UniS' nanotechnology expertise on show at Science MuseumMarch 09, 2005The University of Surrey's world-class expertise in nanotechnology research is a key contributor to a new exhibition entitled 'Nanotechnology: small science big deal', now showing at the Science Museum in London. Professor Ravi Silva, from the University's Advanced Technology Institute (ATI), along with PhD students Anthony Miller and Stephen Lyth, have been helping the Science Museum put the exhibition together since last year. 'Nanotechnology: small science big deal' explores the possibilities of building useful structures and devices - even controllable machines - that are no bigger than single molecules. It reveals how nanotechnology products are already changing our world and asks what might happen in the future. Also on display are many amazing images of 'nanoscale' objects, including carbon nanotubes, an area of research in which the University's ATI leads the world. Carbon nanotubes are very thin sheets of graphite rolled into cylinders only one nanometre (equal to one billionth of a metre) in diameter. They are very strong and very light, and exhibit unusual thermal, electronic and structural properties. Researchers at the ATI created nano-sized messages on a single grain of pollen and on a mat of carbon nanotubes especially for the exhibit. They also provided images of their nanomanipulation system in action, and of a free-standing ATI advertisement built entirely of carbon nanotubes. Additionally, they acted in a consultative role for much of the written information in the exhibit, as well as providing giant models of nanotubes and buckyballs (kindly donated by EPSRC). 'Nanotechnology - small science big deal' runs from 25 February until 31 August 2005 after which it will tour to four UK venues. Surrey, University of |
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| Related Nanotechnology Current Events and Nanotechnology News Articles 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. Nanowire biocompatibility in the brain: So far so good The biological safety of nanotechnology, in other words, how the body reacts to nanoparticles, is a hot topic. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have managed for the first time to carry out successful experiments involving the injection of so-called 'nanowires.' Synthetic cells shed biological insights while delivering battery power Trying to understand the complex workings of a biological cell by teasing out the function of every molecule within it is a daunting task. Berkeley Researchers Find New Route to Nano Self-Assembly If the promise of nanotechnology is to be fulfilled, nanoparticles will have to be able to make something of themselves. An important advance towards this goal has been achieved by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) who have found a simple and yet powerfully robust way to induce nanoparticles to assemble themselves into complex arrays. Harvard scientists bend nanowires into 2-D and 3-D structures Taking nanomaterials to a new level of structural complexity, scientists have determined how to introduce kinks into arrow-straight nanowires, transforming them into zigzagging two- and three-dimensional structures with correspondingly advanced functions. Advance in 'nano-agriculture': Tiny stuff has huge effect on plant growth With potential adverse health and environmental effects often in the news about nanotechnology, scientists in Arkansas are reporting that carbon nanotubes (CNTs) could have beneficial effects in agriculture. More Nanotechnology Current Events and Nanotechnology News Articles |
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