Nanotechnology

UpFront: September 2021 Tech Briefs

NASA Washing Machine Designs Go for a Spin

Right now, there is no laundry service in space.

Astronaut garments aren’t washed. They are put onto ships that burn up in the...

Solid-State Carbon Dioxide Sensor

Applications include wearables, airplane cabin monitoring, medical diagnostics, and indoor air quality measurement.

Engineering the Flow of Light

A novel nanostructure produces uniquely shaped light.

A Sharper Look at the Interior of Semiconductors

A new imaging method allows researchers to see inside complex semiconductors, without destroying them.

Spectroscopy Using an Optical Microscope

With an optical microscope, spectra can be acquired from a sample area smaller than a micron.

New Electron Microscopy Technique Offers First Look at Previously Hidden Processes

Northwestern researchers have developed a new microscopy method that allows scientists to see the building blocks of “smart” materials.

3D-Printed Biodegradable Battery

The battery can withstand thousands of charge and discharge cycles and years of storage before being composted.

Brain-Inspired Highly Scalable Neuromorphic Hardware

Researchers from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) fabricated brain-inspired highly scalable neuromorphic hardware by co-integrating single transistor neurons...

New Manufacturing Technique for Flexible Electronics

Ultrathin, flexible computer circuits have been an engineering goal for years, but technical hurdles have prevented the degree of miniaturization necessary to achieve high performance....

An Electronics Recycling Approach Gets the Most Out of Nanowires

Researchers at North Carolina State University demonstrated a low-cost technique for retrieving — and then reusing — nanowires from electronic devices.

NanoGear Molecular Gear

Oscillatory and rotational motions of different parts are combined to pave the way to developing super-miniaturized mechanical devices.

Carbon Fiber/Carbon Nanotube Yarn Hybrid Reinforcement

Applications include aerospace and automotive components, prosthetics, sporting goods, and other uses where strength-to-weight ratio is important.

Nanoparticle Gel Unites Oil and Water in Manufacturing-Friendly Approach

This novel gel-creation method could open applications in water filtration, batteries, and smart windows.

Desalination Process Removes Toxic Metals

The desalination method produces clean water while, at the same time, potentially capturing valuable metals such as gold.

Rolled 2D Heterostructures

The technology potentially enables a new generation of miniaturized electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Sound Waves Power Advances in Smart Materials

High-frequency sound waves can be used to build new materials, make smart nanoparticles, and even deliver drugs to the lungs for painless, needle-free vaccinations.

Facility Focus: Worcester Polytechnic Institute

WPI supports research in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, cybersecurity, and fire safety.

Wearable Device Captures Cancer Cells from Blood

By capturing more cancer cells than blood draw screening, this device could help doctors understand a tumor’s biology and make decisions about treatment.

Infrared Imaging by Ultrathin Nanocrystal Layers

The demand for detecting infrared (IR) light, invisible to human eyes, is constantly growing, due to a wide variety of applications ranging from food quality control and remote sensing to...

Light-Based “Tractor Beam” Assembles Materials at the Nanoscale

The size and shape of the nanostructure can be controlled as it is assembled piece by piece.

This Advance May Enable 2D Transistors for Tinier Microchip Components

Atomically thin materials are a promising alternative to silicon-based transistors; now researchers can connect them more efficiently to other chip elements.

Ultra-Thin Terahertz Source Paves the the Way to Next Generation of Communication Tech

Physicists from the University of Sussex have developed an extremely thin, large-area semiconductor surface source of terahertz, composed of just a...

Nanosized Foldable Robots

The machines fold themselves within 100 milliseconds and can flatten and refold thousands of times.

Tattoo Made of Gold Nanoparticles Revolutionizes Medical Diagnostics

Color changes of gold nanoparticles under the skin reveal concentration changes of substances in the body.

A Better Way to Measure Acceleration

Researchers have developed a millimeter-thick accelerometer.

Nanotransistors Stay Cool at High Voltages

The transistors enable power converters to perform at substantially improved efficiencies, especially in high-power applications.

Nanowire Could Provide a Stable Superconducting Transistor

The technology could boost quantum computers and other superconducting electronics.