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USC scientists 'clone' carbon nanotubes to unlock their potential for use in electronics

A team of USC researchers has successfully grown carbon nanotube semiconductors with predefined structures, paving the way for their potential use in future electronics. The breakthrough, known as 'nanotube cloning,' involves using pre-selected and separated carbon nanotubes as seeds to control the growth of longer nanotubes.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalNature Communications·DateNov 14, 2012

Rice professor's nanotube theory confirmed

Air Force Research Laboratory experiment confirms Boris Yakobson's theory that chirality of nanotubes determines their growth speed and armchair nanotubes grow fastest. The study provides a basis for further research into growing specific types of nanotubes with desired properties.

SourceRice University·JournalNature Materials·DateJan 30, 2012

Manufacturing goes viral

Engineers and scientists at UC Berkeley developed a simple, single-step process to direct M13 phages to serve as structural building blocks. The resulting thin-film structures exhibit complex properties, such as bending light and guiding cell growth. The technique sheds light on the self-assembly of biological tissues in nature.

OSA launches new journal, Optical Materials Express

The new journal, Optical Materials Express, launched by OSA, explores the intersection of optics and materials science, offering rapid online publication and open-access features. The inaugural issue includes research on metamaterials, microlasers, and chiral optical materials.

SourceOptica·JournalOptical Materials Express·DateApr 25, 2011

Biological molecules select their spin

Research by Prof. Ron Naaman and colleagues reveals that biological molecules, such as DNA, can discern between quantum states of spin, a phenomenon previously thought irrelevant to their function due to their size and temperature. This chiral property enables them to selectively interact with electrons carrying specific spins.

SourceWeizmann Institute of Science·JournalScience·DateMar 31, 2011

Pure nanotube-type growth edges toward the possible

Rice University physicists have created a formula to calculate the energies of graphene cut at any angle, which could lead to controlling the chirality of nanotubes. This breakthrough has profound implications for nanotube growth and offers rational ways to control their symmetry.

SourceRice University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateDec 6, 2010

Secrets of a chiral gold nanocluster unveiled

A team of researchers has resolved the structural, electronic, and optical properties of a chiral gold nanocluster after ten years of mystery. The cluster, composed of 38 gold atoms and 24 organothiolate molecules, exhibits unique chiral properties that influence its response to circularly polarized light.

SourceAcademy of Finland·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateMay 27, 2010

A recipe for controlling carbon nanotubes

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have developed a method to control the structure and function of single-walled carbon nanotubes. By varying the composition of a metal catalyst, they can produce semiconducting nanotubes with desired properties, opening up new possibilities for applications such as medicine delivery and en...

SourceCase Western Reserve University·JournalNature Materials·DateSep 20, 2009

Friction force differences could offer a new means for sorting and assembling nanotubes

Researchers have discovered different friction forces when carbon nanotubes slide along their axis versus perpendicular to it, which could provide a new tool for assembling nanotubes into devices. The findings also offer insight into fundamental friction issues and potentially be used to sort nanotubes according to their chirality.

SourceGeorgia Institute of Technology·JournalNature Materials·DateSep 15, 2009

Nanotube's 'tapestry' controls its growth

Carbon nanotubes grow through self-assembly forming a 'tapestry' of twisting threads, where each thread's length determines the tube's growth rate. The research reveals a direct relationship between a nanotube's chiral angle and its growth speed.

SourceRice University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 5, 2009

Semiconducting nanotubes produced in quantity at Duke

A Duke University-led team of chemists has successfully grown exclusively semiconducting carbon nanotubes, paving the way for manufacturing reliable electronic nanocircuits. The achievement paves the way for high-current field-effect transistors and sensors, offering reduced heat output and higher frequency operation.

SourceDuke University·JournalNano Letters·DateJan 21, 2009

Luminescence shines new light on proteins

A team of scientists has developed a new type of probe for examining protein interactions using luminescence, enabling non-invasive tracking of protein association in living cells. The technique could aid understanding of serum albumin function and drug-protein interactions.

SourceDurham University·JournalChemical Communications·DateNov 11, 2008

Kilogram quantities at last!

Researchers at the University of Leipzig successfully produce kilogram quantities of isocitric acid from sunflower oil using a combination of biotechnology and chemical steps. This achievement opens up new avenues for synthesizing complex natural products and chiral building blocks.

SourceWiley·DateFeb 4, 2008

Molecular rendezvous caught on camera

Researchers successfully filmed pairs of molecules during recognition process, revealing that only molecules with same chirality readily aggregate. The study demonstrates how molecules adapt to fit each other's shapes, similar to human handshakes.

SourceWiley·DateMay 2, 2007

A new twist on fiber optics

Researchers have developed spiraling glass fibers that impart a chiral character to light by polarizing photons. These fibers can be used as sensors for pressure, temperature, torque, and chemical composition, while also enabling the manipulation of polarized light in various applications.

How left-handed amino acids got ahead

Researchers at Imperial College London have shown that an amino acid can amplify the concentration of one particular chiral form, a process known as autocatalysis. This discovery may offer insights into the evolution of biological homochirality and could provide a model for how life began.

SourceImperial College London·JournalAngewandte Chemie·DateJun 21, 2004

Purdue scientists discover why we're all lefties deep down

Recent research by Purdue University scientists suggests that the first building blocks of life were left-handed and that a single amino acid called serine set the standard eons ago. This led to all living things evolving using only amino acids of the left-handed variety, forcing other biological molecules to follow suit.

SourcePurdue University·JournalAngewandte Chemie·DateAug 5, 2003

Dancing molecules on the make

Researchers at Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research successfully observed the formation and dynamics of coordination compounds on a copper surface. They directly imaged single molecules and monitored their movements, revealing how rotating molecules act as dynamic atom traps for individual Cu atoms.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateDec 16, 2002