The Future is Possible With Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is pretty mind-blowing. I am constantly amazed at what can be done using it. However, I think much of what I am in awe over is somewhat ordinary in today’s world of nanotechnology. So what happens when you look for the extraordinary in nanotechnology? Some pretty amazing stuff. As it turns out, nanotechnology has brought the future to the present.

We all know that nanotechnology can be applied to medicine in an endless number of ways. These endless ways also include applications in sexual health. University of Washington researchers have developed a way to produce female condoms that incorporate nano-fibers using a method they call “electrospinning”. According to the study, “Electrospinning uses an electric field to catapult a charged fluid jet through air to create very fine, nanometer-scale fibers. The fibers can be manipulated to control the material's solubility, strength and even geometry. Because of this versatility, fibers may be better at delivering medicine than existing technologies such as gels, tablets, or pills.” In other words, they have created thin yet effective condoms that incorporate medicines to prevent STDs as well as prevent pregnancies. This technology is still being researched, but a $1 million grant from the  Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is making that research a little bit easier.

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are using nanotechnology to create conductive ink. This ink is made from silver nanoparticles, which are made even smaller using acid. These very tiny particles are suspended in cellulose solution, which gives them a greater viscosity and allows them to flow from the pen like ink. Circuits can be made as easily as they can be drawn. Circuits can be drawn on uneven surfaces as well, which opens new possibilities for circuit design. Currently, this ink can power something as substantial as a small LED display or an antenna.

Gold nanoparticles are being used by Israeli researchers to detect cancer. These particles are used in sensors, and these “sniffers” can smell the changing proteins and genes of the cancer cells. It can even differentiate between different types of cancer. These sensors are used in a simple test. All the patient has to do is breathe, and these sensors can detect the “smell” of cancer on their breath. The sensors can detect cancer even before tumors show up in x-rays or mammograms.

With so many amazing things possible today, I am excited to see what the future of nanotechnology will look like!

Works Cited

Ball, Cameron, Emily Krogstad, Thanyanan Chaowanachan, and Kim A. Woodrow. "Drug-Eluting Fibers for HIV-1 Inhibition and Contraception." PLOS ONE:. University of Washington, 28 Nov. 2012. Web. <http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0049792>.

Boyle, Rebecca. "7 Amazing Ways Nanotechnology Is Changing The World." Popular Science. Popular Science, 14 Nov. 2012. Web. <http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-11/7-amazing-ways-nanotechnology-changing-world>.

Boyle, Rebecca. "Cancer-Sniffing E-Nose Can Differentiate Between Various Forms of the Disease." Popular Science. Popular Science, 11 Aug. 2010. Web. <http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-08/cancer-sniffing-e-nose-can-differentiate-between-various-forms-disease>.

Newitz, Annalee. "8 Incredible Nanotechnologies That Actually Exist Today." Io9. Io9, 10 Dec. 2012. Web. <http://io9.com/5967198/8-incredible-nanotechnologies-that-actually-exist-in-the-real-world>.

Yirka, Bob. "Researchers Create Rollerball-pen Ink to Draw Circuits." Researchers Create Rollerball-pen Ink to Draw Circuits. PYHS, 28 June 2011. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. <http://phys.org/news/2011-06-rollerball-pen-ink-circuits.html>.

Nanotechnology + Food

As someone who eats food on a regular basis, it is something that I think about. And as a student in a nanotechnology class, I think about nanotechnology as well. It only makes sense that the two thoughts should come together into a blog post. Does nanotechnology have any application in food? Of course, the answer is yes. There are a number of nanotechnology applications currently being used, and a number of ideas being developed for future use.

Clay nanocomposites are currently used in food packaging to create a barrier to gasses. This impermeable layer keeps oxygen and carbon dioxide in packaging such as bottles, cartons, and packaging films. Silver nanoparticles are used in plastic food storage bins. These nanoparticles kill bacteria that grows in the container and keeps it smelling clean. (Pictured below: clay nanocomposites)

These technologies are only the beginning of what is possible when nanotechnology is applied to food. Researchers at the Technische Universität München have been experimenting with carbon nanotubes as sensors. These sensors are created by spraying carbon nanotubes onto flexible plastic. These sensors would be inexpensive to create, and would be put inside the food packaging. They would be able to detect when the food has spoiled.

Nanosensors could also be used for point-of-packaging testing. These sensors would be able to detect bacteria and contaminants such as salmonella at the place the food is being processed. This would help keep food safer and lower the cost of operation by eliminating the need for samples being sent to a lab for expensive analysis. (Pictured below: nanosensor)

Researchers have been experimenting with zinc oxide nanoparticles as part of plastic packaging. These particles would block UV rays from entering the packaging, which would help prevent bacteria from growing inside. It would also add rigidity to the plastic. (Pictured below: zinc oxide nanoparticles)

So to review, the entire process of food packaging, from factory to fridge, will be smarter and safer in the near future.

Works Cited

Boysen, Earl. "Nanotechnology in Food." Nanotechnology in Food. Hawk's Perch Technical Writing, LLC, n.d. Web. <http://www.understandingnano.com/food.html>.

ElAmin, Ahmed. "Nano Sensor Slashes Pathogen Detection Time, Inventors Claim." FoodProductionDaily.com. Food Production Daily, 06 Dec. 2006. Web. <http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/news/ng.asp?n=72578-nano-pathogens-sensor>.

Espitia, Paula Judith Perez. "Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Antimicrobial Activity and Food P." Packaging Applications. Food and Bioprocess Technology, 22 Feb. 2012. Web. <http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11947-012-0797-6>.

Hay, J.N., and S.J. Shaw. "Clay-Based Nanocomposites." Clay-Based Nanocomposites. The Institute of Nanomaterials, 09 Oct. 2001. Web. <http://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=936>.

Understanding Nano. "With Carbon Nanotubes, a Path to Flexible, Low-cost Sensors." With Carbon Nanotubes, a Path to Flexible, Low-cost Sensors. Understanding Nano, n.d. Web. <http://www.understandingnano.com/carbon-nanotube-gas-sensors.html>.

Big Ideas in Art Aren't Always Large

Recently, I attended a show at The LODGE. The LODGE is an art gallery in Los Angeles that is run by the lovely Alice Lodge. I have seen a number of shows here, but The Mini Show was by far my favorite. This show was conceived by artist Clare Crespo, who created a 1:10 scale model of the gallery. Inside this tiny gallery were tiny art pieces by Louise Bonnet, Clare Crespo, Tierney Gearon, Shane Guffogg, Miranda July, Konstanin Kakanias, Janet Levy, Geoff McFetridge, Jon Pestoni, Rob Reynolds,  Joe Prime Reza, Ed Ruscha and Mary Wigmore. There were no pieces hanging on the walls of The LODGE during the Mini Show. The scale model of the gallery stood in the middle of the empty gallery, accompanied by magnifying glasses for the guests of the gallery. The viewers looked into the tiny gallery from the top down, viewing tiny works of art through a magnifying glass. None of the paintings were for sale. It was a brilliant show, which ran from the 3rd to the 25th of October this year.

This show got me thinking about art as it relates to size. There have been a number of very tiny artworks over the years, some of which we have learned about in class this term.

The first thing that comes to mind is the work of Henry Dalton. Henry Dalton used microscopes to create art that could not be seen otherwise. He used the scales of butterfly wings to produce gorgeous works of art, each piece using up to one thousand scales. His work can be seen at the Museum of Jurassic Technology in California.

The Wim L. Noorduin, Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has created sculptures with self-assembling materials. These materials were coaxed to ripple, spiral, and bend, and were formed into leaves, stems, flowers, vases, and corals.

Timothy Leong of Johns Hopkins University made nanoscale dice using self-assembly techniques. They are 200 microns across, and won first place at the 2007 Science As Art competition.

There are also a number of other artworks, some of which can be viewed here:

http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-most-incredible-pieces-of-nanoscale-art.php 

http://www.nanowerk.com/nanotechnology/introduction/introduction_to_nanotechnology_31.php

 

 

Works Cited

Dietle, David. "Top 10 Most Incredible Pieces Of Nanoscale Art - Toptenz.net." Toptenz.net. TopTenz, 29 Jan. 2012. Web. <http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-most-incredible-pieces-of-nanoscale-art.php>.

Gravotta, Luciana. "Very Fine Art: 6 Stunningly Beautiful Nanoscale Sculptures [Slide Show]." Scientific American Global RSS. Scientific American, 19 May 2013. Web. <http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/very-fine-art-6-stunningly-beautiful-nanoscale-sculptures-slide-show/>.

"Introduction to Nanotechnology – Images." Nanowerk. Nanowerk, n.d. Web. <http://www.nanowerk.com/nanotechnology/introduction/introduction_to_nanotechnology_31.php>.

"MINI SHOW." The Lodge. The Lodge, n.d. Web. <http://www.thelodge.la/mini-show/>.

S&C ETC. "Art Made of Butterfly Wings: The Micromosaics of Henry Dalton." Past Present Art Made of Butterfly Wings The Micromosaics of HenryDalton Comments. WordPress, 02 May 2014. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. <http://pastandpresent.com/2014/05/02/henry-dalton/>.

So You Want To Learn About Carbon Nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes have been discussed briefly on this blog in the past (See “Space Elevators”, 10 October 2015). I learned about them briefly during that assignment, but did not explore them further. I have heard about them repeatedly throughout the term, but was not sure what potential they could have beyond the Space Elevator. I set out on my own research of the topic to find out what they could do and why anyone should care. (Pictured below: Different configurations of nanotubes, followed by a photograph of a nanotube on a human finger. Look how freaking small these things are!)

As it turns out, there is A LOT they can do, and there is good reason for people to care. I found that carbon nanotube powders are currently used in products such as rechargeable batteries, automotive parts, sporting goods, boat hulls, and water filters. Carbon nanotube plastics can be found in electrostatic-assisted painting of mirror housings, fuel lines, and filters that dissipate electrostatic charge. Carbon nanotubes are also used in electromagnetic interference-shielding packages and silicon wafer carriers.

I also found a study from Rice University which found that carbon nanotubes could create improvements to mechanical properties of biodegradable polymeric nanocomposites for applications in bone tissue engineering. This is due to their weight being lighter than what is currently used.

Carbon nanotubes can also be used for thermal purposes. They can manage heat around electronic circuits. A millimeter-think layer of carbon nanotubes is able to cool components similarly to copper, but with one twentieth of the weight.

Carbon nanotubes can also be used as springs. When they are aligned, these carbon nanotube springs can achieve an energy density that is 10 times greater than steel springs.

There are so many more applications of carbon nanotubes, including medical applications, composite materials, microelectronics, transistors, solar cells, hydrogen storage, chemical applications, optical applications, and electronic components. In the future, there will be even more applications for these amazing structures!

Works Cited

De Volder, Michael, and Sameh Tawfick. "Carbon Nanotubes: Present and Future Commercial Applications." Carbon Nanotubes: Present and Future Commercial Applications. Science, 1 Feb. 2013. Web. <http://www.sciencemag.org/content/339/6119/535>.

Kordás, K. "Chip Cooling with Integrated Carbon Nanotube Microfin Architectures." Chip Cooling with Integrated Carbon Nanotube Microfin Architectures. Harvard, Mar. 2007. Web. <http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2007ApPhL..90l3105K>.

Lalwani, Gaurav, Allan M. Henslee, Behzad Farshid, Liangjun Lin, F. Kurtis Kasper, Yi-Xian Qin, Antonios G. Mikos, and Balaji Sitharaman. "Two-Dimensional Nanostructure- Reinforced Biodegradable Polymeric Nanocomposites for Bone Tissue Engineering." Biomacromolecules. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 12 Feb. 2013. Web. <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3601907/>.

Livermore, Carol. "Carbon Nanotube Super Springs." Carbon Nanotube Super Springs. ASME, Mar. 2011. Web. <https://www.asme.org/engineering-topics/articles/nanotechnology/carbon-nanotube-super-springs>.

"Potenital Applications of Carbon Nanotubes." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potential_applications_of_carbon_nanotubes>.

Nanotechnology Can Create Tomorrow's Clothing . . . Today!

A few weeks ago, my brother and I were perusing the Glendale Galleria. He had been told by a friend to check out the UNIQLO location that recently opened, so we took a peek inside. While I did purchase an excessive number of socks that afternoon, the most interesting merchandise was their HEATTECH clothing line. It was advertised in the store as being clothing with technology built in. These garments are intended to keep the wearer warm. The description in their website reads “the moisture-wicking fabric retains heat and also features anti-odor properties to keep you feeling fresh even when you sweat. Camellia oil moisturizer adds comfort for dry skin.”

Obviously, there is a lot going on here. According to UNIQLO, these garments are moisture-wicking, keep you warmer than average clothes, keep themselves free of body odor, AND keep your skin moisturized. Some of the garments are even advertised as reducing static electricity. My initial reaction was that this seemed a bit outlandish. However, after some research, I concluded that this could be possible.

Garments are currently on the market from other manufacturers that resist body odor. These garments are often available from manufacturers of sports apparel, because athletes sweat when they engage in sports or training. These garments incorporate silver nanoparticles. The idea of using silver as an antimicrobial is not new. The FDA actually approved the use of silver solution for such use in the 1920s.

As far as moisture wicking is concerned, I learned that fabrics such as cotton, linen, and wool are better for breathability than synthetic fabrics. However, these fabrics absorb the sweat, making them wet. modern wicking fabrics are made from polyester blends that pull the moisture away from the body, through the fabric to the exterior of the garment, were the moisture can be evaporated more easily.

When it comes to UNIQLO’s main claim, I learned that nanotechnology can make fabrics warmer. There is a material called aerogel that can be used across a number of applications to keep heat in, from home insulation to fabrics. These nanoparticles are interspersed with nanopores. These pores are filled with air, creating a highly-effective insulator in a relatively thin material.

The most ridiculous part was the idea that this clothing could help my skin stay healthy. However, after researching, I learned that other companies are doing similar things to their clothes. I learned that About uses “softening beeswax, cooling silk proteins and moisturising and soothing aloe vera” in their garments.

 Whether or not UNIQLO's products actually deliver on their claims is one thing, but the potential for such a garment to exist is technically possible.

Works Cited

Boysen, Earl, and Nancy C. Muir. "Nano-weight Clothing That Keeps You Warmer." - For Dummies. For Dummies, n.d. Web. <http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/nanoweight-clothing-that-keeps-you-warmer.html>.

Bryant, Charles W. "Which Clothing Materials Reduce Sweating?" HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks, 26 Sept. 2010. Web. <http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/men/sweating-odor/clothing-materials-reduce-sweating.htm>.

Magazine, Emily Dawes For You. "Fashion Forward: The New Season's Cleverest Clothes ." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 10 Jan. 2015. Web. <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2900438/Fashion-Forward-new-season-s-cleverest-clothes.html>.

"Men HEATTECH | UNIQLO." Men HEATTECH | UNIQLO. UNIQLO, n.d. Web. <http://www.uniqlo.com/us/men/heattech.html>.

Siauw, Winnie. "Illumin - Silver Nanoparticles: A Valuable Weapon in Microbial Warfare." Illumin - Silver Nanoparticles: A Valuable Weapon in Microbial Warfare. University of Southern California, 04 Dec. 2011. Web. <http://illumin.usc.edu/244/silver-nanoparticles-a-valuable-weapon-in-microbial-warfare/>.

Performance-Enhancing Swimwear

Competitive sports are big business. There is a lot of research that goes in to improving performance and creating equipment that aids the success of the athlete. Just look at how much technology and consideration can go into a seemingly simple golf ball:

It was no surprise to me when I read this week’s article about Speedo creating swimsuits to enhance performance. I am also not surprised that the full-body LZR suit famously used in the 2008 Summer Olympics is no longer allowed. Most people agree that steroid use in sports is not an acceptable practice, but swim suits aren’t the same thing as drugs. Does an intelligently-designed swimsuit really count as cheating?

This argument reminds me of something I learned about in high school that raises a similar question. I vaguely remember a lesson in Sports Medicine about illegal performance enhancing. We covered a number of topics, such as different types of steroids, but one method got me thinking. We learned about blood doping, which is a process used to increase the number of red blood cells in the blood steam. Since red blood cells carry oxygen, having a higher number of them increases the athletes aerobic capabilities by increasing the volume of oxygen in the blood. While this can be done using drugs, such as Erythropoietin and hypoxia-inducible factor stabilizer, it can also be done with blood transfusions. Blood transfusions for blood doping involve collecting red blood cells from the athlete several weeks ahead of a competition. The red blood cells are separated from the plasma as it is being collected, and since the plasma is not needed for the process, it is immediately put back in the athlete’s body. The collected red blood cells are frozen to preserve them, and are then injected into the athlete up to a week before their competition.

Because no chemicals are involved, and the “substance” being used is the athlete’s own blood, is it really considered cheating? When it is viewed in that manner, the answer is debatable. However, when we look at the results of blood doping, the answer is clear. Anything that gives someone an unfair advantage over their competitors corrupts the integrity of the competition, regardless of what method. So by that definition, the LZR suit, as well as the more recent Fastskin 3 system, would be considered an unfair performance enhancer. Unless everyone in the competition is wearing the same performance-enhancing swimwear, it should not be allowed to influence the outcome.




Works Cited
"Blood Doping." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.
"Blood Doping." World Anti-Doping Agency. N.p., 01 Dec. 2014. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.
Bryner, Jeanna. "What Is Blood Doping?" LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 03 Jan. 2013. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.
Bryner, Jennifer. "What Is Blood Doping?" What Is Blood Doping? Live Science, 03 Jan. 2013. Web.
McMillen, Matt. "Blood Doping: Types, Risks, and Tests." WebMD. WebMD, 28 Aug. 2014. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.

Eric Drexler - How Nanotechnology Will Deliver Radical Abundance

For homework this week, we watched the YouTube video “Eric Drexler - How Nanotechnology Will Deliver Radical Abundance”. In this video, Eric Drexler discusses nanotechnology and its future implications. I did not know who Dr. Drexler was prior to watching this video, beyond knowing that he is “the founding father of nanotechnology”. I learned through research that he first coined the term “nanotechnology” in his 1981 paper, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. He is currently an Academic Visitor at Oxford University, and received a PhD in Molecular Nanotechnology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Dr. Drexler is very articulate and well spoken in the interview. The material was somewhat dense and difficult for me to understand from my own education. However, Dr. Drexler does an excellent job of bridging the gap between his wealth of knowledge and the viewer’s limitations of understanding. I found a number of his points to be fascinating.

He spoke about a concept he calls “radical abundance”. This idea is of a future where nanotechnology fills a gap that limited resources create. He mentions that metals such as copper are limited and being used in great quantities in manufacturing. His assertion is that in a future fueled by nanotechnology and based in its research, we can use abundant materials, such as carbon, to replace limited materials. This brings costs down and manufacturing potential up.

When he talks about carbon as a replacement for copper, he is reffering to something known as carbon nanotubes. I was aquainted with this concept a few weeks ago in a previous assignment. Carbon nanotubes are defined as “tubular cylinders of carbon atoms that have extraordinary mechanical, electrical, thermal, optical and chemical properties”. These tube-like structures are excellent conductors. Below is a video about how carbon nanotubes are made. A very friendly but somewhat unsettling animated nanotube narrates the video, and does an incredible amount of blinking in the process:

Dr. Drexler also talked about atomically precise manufacturing. At first, I had a very difficult time grasping what this meant. I tried researching the topic, but found the literature online to be even more dense. I found this video, which put a visual to what he was talking about, and made it much easier for me to comprehend:

He also talked about building with DNA. At first, that sounded entirely implausible to me. However, after reading about it and watching the following video produced by Wyss Institute of Harvard, the process seems much more reasonable:

My biggest challenge with understanding this material was a lack of visual. I think if I were to re-watch Dr. Drexler’s talk, I would find it much easier to understand with the knowledge I acquired through researching visuals of the topics being discussed.

Works Cited

"Bio: K. Eric Drexler." Bio: K. Eric Drexler. http://metamodern.com. Web.

"The Foresight Institute » Blog Archive » Atomically Precise Manufacturing as the Future of Nanotechnology." The Foresight Institute » Blog Archive » Atomically Precise Manufacturing as the Future of Nanotechnology. The Foresight Institute, 8 Mar. 2015. Web.

Kusek, Kristen. "Researchers Create Versatile 3D Nanostructures Using DNA "Bricks"" : Wyss Institute at Harvard. Wyss Institute, 29 Nov. 2012. Web.

"Nanocomp Technologies | What Are Carbon Nanotubes?" Nanocomp Technologies | What Are Carbon Nanotubes? Nanocomp Technologies Inc., 2014. Web.

Verhulst, Stefaan. "The Governance Lab @ NYU." The Governance Lab NYU. GovLab Digest, 26 Aug. 2013. Web.