The future of the world with materials science and engineeringDecember 24, 1999"The next generation of biomaterials will actually help direct the healing process," says Dr Richard France from the University of Sheffield, UK. "Materials will be able to interact with individual cells by responding to specific chemical signals - making more natural and effective repairs to our bodies." One such advancement could stem from some researchers in Switzerland who are working on polymer gels that can be used to seal and repair arterial defects. Ceramics will be crucial to the success of tomorrow's key technologies, says Professor Robert Newnham from Penn State University, USA. "Whether scaling-up for engineering megaworks or scaling down for tiny electronic and optical components that disappear inside integrated organic systems, ceramics will play a vital role," he says. One such technology is the development of PZT hydrophone arrays and high-speed spectrum analysis that could be used to record and translate "fish talk" - a useful tool should we come to rely on aquaculture to feed the world's growing population. "The scale of such fish farming would be comparable to cattle ranching in the Wild West," says Newnham. Nanotechnology will be a £multi-billion industry in the 21st Century, says Professor George Smith from the University of Oxford. Nanotechnology will bring a new world full of opportunity for technologically advanced nations thanks to rapid improvements in electronics, communications, computing and medical treatments. Research is currently working towards these nano-goals especially in the area of functional nanotechnology where nanostructured materials have been developed that could lead to quantum-sized wires, transistors and lasers. "Huge progress has already been made in the development of methods for fabrication and characterisation of materials at the nanometre scale," says Smith, "Commercial exploitation of nanotechnology is just beginning." Space exploration will be taken to new heights thanks to the novel materials and manufacturing processes being developed as part of the space programme. "Through the introduction of new materials technology we are progressing towards the goals of lighter, cheaper and better," says Dr Barrie Dunn from the European Space Agency. "Satellites are innovative objects that frequently demand advances in both materials and mechanical engineering," says Dunn. "In order to meet these aims chemists, metallurgists, electrical, structural and materials engineers are combining their skills in intensive research collaborations." PLEASE MENTION MATERIALS WORLD AS THE SOURCE OF THESE ITEMS Full copies of the following articles can be downloaded from http://www.materials.org.uk/press.htm Biomaterials join in the regeneration game by Dr Richard France, University of Sheffield, UK Ceramics into the next millennium by Professor Robert Newnham, Penn State University, USA Counting up the benefits of nanotechnology by Professor George Smith, University of Oxford, UK New materials in space by Dr Barrie Dunn, European Space Agency, The Netherlands AlphaGalileo Foundation |
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| Related Nanotechnology Current Events and Nanotechnology News Articles New study confirms exotic electric properties of graphene First, it was the soccer-ball-shaped molecules dubbed buckyballs. Then it was the cylindrically shaped nanotubes. Now, the hottest new material in physics and nanotechnology is graphene: a remarkably flat molecule made of carbon atoms arranged in hexagonal rings much like molecular chicken wire. Behavior modification could ease concerns about nanoparticles In an advance that could help ease health and environmental concerns about the emerging nanotechnology industry, scientists are reporting development of technology for changing the behavior of nanoparticles in municipal sewage treatment plants - their main gateway into the environment. UT Knoxville and ORNL researchers turn algae into high-temperature hydrogen source In the quest to make hydrogen as a clean alternative fuel source, researchers have been stymied about how to create usable hydrogen that is clean and sustainable without relying on an intensive, high-energy process that outweighs the benefits of not using petroleum to power vehicles. Caltech scientists develop DNA origami nanoscale breadboards for carbon nanotube circuits In work that someday may lead to the development of novel types of nanoscale electronic devices, an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) has combined DNA's talent for self-assembly with the remarkable electronic properties of carbon nanotubes, thereby suggesting a solution to the long-standing problem of organizing carbon nanotubes into nanoscale electronic circuits. New 'finFET' promising for smaller transistors, more powerful chips Purdue University researchers are making progress in developing a new type of transistor that uses a finlike structure instead of the conventional flat design, possibly enabling engineers to create faster and more compact circuits and computer chips. Findings show nanomedicine promising for treating spinal cord injuries Researchers at Purdue University have discovered a new approach for repairing damaged nerve fibers in spinal cord injuries using nano-spheres that could be injected into the blood shortly after an accident. Magnetic nanoparticles to simultaneously diagnose, monitor and treat Whether it's magnetic nanoparticles (mNPs) giving an army of 'therapeutically armed' white blood cells direction to invade a deadly tumour's territory, or the use of mNPs to target specific nerve channels and induce nerve-led behaviour (such as the life-dependant thumping of our hearts), mNPs have come a long way in the past decade. Breakthrough in industrial-scale nanotube processing Rice University scientists today unveiled a method for the industrial-scale processing of pure carbon-nanotube fibers that could lead to revolutionary advances in materials science, power distribution and nanoelectronics. An exquisite container In campy old movies, Lucretia Borgia swans around emptying powder from her ring into wine glasses carelessly left unattended. The poison ring is usually a confection of gold filigree holding a cabochon or faceted gemstone that can be broken to empty the ring's contents. It is invariably enormous - so large it is rather odd nobody seems to notice it. University of Cincinnati researchers create all-electric spintronics A multidisciplinary team of UC researchers is the first to find an innovative and novel way to control an electron's spin orientation using purely electrical means. More Nanotechnology Current Events and Nanotechnology News Articles |
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