Lună: iunie 2016

Tuner lasere pentru îmbunătățirea spectroscopiei în infraroșu (Tunable lasers to improve infrared spectroscopy )

a creat un nou laser revoluționar, cu bandă largă, reglabil, care are implicații majore pentru detectarea drogurilor și a explozivilor.
Robustul, tot laserul solid, poate fi reglat rapid pentru a emite în intervalul lungimii de undă care cuprinde regiunea critică a „amprentelor digitale” în care cele mai multe caracteristici moleculare sunt absorbite și identificate prin detectarea în infraroșu. În experimente, laserul și-a demonstrat capacitatea de a capta amprenta spectrală unică a gazelor.

Posted: Jun 09, 2016

Tunable lasers to improve infrared spectroscopy

(Nanowerk News) A new development from Northwestern Engineering’s Manijeh Razeghi could be another tool for protecting our borders.
Supported by the Department of Homeland Security, Razeghi’s lab has created a new, revolutionary, broad-band tunable infrared laser that has major implications for the detection of drugs and explosives.
The robust, all solid-state laser can be rapidly tuned to emit in the wavelength range that encompasses the critical “fingerprint” region where most molecular features are absorbed and identified through infrared sensing. In experiments, the laser has demonstrated its ability to capture the unique spectral fingerprint of gases.
“The only moving part in the entire system is the fan used to keep the laser cool,” said Manijeh Razeghi, Walter P. Murphy Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. “This is a major advantage over existing systems that require mechanical parts to achieve tuning, and we expect to demonstrate remarkable stability.”
The initial, patent-pending results have been published in the June 8 issue of Nature Scientific Reports („Monolithically, widely tunable quantum cascade lasers based on a heterogeneous active region design”). The research and development of the laser system is the culmination of more than 18 years of quantum cascade laser development work at Northwestern’s Center for Quantum Devices.
The laser has been integrated into a system that contains all of the laser driver electronics and tuning software necessary for integration into a spectroscopy system. It produces a stable, single-aperture spot less than 3 millimeters in diameter that is suitable for standoff detection and is capable of linear or random access scanning with stabilization times of less than 1 millisecond per wavelength.
Source: Northwestern University

Read more: Tunable lasers to improve infrared spectroscopy

Traductoare piezoelectrice ultrasonice noi concepute pentru aplicații de 360 ​​de grade ( New Spherical Ultrasonic Piezo Transducers Designed for 360 Degree Applications )

PI este un producător de frunte al echipamentelor de control al mișcării de precizie, a motoarelor piezo, a etapelor de transport aerian și a cinematicelor paralele hexapod pentru aplicații semiconductoare, fotoni, bio-nanotehnologie și inginerie medicală. PI a dezvoltat și produce standarde și produse personalizate de precizie cu piezoceramică și unități electromagnetice timp de 4 decenii. Compania a fost certificată ISO 9001 din 1994 și oferă soluții inovatoare, de înaltă calitate pentru OEM și cercetare.
În calitate de lider în traductoarele piezo, mecanismele piezo și soluțiile de control al mișcării de precizie, PI (Physik Instrumente) oferă o serie de emisfere electracerice standard și personalizate și sfere goale pentru aplicații de la ecolocație (sonar) la măsurarea debitului.

Posted: Jun 09, 2016

New Spherical Ultrasonic Piezo Transducers Designed for 360 Degree Applications
(Nanowerk News) As a leader in piezo transducers, piezo mechanisms, and precision motion control solutions, PI (Physik Instrumente) offers a line of standard and custom electro-ceramic hemispheres and hollow spheres for applications from echolocation (sonar) to flow measurement. As a global leader in piezo actuators and sensors, these new components join the existing extensive catalog of disk, rods, cylinders, plates, blocks, rings, and tubes employed by high-tech research and industry fields, including medical engineering, mechanical engineering, aerospace, and semi-conductor applications.
Spherical and hemispherical piezo ultra-sound transducers
Spherical and hemispherical piezo ultra-sound transducers.
Inverse Piezo Effect Applications
Piezo ceramics convert electrical power into mechanical power and vice versa; the inverse piezo effect is harnessed for its fast, precise motion and oscillation generation. For ultrasonic applications that require high bandwidth, hemispheres and hollow spheres are currently available with an outside diameter range from 10 – 60mm and 1mm wall thickness. Uses for electro-ceramic transducers range from the necessary and mundane to out-of-this-world scientific advancement: removing dental plaque, ultrasonic imaging, monitoring flow measurement or fill levels, preparing soil samples on Mars for spectroscopy.
Watch Video of Different Types of Piezo Motor Designs.
Customizable
Made from ferroelectric soft or hard piezo materials, components can be custom-designed to match the requirements of the individual application with respect to the coupling factor and acoustic impedance.
Read Examples of Ultrasonic Piezo Technology.
Standard and Custom
PI has in-house engineered solutions with over 4 decades of experience working with customers to provide products that meet application demands, and can quickly modify existing product designs or provide a fully customized OEM part to fit the exact requirements of the application.
About PI
PI is a leading manufacturer of precision motion control equipment, piezo motors, air bearing stages and hexapod parallel-kinematics for semiconductor applications, photonics, bio-nano-technology and medical engineering. PI has been developing and manufacturing standard & custom precision products with piezoceramic and electromagnetic drives for 4 decades. The company has been ISO 9001 certified since 1994 and provides innovative, high-quality solutions for OEM and research. PI is present worldwide with eleven subsidiaries, R&D / engineering on 3 continents and total staff of 850.
Source: PI (press release)

Read more: New Spherical Ultrasonic Piezo Transducers Designed for 360 Degree Applications

Sticla are acum potențialul inteligent(Glass now has smart potential)

au dezvoltat o metodă de încorporare a nanoparticulelor cu emisie de lumină în sticlă, fără a-și pierde nici una dintre proprietățile lor unice – un pas major către aplicațiile de „sticlă inteligentă”, cum ar fi ecrane 3D sau senzori de radiație de la distanță

Glass

Datorită nanoparticulelor, sticla are acum potențialul inteligent(Thanks to nanoparticles, glass now has smart potential )

Aceste nanoparticule luminescente noi, denumite upconversion nanoparticles, au devenit candidati promitatori pentru o intreaga varietate de aplicatii ultra-inalte tehnologice, cum ar fi senzori biologici, imagistica biomedicala si afisaje volumetrice 3D”

Posted: Jun 07, 2016

Thanks to nanoparticles, glass now has smart potential

(Nanowerk News) Australian researchers at the University of Adelaide have developed a method for embedding light-emitting nanoparticles into glass without losing any of their unique properties – a major step towards ‘smart glass’ applications such as 3D display screens or remote radiation sensors.
This new “hybrid glass” successfully combines the properties of these special luminescent (or light-emitting) nanoparticles with the well-known aspects of glass, such as transparency and the ability to be processed into various shapes including very fine optical fibres.
The research, in collaboration with Macquarie University and University of Melbourne, has been published online in the journal Advanced Optical Materials („Upconversion Nanocrystal-Doped Glass: A New Paradigm for Photonic Materials”).
text
Schematic diagram of Ln3+ distribution in various glasses. a) glass containing Ln3+ ions (Ln3+-doped glass), b) glass containing in situ grown NCs (glass ceramics), c) glass with directly doped NCs (NCs-doped glass). The small gray dots represent the Ln3+ ions in NCs-doped glass that were formed by dissolution of NCs, which could be prevented by using NCs with a robust shell. d) Schematic of Ln3+ ion densities available in glasses, NCs in glass ceramics, and as-synthesized individual NCs. (© Wiley)
“These novel luminescent nanoparticles, called upconversion nanoparticles, have become promising candidates for a whole variety of ultra-high tech applications such as biological sensing, biomedical imaging and 3D volumetric displays,” says lead author Dr Tim Zhao, from the University of Adelaide’s School of Physical Sciences and Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS).
“Integrating these nanoparticles into glass, which is usually inert, opens up exciting possibilities for new hybrid materials and devices that can take advantage of the properties of nanoparticles in ways we haven’t been able to do before. For example, neuroscientists currently use dye injected into the brain and lasers to be able to guide a glass pipette to the site they are interested in. If fluorescent nanoparticles were embedded in the glass pipettes, the unique luminescence of the hybrid glass could act like a torch to guide the pipette directly to the individual neurons of interest.”
Although this method was developed with upconversion nanoparticles, the researchers believe their new ‘direct-doping’ approach can be generalised to other nanoparticles with interesting photonic, electronic and magnetic properties. There will be many applications – depending on the properties of the nanoparticle.
“If we infuse glass with a nanoparticle that is sensitive to radiation and then draw that hybrid glass into a fibre, we could have a remote sensor suitable for nuclear facilities,” says Dr Zhao.
To date, the method used to integrate upconversion nanoparticles into glass has relied on the in-situ growth of the nanoparticles within the glass.
“We’ve seen remarkable progress in this area but the control over the nanoparticles and the glass compositions has been limited, restricting the development of many proposed applications,” says project leader Professor Heike Ebendorff-Heideprem, Deputy Director of IPAS.
“With our new direct doping method, which involves synthesizing the nanoparticles and glass separately and then combining them using the right conditions, we’ve been able to keep the nanoparticles intact and well dispersed throughout the glass. The nanoparticles remain functional and the glass transparency is still very close to its original quality. We are heading towards a whole new world of hybrid glass and devices for light-based technologies.”
Source: University of Adelaide

Read more: Thanks to nanoparticles, glass now has smart potential

Înțelegerea și prezicerea autoasamblării(Understanding and predicting self-assembly)

Materialul este o nanopapetă peptoidă. Este o structură plană de numai două molecule groase și este compusă din peptoide, care sunt polimeri sintetici strâns legați de peptidele care formează proteine.
Asamblarea automată a nanoparticulelor pentru a realiza structuri complexe de foi și altele, cum ar fi nanotuburi și solide cristaline, care pot fi personalizate în detectoare chimice incredibil de sensibile sau catalizatori de durată, pentru a numi câteva posibilități .

Posted: Jun 07, 2016

Understanding and predicting self-assembly

(Nanowerk News) To mimic complex natural proteins’ capabilities as sensors, catalysts, and more using synthetic materials that can withstand industrial conditions, scientists must first know how to finesse the building blocks they’ll use. Molecular Foundry staff worked with scientists to discover a new design rule that controls the way in which polymer building blocks adjoin to form the backbones that run the length of tiny biomimetic sheets.
Understanding the rules that govern how the nanosheets self-assemble could be used to piece together complex sheet structures and others, such as nanotubes and crystalline solids, that could be customized into incredibly sensitive chemical detectors or long-lasting catalysts, to name a few possibilities.
Scientists aspire to build nanostructures that mimic the complexity and function of nature’s proteins, but are made of durable and synthetic materials. These microscopic widgets could be customized into incredibly sensitive chemical detectors or long-lasting catalysts, to name a few possible applications.
But as with any craft that requires extreme precision, researchers must first learn how to finesse the materials they’ll use to build these structures.
A recent discovery by scientists at the Molecular Foundry is a big step in this direction (Nature, „Peptoid nanosheets exhibit a new secondary-structure motif”).
atomic-resolution simulation of a peptoid nanosheet
Snakes on a plane: This atomic-resolution simulation of a peptoid nanosheet reveals a snake-like structure never seen before. The nanosheet’s layers include a water-repelling core (yellow), peptoid backbones (white), and charged sidechains (magenta and cyan). The right corner of the nanosheet’s top layer has been “removed” to show how the backbone’s alternating rotational states give the backbones a snake-like appearance (red and blue ribbons). Surrounding water molecules are red and white.
The researchers discovered a design rule that enables a recently created material to exist. The material is a peptoid nanosheet. It’s a flat structure only two molecules thick, and it’s composed of peptoids, which are synthetic polymers closely related to protein-forming peptides.
The design rule controls the way in which polymers adjoin to form the backbones that run the length of nanosheets.
Surprisingly, these molecules link together in a counter-rotating pattern not seen in nature. This pattern allows the backbones to remain linear and untwisted, a trait that makes peptoid nanosheets larger and flatter than any biological structure.
The Molecular Foundry scientists say this never-before-seen design rule could be used to piece together complex nanosheet structures and other peptoid assemblies such as nanotubes and crystalline solids.
What’s more, they discovered it by combining computer simulations at National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, another DOE user facility located at Berkeley Lab, with x-ray scattering and imaging methods to determine, for the first time, the atomic-resolution structure of peptoid nanosheets.
Source: Department of Energy, Office of Science

Read more: Understanding and predicting self-assembly

Origami stele Ninja inspiră design nou baterie(Origami Ninja star inspires new battery design )

O baterie de unică folosință care se îndoaie ca o stea ninja de origami ar putea alimenta biosenzori și alte dispozitive mici pentru utilizare în condiții de teren dificile.Baterie de origami pe suport de hârtie.

Posted: Jun 07, 2016

Origami Ninja star inspires new battery design

(Nanowerk News) A new disposable battery that folds like an origami ninja star could power biosensors and other small devices for use in challenging field conditions, says an engineer at Binghamton University, State University of New York.
Seokheun “Sean” Choi, assistant professor of computer and electrical engineering at Binghamton University, along with two of his students, developed the device, a microbial fuel cell that runs on the bacteria available in a few drops of dirty water. They report on their invention in a new paper published online in the journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics („A disposable power source in resource-limited environments: A paper-based biobattery generating electricity from wastewater”).
disposable battery that folds like an origami ninja star
A new disposable battery that folds like an origami ninja star could power biosensors and other small devices for use in challenging field conditions.
Choi previously developed a paper-based origami battery. The first design, shaped like a matchbook, stacked four modules together. The ninja star version, which measures about 2.5 inches wide, boasts increased power and voltage, with eight small batteries connected in series.
“Last time, it was a proof of concept. The power density was in the nanowatt range,” said Choi. “This time, we increased it to the microwatt range. We can light an LED for about 20 minutes or power other types of biosensors.”
Paper-based biosensors include pregnancy tests and HIV tests. The sensitivity of such tests is limited, Choi said, and a battery like his could allow the use of more sophisticated fluorescent or electrochemical biosensors in developing countries. “Commercially available batteries are too wasteful and expensive for the field,” he said. “Ultimately, I’d like to develop instant, disposable, accessible bio-batteries for use in resource-limited regions.”
The new design folds into a star with one inlet at its center and the electrical contacts at the points of each side. After a few drops of dirty water are placed into the inlet, the device can be opened into a Frisbee-like ring to allow each of the eight fuel cells to work. Each module is a sandwich of five functional layers with its own anode, proton exchange membrane and air-cathode.
Choi’s original matchbook-sized battery could be produced for about 5 cents. The new ninja star device is more expensive — roughly 70 cents — in part because it uses not only filter paper but also carbon cloth for the anode as well as copper tape. The team’s next goal is to produce a fully paper-based device that has the power density of the new design and a lower price tag.
Choi prides himself on involving students in his research, and this paper represents a special triumph for co-author Landen Kwan, who worked on the project during a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at Binghamton in the summer of 2015. Kwan, then a student at Queensborough Community College, is now enrolled at Stony Brook University. Binghamton doctoral student Arwa Fraiwan also contributed to the study, which was funded by the National Science Foundation.
Source: Binghamton University

Read more: Origami Ninja star inspires new battery design

1.3 milioane dolari DARPA subvenție pentru a fondului de cercetare grafene detector de infraroșu ( $1.3 million DARPA grant to fund graphene infrared detector research )

Camerele portabile cu infraroșu care pot vedea lungimi de undă invizibile de lumină au fost utilizate de mult timp de către organele de drept, soldați, pompieri și alții pentru a vedea în întuneric sau pentru a localiza oamenii prin căldura corporală pe care o emită. Dar imaginile neclare pe care aceste dispozitive le produc nu sunt câteodată mai mult decât bloburi colorate indistincte.
Detectoarele cu infraroșu mai puternice care produc imagini mai detaliate – cele utilizate în mod obișnuit de către NASA și agențiile de apărare – sunt mari, costisitoare și pot funcționa doar la temperaturi extrem de scăzute.

Posted: Jun 07, 2016

$1.3 million DARPA grant to fund graphene infrared detector research

(Nanowerk News) The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has awarded a $1.3 million grant to a team led by University of Central Florida researcher Debashis Chanda to fund the development of a next-generation infrared detector that could be used in fields as varied as night vision, meteorology and space exploration.
„We are working on a novel infrared detection and imaging technology. The detection mechanism is very different than what is being used now,” said Chanda, an assistant professor with joint appointments to UCF’s NanoScience Technology Center and College of Optics & Photonics.
Dr. Debashis Chanda, University of Central Florida
Dr. Debashis Chanda, University of Central Florida
The work caught the attention of DARPA, which made news recently with fanciful technology like a crewless Navy drone ship, workhorse robots to lug soldiers’ heavy gear, and the XS-1 space plane. DARPA is funding the UCF team’s research for the 3½ years.
Portable infrared cameras that can see invisible wavelengths of light have long been used by law enforcement, soldiers, firefighters and others to see in the dark or locate people by the body heat they emit. But the blurry images those devices produce are sometimes nothing more than indistinct colored blobs.
More powerful infrared detectors that produce more detailed images – ones typically used by NASA and defense agencies – are large, expensive and can only function at ultra-low temperatures.
„The biggest problem is that most infrared detectors need cryogenic cooling, and in most cases you can’t carry a big cooling tank with you,” Chanda said. „That is a big barrier.”
Chanda and associate professor Michael Leuenberger of the NTC and UCF’s Department of Physics, are working on an entirely new type of detector that relies on a seemingly magic material. The team plans to use a substance known as graphene, that is so thin – just one atomic layer thick – it is a two-dimensional material.
Chanda envisions an infrared detector that is small, portable, doesn’t need to be cooled and produces high-resolution images. Unlike current technologies, which can detect only one band of light, the next-gen detector would be tunable and able to see a range of bands.
„We came up with the idea that one can make graphene to strongly absorb light in the infrared domain and we showed that we can also tune the response electronically,” Chanda said. „If you can take an infrared image in different spectral bands, you can extract much more information.”
The team intends to collaborate with defense majors such as Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and St. Johns Optical Systems for integration and packaging.
Source: University of Central Florida

Read more: $1.3 million DARPA grant to fund graphene infrared detector research

Acesta este diprosiul – dacă nu reușim, spuneți la revedere telefoanelor inteligente, scanărilor IRM și automobilelor hibride(This is dyprosium – if we run out of it, say goodbye to smartphones, MRI scans and hybrid cars)

Acestea sunt pământuri rare, un grup de 17 elemente chimice cu nume care leagă limba, cum ar fi ytriu și tuliu, care sunt folosite în televizoare, telefoane mobile, laptopuri
Cautati pentru proprietățile lor magnetice și conductive, ele fac tehnologiile mai rapide, mai puternice, mai ușoare și mai eficiente

This is

Superfiltrul nanomask protejează împotriva ucigașelor invizibile(Superfilter nanomask protects from invisible killers )

Masca roman, dezvoltata de profesorul Wallace Leung de la Universitatea Politehnica din Hong Kong, este realizata din mai multe straturi de diferite tipuri de nanofibre, care filtreaza particule nanosized.
Stratarea nanofibrelor asigură o suprafață mare, îmbunătățind mișcarea naturală a particulelor și interceptarea acestora de către fibre. De asemenea, permite utilizatorilor să respire confortabil, deoarece aerul curge liber prin straturile multiple, fără o rezistență foarte mare.
De exemplu, încorporarea unui strat de dioxid de titan și a altor nanofibre compozite semiconductoare în mască transformă gazele poluante, cum ar fi oxidul de azot, la substanțe inofensive atunci când fibrele sunt expuse la lumină vizibilă chiar și în condiții de lumină în încăpere. De asemenea, încorporarea nanofibrelor de chitosan în mască poate oferi funcții antibacteriene atunci când fibrele devin umede de la transpirație

Posted: Jun 06, 2016

Superfilter nanomask protects from invisible killers

(Nanowerk News) The novel mask, developed by Professor Wallace Leung of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, is made out of multiple layers of different types of nanofibres, which filter nanosized particles.
Layering the nanofibres provides a large surface area, enhancing the natural movement of particles and their interception by the fibres. It also allows users to breathe comfortably since air flows freely through the multiple layers without much resistance.
viruses
Conventional masks cannot effectively filter nanosized particles such as the influenza A, MERS and SARS viruses, which can cause serious infections, illness and even death. (Image : Abhijith Ar)
Conventional masks made from microfibres cannot effectively filter nanosized particles such as the influenza A virus, or the more seriously damaging MERS and SARS viruses, which can cause serious infections, illness and even death. Many Asian countries also deal with serious airborne particles from pollution and forest fires, which are too small to be filtered by conventional microfibre masks.
Different types of nanofibres can be used in some layers of the mask to provide additional functions. For example, incorporating a layer of titanium dioxide and other semiconductor composite nanofibres in the mask converts pollutant gases, such as nitrous oxide, to harmless substances when the fibres are exposed to visible light, even under room light conditions. Also, incorporating chitosan nanofibres in the mask can provide antibacterial functions when the fibres become wet from sweat, for example.
Dr Leung has also adapted the nanofibre filter for use in airplane and vehicle cabin ventilation systems. Both the nanomask and cabin ventilation filter have been internationally recognized, receiving a Gold Medal in 2014 from the 42nd International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva and a Special Merit Award from the Romanian National Ministry of Education. Both technologies have been licensed to Avalon Nanofibre Ltd., which has immediate plans to develop and commercialize products based on these technologies to meet market needs.
Did you know?
The influenza A, SARS and MERS viruses range in size from about 80 to 140 nanometres in diameter. Ultrafine particulate matter suspended in the air originates from combustion and ranges from 10 to 100 nm in size. When these particles gather, they form larger particles several hundreds of nanometres in size and reflect visible light. This is what we know as “smog”. In comparison, the diameter of a human hair is about 100 microns or 100,000 nanometres.
Source: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Read more: Superfilter nanomask protects from invisible killers

Superfiltrul nanomask protejează împotriva ucigașelor invizibile(Superfilter nanomask protects from invisibile killers)

este realizată din mai multe straturi de diferite tipuri de nanofibre, care filtrează particule nanosizate.Măștile convenționale fabricate din microfibre nu pot filtra în mod eficient particule nanosimice, cum ar fi virusul gripal A sau virusurile MERS și SARS mai dăunătoare, care pot provoca infecții grave, boli și chiar moarte.

Superfiltru