Nantero, Inc., a nanotechnology company using carbon nanotubes for the development of next-generation semiconductor devices, has resolved all of the major obstacles that had been preventing carbon nanotubes from being used in mass production in semiconductor fabs.
Nantero is developing NRAM™ –a high-density nonvolatile random access memory device. NRAM™ is a ‘universal memory’ that is slated to replace all existing forms of storage, such as DRAM, SRAM and flash memory. The revenue potential for NRAMTM, adds up to over $100B when replacing the memory in applications such as cell phones, MP3 players, digital cameras, and PDAs, as well as in networking applications. NRAMTM will also enable the instant-on feature in computers which will eliminate the initialization period when computers are turned on. NRAM™ can be manufactured both as standalone devices and as embedded memory in application- specific devices such as ASIC and microcontrollers.
The companies that will benefit if NRAM succeeds.
Harris & Harris (Nasdaq: TINY)
LSI Logic (NYSE: LSI)
On Semiconductor (Nasdaq: ONNN)
Memory chips based on the technology were in “pre-producton” in 2006 and should be out sometime in 2007
They are on production fabs
February 06, 2007
Telescoping nanotubes offer new option for nonvolatile memory
Design of the telescoping carbon nanotube in three positions: (a) equilibrium, (b) inner nanotube in contact with right electrode, and (c) inner nanotube in contact with left electrode. An applied electrostatic force pulls the inner nanotube to the desired position. Credit: Jeong Won Kang, et al.
When one hollow nanotube is inserted into a second (slightly larger) nanotube, scientists can achieve a rapid telescoping motion that can be applied to binary or triple digit memory for future molecular-scale computers.
With platinum electrodes, the scientists’ simulation achieved switching times of around 10**-11 seconds, and data erasing times of around 10**-12 seconds—very competitive with top designs. Jiang and Jeong Won Kang have designed a device that could provide both nonvolatile RAM and terabit solid-state storage based on these telescoping nanotubes.
Jiang said. “It is likely that a functioning prototype of a molecular processor will be demonstrated in the next two to three years, but commercialization will face many challenges, such as the lack of infrastructure for mass production.”
Manmade protein from amino acids not found in natural proteins
Manmade proteins could help scientists design drugs that look and act like real proteins but won't be degraded by enzymes or targeted by the immune system, as natural proteins are.
Structure of the Zwit-1F beta-peptide bundle as determined by x-ray crystallography. The bundle contains eight copies of the beta-peptide Zwit-1F with parallel and antiparallel helices in like and unlike colors, respectively. Credit: Douglas S. Daniels
Schepartz and colleagues built the short protein, or peptide, from â-amino acids, which, although they exist in cells, are never found in ribosomally produced proteins. â-amino acids differ from the alpha-amino acids that compose natural proteins by the addition of a single chemical component—a methylene group—into the peptide backbone.
“The fundamental insight from this study is that â-peptides can assemble into structures that generally resemble natural proteins in shape and stability,” Schepartz said. She added that their findings about the structure of the molecule that she and her colleagues synthesized will help scientists construct more elaborate â-peptide assemblies and ones that possess true biologic function.
Schepartz and colleagues now want to try to bind metal ions to the Zwit1-F structure. Metal ion binding would enable the researchers to begin designing enzymes based on the â-peptide, she explained. “We're also interested in generating versions that can assemble in membranes, as a first step toward making transmembrane proteins composed of â-amino acids,” she said.
This paper shows that protein-like folded structures can be formed by molecules that are protein-like but have chemically distinct backbones. This is conceptually similar to recent demonstrations by Eschenmoser, Herdewijn, Benner, etc., that many nucleic acids that are chemically distinct from RNA and DNA can still form base-paired duplexes. In both cases, the implication is that biology uses its standard macromolecules not because they are uniquely suited to their tasks, but at least in part because of other considerations, such as ease of synthesis, or possibly historical accident."
Structure of the Zwit-1F beta-peptide bundle as determined by x-ray crystallography. The bundle contains eight copies of the beta-peptide Zwit-1F with parallel and antiparallel helices in like and unlike colors, respectively. Credit: Douglas S. Daniels
Schepartz and colleagues built the short protein, or peptide, from â-amino acids, which, although they exist in cells, are never found in ribosomally produced proteins. â-amino acids differ from the alpha-amino acids that compose natural proteins by the addition of a single chemical component—a methylene group—into the peptide backbone.
“The fundamental insight from this study is that â-peptides can assemble into structures that generally resemble natural proteins in shape and stability,” Schepartz said. She added that their findings about the structure of the molecule that she and her colleagues synthesized will help scientists construct more elaborate â-peptide assemblies and ones that possess true biologic function.
Schepartz and colleagues now want to try to bind metal ions to the Zwit1-F structure. Metal ion binding would enable the researchers to begin designing enzymes based on the â-peptide, she explained. “We're also interested in generating versions that can assemble in membranes, as a first step toward making transmembrane proteins composed of â-amino acids,” she said.
This paper shows that protein-like folded structures can be formed by molecules that are protein-like but have chemically distinct backbones. This is conceptually similar to recent demonstrations by Eschenmoser, Herdewijn, Benner, etc., that many nucleic acids that are chemically distinct from RNA and DNA can still form base-paired duplexes. In both cases, the implication is that biology uses its standard macromolecules not because they are uniquely suited to their tasks, but at least in part because of other considerations, such as ease of synthesis, or possibly historical accident."
February 05, 2007
India's plan for energy independence
India needs 400GW of power in 2030 thanks to the Thorium energy forum and Kirk Sorensen for pointing it out
Kalam said that hydroelectric capacity can be increased to 80,000 MW, solar energy to 55,000 MW, wind energy 64,000 MW and nuclear power plants have a target of 50,000 MW capacity. The remaining gap of 15,000 MW can be conveniently filled using solid bio mass and municipal waste, he pointed out. India is now targeting to establish coal-based units with an overall capacity of 56,000 MW by 2030.
Kalam said that hydroelectric capacity can be increased to 80,000 MW, solar energy to 55,000 MW, wind energy 64,000 MW and nuclear power plants have a target of 50,000 MW capacity. The remaining gap of 15,000 MW can be conveniently filled using solid bio mass and municipal waste, he pointed out. India is now targeting to establish coal-based units with an overall capacity of 56,000 MW by 2030.
DNA nanotechnology research from Sweden
Some ideas and work from a research group in Sweden.
Swede Grad student Björn Högberg presents info at his website.
The group is
Planning to attach a viral motor into a DNA origami setup.
Experimentally added proteins at precise points in a DNA origami setup.
Trying to add metals into DNA framework.
Trying to make building blocks from DNA.
A 127 page pdf on the DNA work he is involved in and planning.
Swede Grad student Björn Högberg presents info at his website.
The group is
Planning to attach a viral motor into a DNA origami setup.
Experimentally added proteins at precise points in a DNA origami setup.
Trying to add metals into DNA framework.
Trying to make building blocks from DNA.
A 127 page pdf on the DNA work he is involved in and planning.
February 04, 2007
Over 200 nuclear plants being constructed, planned or proposed
Businessweek indicates that nuclear players are gearing up to build more than 20 reactors in the USA Overseas, 27 plants are under way, 62 are on order or planned, and an additional 130 have been proposed.
This site has a breakdown of the reactors by country
Canada* 18 now, 2 under construction 1.54 GW, 2 planned 2 GW
China 10 now, 5 under construction 4.1 GW, 13 planned 13GW, 50 proposed, 36GW
India 16 now, 7 under construction 3.2GW, 4 planned 2.8GW, 15 proposed, 11.1GW
Japan 55 now, 2 under construction 2.3GW, 11 planned 15GW
S Korea 20 now, 1 under construction 950MW, 7 planned 8.25GW
Russia 31 now, 3 under construction 2.65GW, 8 planned 9.6GW, 18 proposed 21.6GW
This site has a breakdown of the reactors by country
Canada* 18 now, 2 under construction 1.54 GW, 2 planned 2 GW
China 10 now, 5 under construction 4.1 GW, 13 planned 13GW, 50 proposed, 36GW
India 16 now, 7 under construction 3.2GW, 4 planned 2.8GW, 15 proposed, 11.1GW
Japan 55 now, 2 under construction 2.3GW, 11 planned 15GW
S Korea 20 now, 1 under construction 950MW, 7 planned 8.25GW
Russia 31 now, 3 under construction 2.65GW, 8 planned 9.6GW, 18 proposed 21.6GW
New material stiffer than diamond
New material stiffer than diamond created
A material that is stiffer than diamond has been created by mixing particles of the mineral barium titanate and molten tin.
They mixed molten tin, heated to about 300ºC, with pieces of a ceramic material called barium titanium - often used as an insulator in electronic components. The particles were each about one-tenth of a millimetre in diameter and were dispersed evenly through the tin using an ultrasonic probe.
Once ingots of the new composite had cooled, rectangular or cylindrical samples 3 centimetres long and 2 millimetres across were tested for stiffness. The response of the samples to bending was tested by gluing one end to a strong support rod and the other to a magnet with a small mirror attached.
The new material could still have useful applications, says Spearing, perhaps for making shock-protective casings. "You might be able to make a tune-able damper that transmits force very well under certain conditions but behaves differently and is softer the rest of the time," he says
A material that is stiffer than diamond has been created by mixing particles of the mineral barium titanate and molten tin.
They mixed molten tin, heated to about 300ºC, with pieces of a ceramic material called barium titanium - often used as an insulator in electronic components. The particles were each about one-tenth of a millimetre in diameter and were dispersed evenly through the tin using an ultrasonic probe.
Once ingots of the new composite had cooled, rectangular or cylindrical samples 3 centimetres long and 2 millimetres across were tested for stiffness. The response of the samples to bending was tested by gluing one end to a strong support rod and the other to a magnet with a small mirror attached.
The new material could still have useful applications, says Spearing, perhaps for making shock-protective casings. "You might be able to make a tune-able damper that transmits force very well under certain conditions but behaves differently and is softer the rest of the time," he says
February 02, 2007
Energy Equivalence
IEEE Spectrum compares different energy sources Thanks to Kirk Sorenson at Thorium Energy discussion for pointing this out.
The world uses 1 cubic mile of oil per year now.
The world uses 1 cubic mile of oil per year now.
February 01, 2007
Light powered rotaxane molecular sorter
Led by Professor David Leigh the team from Edinburgh have designed and built a molecule, known as a rotaxane, that can move and sort particles. It took three years of painstaking work to find a molecular form that could do this job.
Advancing toward Superlenses
The Berkeley team improved their silver-film superlens by adding 35-nanometre-wide corrugations to its surface. These diffract light waves from an object's near-field, turning them into normal light waves. The superlens was able to distinguish two wires positioned just 70 nm apart – a resolution nearly three times better than that of conventional optics.
Conventional lenses can only see details roughly down to the size of half the wavelength of light. This limit is due to interference and diffraction that occurs as light bounces off an object.
A superlens gets around this limit by collecting light waves that only occur very close to an illuminated object. These "evanescent waves" contain information about at finer resolution but are hard to use because these waves decay rapidly. The nanometre-scale region in which they exist is known as the "near-field".
Being able to project the super-resolution image beyond the near-field could make the superlens much easier to use, Zheludev says. "But the lens still has to be positioned close to the object to be in its near-field," he points out.
A superlens that could focus on objects from beyond the near-field would be truly revolutionary, he adds. "There are suggestions that it's possible, but we don't know for sure.
Conventional lenses can only see details roughly down to the size of half the wavelength of light. This limit is due to interference and diffraction that occurs as light bounces off an object.
A superlens gets around this limit by collecting light waves that only occur very close to an illuminated object. These "evanescent waves" contain information about at finer resolution but are hard to use because these waves decay rapidly. The nanometre-scale region in which they exist is known as the "near-field".
Being able to project the super-resolution image beyond the near-field could make the superlens much easier to use, Zheludev says. "But the lens still has to be positioned close to the object to be in its near-field," he points out.
A superlens that could focus on objects from beyond the near-field would be truly revolutionary, he adds. "There are suggestions that it's possible, but we don't know for sure.
Large scale wind power has environmental impact
We still should make more wind power but we should perform environmental simulations. Local simulations and large scale simulations by blocking significant amounts of wind we can effect not just regional climate but larger weather patterns. This is the butterfly effect the size of Super-mothra.
Some ecologists are warning that unless we think carefully about where wind farms are sited, they could disrupt fragile ecosystems and even contribute to global warming. In 2005, the world's installed wind power generation capacity increased by 43 per cent to almost 60,000 megawatts - that's more than 12 times Ireland's total electricity demand. Almost 70 per cent of this is in Europe, and while less than 20 per cent is in North America that figure is rising rapidly. Last year alone, US companies spent $3 billion on 2300 megawatts of new wind energy capacity, bringing its total to 9149 megawatts - a little more than 1 per cent of total US generating capacity. Other countries are also catching up fast. India is already fourth in the wind-energy league table, having overtaken Denmark, and China has plans to build 5000 megawatts of wind power capacity by 2010.
Worldwide, wind energy still accounts for little more than 0.5 per cent of total electricity generation, but expectations are high. The US government believes wind could supply up to 20 per cent of the country's electricity. Other estimates are even more impressive. Last year, Christina Archer and Mark Jacobson from Stanford University in California produced a global wind-energy resource map that estimated the global potential for wind-generated energy at 72 terawatts - that's 40 times the worldwide demand in 2000.
But there is a problem. Where do you put hundreds, if not thousands, of wind turbines? The obvious answer is a windy place in the middle of nowhere. In crowded Europe, at least, that often means taking the same option as the Derrybrien developers and building wind farms on peat bogs.
"Yet peatlands represent the one land-based habitat in the world that is a major long-term carbon store. By building on peat, we release this carbon store as carbon emissions into the atmosphere."
"Peat bogs store three times as much carbon as is held in tropical rainforests"
This can happen in several ways. Peat dug out for foundations and service roads is stacked up and allowed to dry, and as it does so the carbon it contains - 55 kilograms per cubic metre - oxidises and is released into the atmosphere as CO2. Construction on peat can also lead to widespread damage of a bog's integrity.
In Europe, the main alternative to peat bog sites is to go offshore. Research into the ecological impact of offshore renewable energy developments is even sparser than for onshore projects.
Some ecologists are warning that unless we think carefully about where wind farms are sited, they could disrupt fragile ecosystems and even contribute to global warming. In 2005, the world's installed wind power generation capacity increased by 43 per cent to almost 60,000 megawatts - that's more than 12 times Ireland's total electricity demand. Almost 70 per cent of this is in Europe, and while less than 20 per cent is in North America that figure is rising rapidly. Last year alone, US companies spent $3 billion on 2300 megawatts of new wind energy capacity, bringing its total to 9149 megawatts - a little more than 1 per cent of total US generating capacity. Other countries are also catching up fast. India is already fourth in the wind-energy league table, having overtaken Denmark, and China has plans to build 5000 megawatts of wind power capacity by 2010.
Worldwide, wind energy still accounts for little more than 0.5 per cent of total electricity generation, but expectations are high. The US government believes wind could supply up to 20 per cent of the country's electricity. Other estimates are even more impressive. Last year, Christina Archer and Mark Jacobson from Stanford University in California produced a global wind-energy resource map that estimated the global potential for wind-generated energy at 72 terawatts - that's 40 times the worldwide demand in 2000.
But there is a problem. Where do you put hundreds, if not thousands, of wind turbines? The obvious answer is a windy place in the middle of nowhere. In crowded Europe, at least, that often means taking the same option as the Derrybrien developers and building wind farms on peat bogs.
"Yet peatlands represent the one land-based habitat in the world that is a major long-term carbon store. By building on peat, we release this carbon store as carbon emissions into the atmosphere."
"Peat bogs store three times as much carbon as is held in tropical rainforests"
This can happen in several ways. Peat dug out for foundations and service roads is stacked up and allowed to dry, and as it does so the carbon it contains - 55 kilograms per cubic metre - oxidises and is released into the atmosphere as CO2. Construction on peat can also lead to widespread damage of a bog's integrity.
In Europe, the main alternative to peat bog sites is to go offshore. Research into the ecological impact of offshore renewable energy developments is even sparser than for onshore projects.
Nanofibers thinner than critical diameters have more strength
Scientists at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology have shown that tiny polymer nanofibers become much stronger when their diameters shrink below a certain size. Their research, published in the January issue of Nature Nanotechnology, could make possible stronger fabrics that use less material.
Professor Eyal Zussman and Dr. Oleg Gendelman of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering are the first to propose an explanation for this surprising behavior in very thin fibers.
When the researchers measured the mechanical properties of nylon nanofibers, they found the critical diameter – the diameter at which the nylon nanofiber abruptly becomes stiffer—to be approximately 500 nanometers (about as thick as a spider web strand, or 100 times thinner than a human hair). They explained the abrupt increase in stiffness by considering the molecular structure inside the polymer fiber.
According to Zussman, each polymer nanofiber is made up of countless large, complex molecules called macromolecules. Macromolecules try to align themselves when the fiber is forming, but since they are so long and tangled, it is impossible for them to sort themselves out and align uniformly throughout the entire nanofiber. As a result, the nanofiber is a patchwork of differently oriented macromolecule regions. The researchers calculated the size of these regions to be roughly the same as the critical diameter of the nanofiber
Professor Eyal Zussman and Dr. Oleg Gendelman of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering are the first to propose an explanation for this surprising behavior in very thin fibers.
When the researchers measured the mechanical properties of nylon nanofibers, they found the critical diameter – the diameter at which the nylon nanofiber abruptly becomes stiffer—to be approximately 500 nanometers (about as thick as a spider web strand, or 100 times thinner than a human hair). They explained the abrupt increase in stiffness by considering the molecular structure inside the polymer fiber.
According to Zussman, each polymer nanofiber is made up of countless large, complex molecules called macromolecules. Macromolecules try to align themselves when the fiber is forming, but since they are so long and tangled, it is impossible for them to sort themselves out and align uniformly throughout the entire nanofiber. As a result, the nanofiber is a patchwork of differently oriented macromolecule regions. The researchers calculated the size of these regions to be roughly the same as the critical diameter of the nanofiber
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