Sunday, June 27, 2010
FOLLOWING THE THREADS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY
9:38 AM | 
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Nanotech Colombia
Following the threads of nanotechnology
Source: agenciadenoticias.unal.edu.co
Colombian scientist Juan Paulo Hinestroza who developed cotton yarns that can conduct electricity, will be at the National University to discuss nanotechnology.
This renowned researcher who has developed important projects now announces its latest discovery has to do with cotton yarns that can conduct electrical current, the same way as does a metal wire.
Thanks to this discovery can now be seen on the runway fashion t-shirts that can monitor your heart rate and breathing; test sweat to change the temperature according to the weather or dresses that feed solar energy to charge your iPod or MP4 player.
Multidisciplinary nanotechnology using tools developed at Cornell, in collaboration with the universities of Bologna and Cagliari, Italy, the scientist and colleagues developed a technique for permanently cover traditional cotton fibers with a layer of electrically conductive nanoparticles. The technique works so well that two simple knots in a thread, with special treatment, they can complete a circuit and powered by solar energy.
Instead of conventional cables we are using our cotton conductor to carry electricity, so our wires are part of the dress. Cotton is often called 'the fabric of our lives', but on the basis of these results, we can now call it 'The fabric of the lights,' "says Professor Hinestroza.
Although this technology seems like science fiction was presented on March 13 at the Cornell Design League Fashion Show, at Cornell University Barton Hall.
Abbey Liebman, a student of professor Hinestroza, was inspired by this technology to design a garment that uses flexible solar cells for charging small electronic devices through a USB port that works as a belt, the contact can power a smart phone or a MP3 player. In addition, the garments have proved to be lightweight and comfortable enough.
"This technique allows the cotton to remain flexible, lightweight and comfortable, while it becomes an electrical conductor," says the scientist, and recognizes that "previous technologies have made conductivity, but the resulting fiber became rigid and heavy. New techniques make our wireless accept further processing, to weaving and sewing.
In July, Professor Hinestroza will attend the International Chair in Engineering 2010, organized by the Faculty of Engineering, of the National University, where he will discuss the assembly of nanoparticles in fibers, among other topics related to this technology, which has become a world authority.
Professor Hinestroza, born in the city of Bucaramanga, Colombia, graduated from Chemical Engineering in the Industrial University of Santander (UIS), and since 2006 is Assistant Professor of Fiber Science and director of the Nanotechnology Laboratory of the School of Textile Human Ecology, at Cornell University, United States (www.nanotextiles.human.cornell.edu).
Friday, June 25, 2010
PRODUCTS WITH NANOTECHNOLOGY
Products with Nanotechnology
Source: science.howstuffworks.com
You might be surprised to find out how many products on the market are already benefiting from nanotechnology.
Sunscreen - Many sunscreens contain nanoparticles of zinc oxide or titanium oxide. Older sunscreen formulas use larger particles, which is what gives most sunscreens their whitish color. Smaller particles are less visible, meaning that when you rub the sunscreen into your skin, it doesn't give you a whitish tinge.
Self-cleaning glass - A company called Pilkington offers a product they call Activ Glass, which uses nanoparticles to make the glass photocatalytic and hydrophilic. The photocatalytic effect means that when UV radiation from light hits the glass, nanoparticles become energized and begin to break down and loosen organic molecules on the glass (in other words, dirt). Hydrophilic means that when water makes contact with the glass, it spreads across the glass evenly, which helps wash the glass clean.
Clothing - Scientists are using nanoparticles to enhance your clothing. By coating fabrics with a thin layer of zinc oxide nanoparticles, manufacturers can create clothes that give better protection from UV radiation. Some clothes have nanoparticles in the form of little hairs or whiskers that help repel water and other materials, making the clothing stain-resistant.
Scratch-resistant coatings - Engineers discovered that adding aluminum silicate nanoparticles to scratch-resistant polymer coatings made the coatings more effective, increasing resistance to chipping and scratching. Scratch-resistant coatings are common on everything from cars to eyeglass lenses.
Antimicrobial bandages - Scientist Robert Burrell created a process to manufacture antibacterial bandages using nanoparticles of silver. Silver ions block microbes' cellular respiration. In other words, silver smothers harmful cells, killing them.
Swimming pool cleaners and disinfectants - EnviroSystems, Inc. developed a mixture (called a nanoemulsion) of nano-sized oil drops mixed with a bactericide. The oil particles adhere to bacteria, making the delivery of the bactericide more efficient and effective.
New products incorporating nanotechnology are coming out every day. Wrinkle-resistant fabrics, deep-penetrating cosmetics, liquid crystal displays (LCD) and other conveniences using nanotechnology are on the market. Before long, we'll see dozens of other products that take advantage of nanotechnology ranging from Intel microprocessors to bio-nanobatteries, capacitors only a few nanometers thick. While this is exciting, it's only the tip of the iceberg as far as how nanotechnology may impact us in the future.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
NANOTECHNOLOGY IN FOOD
Food industry 'too secretive' over nanotechnology
Source: news.bbc.co.uk
The food industry has been criticised for being secretive about its use of nanotechnology by the UK's House of Lords Science and Technology Committee.
Lord Krebs, chairman of the inquiry, said the industry "wants to keep a low profile" to avoid controversy.
While there were no clear dangers, he said, there were "gaps in knowledge".
In its report Nanotechnologies and Food, the committee suggests a public register of foods or packaging that make use of nanotechnology.
Nanotechnology is the use of very small particles - measured in the billionths of a metre. At these sizes, particles have novel properties and there is active investigation into how those properties arise.
While nanotechnology is already widely employed - in applications ranging from odour-free socks to novel cancer therapeutic methods - they have long been regarded as a subject requiring further study to ensure their safety.
In the food sector, nanotechnology can be employed to enhance flavour and even to make processed foods healthier by reducing the amount of fat and salt needed in production.
Open standards
Peers said in the report that they found it "regrettable that the food industry was refusing to talk about its work in the area".
They added that it was exactly this behaviour that could prompt public backlash against the use of a technology that could bring many benefits to the public.
Lord Krebs said that the industry was "very reluctant to put its head above the parapet and be open about research on nanotechnology".
"They got their fingers burnt over the use of GM crops and so they want to keep a low profile on this issue. We believe that they should adopt exactly the opposite approach. If you want to build confidence you should be open rather than secretive."
As part of this process, the committee recommends that the Food Standards Agency should have a publicly available register listing food and packaging that use nano-materials.
Julian Hunt, director of communications for the Food and Drink Federation, said he was "surprised" by the criticism.
"Understandably, there are many questions and unknowns about the potential future uses of nanotechnologies in our sector, and there is much work still to be done, by scientists, governments and regulators, as well as the food and drink industry," Mr Hunt said.
"We support the report's recommendation for the formation of an open discussion group to bring more transparency that we know is important to consumers, and indeed we are already engaged in such initiatives, both at UK and EU level."
The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, run by the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, has found that there are currently 84 foods or food-related products that use nanotechnology.
The Food and Drink Federation says that none are currently manufactured in the UK.
'No clear danger'
However, Lord Krebs says he and his colleagues are concerned that because of industry secrecy, it is hard to really know the true extent of the use of nanotechnology in food.
"We are not clear what is out there in use at the moment," he said.
The report says that there is likely to be an "explosive growth" in the use of the technology.
Currently the market is valued at $410m (£260m), but the report estimates it will increase more than ten-fold in the next two years.
The report also says insufficient research has been carried out into the safety of the use of nanotechnology in foods. It urges the government to commission more research on the behaviour of nanomaterials, particularly in the gut.
"There is currently no clear and present danger from nanotechnology," according to Lord Krebs.
"But there are significant gaps in our knowledge for regulators to adequately assess the risk of nanomaterials in food."
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