Gizmodo: nanomaterials

Nanotech Material Never Gets Wet, Even When Wet

Mark Wilson — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:40:00 EST

Through the magic of nanotechnology (we use "magic" only ever so figuratively), chemists from the University of Zurich have developed a new fabric that never gets wet, even after being completely submerged in water for two months.

The fabric is constructed of polyester fibers that are covered in a layer of 40-nanometer-wide silicone nanofilaments. These nanofilaments are spiky and cause water to sit in a sphere above the fabric, a permanent pocket of air protected safely below.

Not only could the fabric create a self-cleaning clothing; it reduces drag in water by 20%. In other words, Michael Phelps could go without washing his bathing suit ever again—a prospect that's probably in mixed demand depending on the specific sexual orientation of the fan. [newscientist]

Nano Silver May Be Envionment's Silver Bullet

Mark Wilson — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST

The UK's Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution has recently released a report urging for more study of nano-engineered materials, warning that there is a "major gap" in our knowledge of this technology. We've covered the potential dangers of carbon nanotubes here before, but the commission also warns about nano silver, an antibacterial particle that can be found in a variety of clothing, like socks. And in fact, the commission Chair refuses to wear such clothing at all:

I wouldn't recommend nanosilver clothes and I wouldn't wear them myself. At the moment the concentrations are way below anything likely to do damage, but if it became common, it could lead to problems.

The big problems could be not just on your body directly, but what happens if the silver leaves the clothing during wash cycles. If the nano silver leaks into our water supply, it could kill good bacteria we need for purification, let alone create havoc through unpredicted effects.

The commission would like to see full disclosure of nanomaterials in manufacturing become mandatory, but they warn it could be 20 years before we have enough data to deem many of these materials safe or hazardous. [BBC via Treehugger]

Group Sues EPA For Not Regulating Nano-Silver Pollution

Elaine Chow — Sun, 04 May 2008 17:30:00 EDT

Those nano-silver socks you've been using to soak up the rank of your athlete's foot—not only are they leaching poisons into fish habitats every time you wash them, their effects on your own blood stream could be just as bad; but the EPA's not doing anything about it. Fed up by government inaction, a consumer safety group is now suing the EPA for failing to regulate nanomaterials.

Silver has long been known to have antimicrobial powers, and with nanotech (and better hygiene) being all the rage, companies have added nanoparticle silver to everything from children's toys to washing machines. But as elements get smaller, the way they react to their environments change—and nobody's sure that itty bitty silver pieces aren't going to kill us all.

Studies have already shown that nano-silver is screwing with fishes and destroying benign bacteria at wastewater facilities. The legal petition asks the EPA to regulate nano-silver as a pesticide, insist on product labels, and analyze the potential human health effects (especially on children) before allowing nano-silver goods to be sold.

So unless you absolutely have no other way of keeping things clean and smell-free, lay off the nano-silver for now, mmkay? [ICTA via NY Times]

Nanomaterial Photos As Modern Art

Elaine Chow — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EDT

Sunflowers? Nope. Actually, they're silicon oxide nanowires grown in gallium and gold catalysts — and they're only several microns in length. The photo, by Chinese University of Hong Kong professor S.K. Hark, is part of the Materials Research Society's semi-annual celebration of the most artistic and eye catching images found during the study of nanomaterials. Some choice picks after the jump.

Zinc oxide nanoneedles, colorized to resemble a traditional Chinese mountain painting.

Potassium niobium oxide deposited onto a silicon surface and photographed through an optical microscope.

Check out Wired for the rest of the pictures. [Wired]

British Navy Working on Developing Invisible Ships Using Metamaterials

Sean Fallon — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:00:19 EST

Scientists at the Britannia Royal Navy College are working hard to make the idea of an invisible ship a reality using metamaterials that refract light in such a way that it "bends" around an object, making it appear as if it were invisible. This would only account for viewing with the naked eye however—naturally radar cloaking would be an important part of the equation. However, it appears that this technology may be able to accomplish a lot more.

Chris Lavers, a senior lecturer in remote sensing and sensors technology at the college believes that nanomaterials could help render the next generation of ships invisible to the naked eye, radar, and even heat seeking missiles—all while being completely quiet and impossible to detect based on their impact on the Earth's magnetic field. This isn't the first time we have heard about invisibility cloaking using similar methods, so here's hoping that something actually comes of it in the near future. [Physics World via Gizmag]