nanotubes tagged posts

The nozzle firing a jet of carbon nanotubes with helium plasma off and on. When the plasma is off, the density of carbon nanotubes is small. The plasma focuses the nanotubes onto the substrate with high density and good adhesion. Credit: NASA Ames Research Center

New method can deposit nanomaterials onto flexible surfaces such as paper or cloth and 3-D objects.. The technique could make it easier and cheaper to build devices like wearable chemical and biological sensors, flexible memory devices and batteries, and integrated circuits.

One of the most common methods to deposit nanomaterials- such as a layer of nanoparticles or nanotubes -onto a surface is with an inkjet printer similar to an ordinary printer found in an office. But inkjets can’t print on textiles etc, let alone 3-D objects...

After shaking, the oil and water in the vial separate, trapping unwanted nanomaterials in the bottom of the oil layer. Credit: Michigan Tech, Sarah Bird

Nano implies small – and that’s great for use in medical devices, beauty products and smartphones – but it’s also a problem. All these tiny particles get into our water and are difficult to remove. Now, researchers have a novel and very simple way to take the nanomaterials out. The tiny nanoparticles, nanowires, nanotubes and other nanomaterials that make up our technology eventually find their way into water. The Environmental Protection Agency says more 1,300 commercial products use some kind of nanomaterial. And we just don’t know the full impact on health and the environment.

Instead, shaking up oil and water traps the nanomaterials, ...