.16 Chinese Nano Packaging Market Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 5.17 South Korean Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %)
Figure 5.18 South Korean Nano Packaging Market Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 5.19 UK Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %)
Figure 5.20 UK Nano Packaging Market Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 5.21 Dutch Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %)
Figure 5.22 Dutch Nano Packaging Market Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 5.23 Canadian Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %)
Figure 5.24 Canadian Nano Packaging Market Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 5.25 Taiwanese Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %)
Figure 5.26 Taiwanese Nano Packaging Market Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 5.27 Swedish Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %)
Figure 5.28 Swedish Nano Packaging Market Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 5.29 Australian Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %)
Figure 5.30 Australian Nano Packaging Market Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 5.31 Italian Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %)
Figure 5.32 Italian Nano Packaging Market Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 5.33 Swiss Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR %)
Figure 5.34 Swiss Nano Packaging Market Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 5.35 RoW Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR%)
Figure 5.36 RoW Nano Packaging Market Share Forecast 2013, 2018 and 2023 (% Share)
Figure 8.1 Breakdown of Amcor Business Operations 2012
Figure 8.2 Amcor Sales by Geographic Location 2012 (%)
Figure 8.3 Amcor Sales by Materials 2012 (%)
Figure 8.4 Bemis Regional Sales 2012 (%)
Figure 9.1 Global Nano Packaging Market Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn, AGR%)
Figure 9.2 Global Nano Packaging Submarket Forecasts 2013-2023 ($bn)
Figure 9.3 Leading 15 National Nano Packaging Markets Forecast 2013-2023 ($bn)

Companies Listed

Air Products
Alcan Packaging
Alcan Packaging Food Americas
Alcan Pharma Plastics Packaging
Alcoa Inc
Alcoa Metallurg Rus
Alcoa SMZ
Aluprint
Amcol International Corp.
Amcor Australia
Amcor Flexibles
Amcor Flexibles Asia Pacific
Amcor Flexibles Europe & Americas (AFEA)
Amcor Rigid Plastics North America
AMVIG
Arthrex, Inc
Australian Food Industry Science Centre
Ball Corporation
Ball Plastics Packaging Americas
Beijing ChamGo Nano-Tech Co., Ltd.
Bemis
Biogate
Chamgonano
Color Matrix Corporation
CSIRO
Curwood, Inc
Danaflex
Danone
Dendron Participacoes Ltda.,
Dixie Toga, S.A
Dow Chemical
DuPont
DuraFizz
Evonik
Exopack Holding Corp
Food Science Australia
Hanson Technologies
Honeywell
InMat
Innventia
Klockner Pentaplast Group
LanXess GmbH
Mayor Packaging
Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company Inc
Nanocor
Nanocyll
NanoHorizons Inc
Nanoident
NanoMas
NanoPack Inc
nGimat
NovaCentrix
nSec
NutraLease
Oxonica
Perfecseal
Plasmatreat
Plextronics
Polyera
Rio Tinto
RUSNANO (Russia Corporation of Nanotechnology)
Rychiger
Shield Pack, LLC
SiNutria
Stora Enso
Sun Capital Partners, Inc.
Toyota
Tyson Food Corporation
Uniglobe
UralPlastic-N
Velcro Europe
Wayne Richardson Sales

Other Organisations Mentioned in This Report

Achema
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Commission of Science and Technology, Beijing Municipal Government Department
European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA)
Flexible Packaging Association (FPA)
French Ministry of Environment
Institute of Food Science and Technology
New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)
Scandinavian Packaging Association
UK Department for the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra)

Read the full report:

Global Nano Packaging Market 2013-2023 - Opportunities for Nanotechnology

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For more information:
Sarah Smith
Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com
Email: query@reportbuyer.com
Tel: +44 208 816 85 48
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