Medical nanotech could find unconventional oil - tech - 30 August 2010 - New Scientist

Medical nanotech could find unconventional oil - tech - 30 August 2010 - New Scientist: "THE oil industry, operating on a gigantic scale, might seem at first sight to have little to learn from the intricacies of medical diagnosis and therapies. Yet nanotechnology developed for medical applications could form a model for ways of exploiting oil reserves that conventional methods cannot reach."

Unprecedented look at oxide interfaces reveals unexpected structures on atomic scale

Unprecedented look at oxide interfaces reveals unexpected structures on atomic scale: "ScienceDaily (Aug. 5, 2010) — Thin layers of oxide materials and their interfaces have been observed in atomic resolution during growth for the first time by researchers at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, providing new insight into the complicated link between their structure and properties."

Nanotechnology for water purification

Nanotechnology for water purification: "Writing in the International Journal of Nuclear Desalination, researchers at the D.J. Sanghvi College of Engineering, in Mumbai, India, explain that there are several nanotechnology approaches to water purification currently being investigated and some already in use. 'Water treatment devices that incorporate nanoscale materials are already available, and human development needs for clean water are pressing,' Alpana Mahapatra and colleagues Farida Valli and Karishma Tijoriwala, explain.

Water purification using nanotechnology exploits nanoscopic materials such as carbon nanotubes and alumina fibers for nanofiltration."

Engineering researchers simplify process to make world's tiniest wires

Engineering researchers simplify process to make world's tiniest wires: "Nanowires are so tiny that a human hair would dwarf them -- some have diameters 150 billionths of a meter. Because of their small size, surface tension that occurs during the manufacturing process pulls them together, limiting their usefulness. This is a problem because the wires are seen as a potential core element of new and more powerful microelectronics, solar cells, batteries and medical tools.

But in a paper in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces now online, a University of Florida engineering researcher says he has found an inexpensive solution."

Nanomaterials poised for big impact in construction

Nanomaterials poised for big impact in construction: "ScienceDaily (July 28, 2010) — Nanomaterials are poised for widespread use in the construction industry, where they can offer significant advantages for a variety of applications ranging from making more durable concrete to self-cleaning windows. But widespread use in building materials comes with potential environmental and health risks when those materials are thrown away."