Academic literature on the topic 'Macdiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology'

Paul Callaghan will be remembered internationally for many seminal contributions to the foundations of magnetic resonance imaging as applied to the rheological analysis of a series of real world materials – paints, gels, polymer solutions – and at home in New Zealand as the leading physical scientist of his day, who became a familiar science communicator through popular books, a radio programme and the promotion of high technology as a part of the New Zealand economy. Apart from his time as a research student in Oxford (1970–75) and short stays abroad, Paul undertook all his research in New Zealand, and was a passionate and effective advocate for New Zealand science. His direct and continuing legacy for condensed matter science in New Zealand was his leadership in the foundation in 2002 of the multi-university MacDiarmid Institute devoted to research in advanced materials and nanotechnology, which he led through its first five years and into its second phase. In later life he was the founder of Magritek, a company manufacturing the specialist magnets needed for resonance imaging and spectroscopy.

Some of the activities of the Project Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Engineering (PC-NAE), a joint initiative of the Greek National Center for Scientific Research Demokritos and the Russian Research Center Kurchatov Institute, in advanced manufacturing engineering are briefly outlined, focusing onto some recent trends and developments in manufacturing from macro-, micro-, to nanoscale of advanced materials in the important engineering topics nowadays from industrial, research and academic point of view: nanotechnology/ultraprecision engineering and advanced materials under shock loading, with industrial applications to net-shape manufacturing, bioengineering, energy and transport.

Objectives. Nanoelectronics is concerned with the development of physical and technological foundations for the creation of integrated circuits comprised of elements whose topological dimensions do not exceed 100 nm. Nanotechnology includes the creation and use of materials, devices and technical systems whose functioning is determined by their nanostructure, i.e., comprising ordered fragments ranging from 1 to 100 nm in size. The present research is aimed at developing a concept for training highly qualified specialists in the field of nanoelectronics and nanotechnologies on the example of the Department of Nanoelectronics of the Institute of Advanced Technologies and Industrial Programming at the MIREA - Russian Technological University.Methods. Promising approaches for supporting the educational process within the nanoindustry are analyzed and compared.Results. Three fundamental components of education in the field of nanoindustry can be distinguished: physical (the study and search for new promising physical effects); materials science, related to the study, search, and synthesis of new advanced materials; informatics (including mastering of modern software packages and programming languages for modeling a wide range of nanoindustry elements and materials).Conclusions. All three fundamental components of education within nanoindustry have been effectively implemented by combining scientific laboratories and centers at the Department of Nanoelectronics. After graduating from the Department of Nanoelectronics, graduates can work for leading scientific institutes and technical organizations in Russia, intern at specialized organizations in neighboring and other countries, teach at leading universities, and start their own knowledge-intensive business.

Nanotechnology is a recent technology which is used in all industry sectors. In the oil and gas industry, this technology is commonly used due to its importance in solving the problems encountered while drilling operations and production stages. Nanotechnology can be used to improve the drilling process by adding nano-materials to drilling fluids in order to reduce drilling problems. This research is extended to previous research that published in journal of petroleum research and studies to compared the effect of nano-materials [Commercial nano-materials Multi Walled Carbone Nano Tube (MWCNT) and nano silicon oxide (SiO2) with nano-silica (rice husks, that prepared in PRDC labs) on water base drilling mud properties]. All characterization tests were achieved by the Nanotechnology and advanced materials researches center it is belongs to the University of Technology. The investigated properties of drilling mud included rheological properties and filtration. All tests are conducted according to API specifications (American Petroleum Institute). The results show an improvement in the rheological properties (plastic viscosity, yield point, apparent viscosity and gel strength) and filtration after adding the commercial MWCNT, nano silicon dioxide(Sio2) and the prepared nano-silica (rice husks) to the water based mud. The results of plastic viscosity of MWCNT,Sio2 and nano silica(rice husks) are 12,20,8 cp after adding 0.7 gm to the water base mud while the amount of filter is 11.8 ml after adding nano particle size of MWCNT , nanoSio2 and 11.6 after adding nano silica(rice husks). The prepared nano silica (rice husks) gave results similar to the results of the commercial nano silicon dioxide (SiO2). Therefore, using of nano silica (rice husks) can be cost effective due to producing these materials locally instead of using the commercial nano SiO2.

Throughout human history, any society’s capacity to fabricate and refine new materials to satisfy its demands has resulted in advances to its performance and worldwide standing. Life in the twenty-first century cannot be predicated on tiny groupings of materials; rather, it must be predicated on huge families of novel elements dubbed “advanced materials”. While there are several approaches and strategies for fabricating advanced materials, mechanical milling (MM) and mechanochemistry have garnered much interest and consideration as novel ways for synthesizing a diverse range of new materials that cannot be synthesized by conventional means. Equilibrium, nonequilibrium, and nanocomposite materials can be easily obtained by MM. This review article has been addressed in part to present a brief history of ball milling’s application in the manufacture of a diverse variety of complex and innovative materials during the last 50 years. Furthermore, the mechanism of the MM process will be discussed, as well as the factors affecting the milling process. Typical examples of some systems developed at the Nanotechnology and Applications Program of the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research during the last five years will be presented in this articles. Nanodiamonds, nanocrystalline hard materials (e.g., WC), metal-matrix and ceramic matrix nanocomposites, and nanocrystalline titanium nitride will be presented and discussed. The authors hope that the article will benefit readers and act as a primer for engineers and researchers beginning on material production projects using mechanical milling.

Abstract Innovative devices and tools for exposure assessment and remediation play an integral role in preventing exposure to hazardous substances. New solutions for detecting and remediating organic, inorganic, and mixtures of contaminants can improve public health as a means of primary prevention. Using a public health prevention model, detection and remediation technologies contribute to primary prevention as tools to identify areas of high risk (e.g. contamination hotspots), to recognize hazards (bioassay tests), and to prevent exposure through contaminant cleanups. Primary prevention success is ultimately governed by the widespread acceptance of the prevention tool. And, in like fashion, detection and remediation technologies must convey technical and sustainability advantages to be adopted for use. Hence, sustainability – economic, environmental, and societal – drives innovation in detection and remediation technology. The National Institute of Health (NIH) National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Superfund Research Program (SRP) is mandated to advance innovative detection, remediation, and toxicity screening technology development through grants to universities and small businesses. SRP recognizes the importance of fast, accurate, robust, and advanced detection technologies that allow for portable real-time, on-site characterization, monitoring, and assessment of contaminant concentration and/or toxicity. Advances in non-targeted screening, biological-based assays, passive sampling devices (PSDs), sophisticated modeling approaches, and precision-based analytical tools are making it easier to quickly identify hazardous “hotspots” and, therefore, prevent exposures. Innovation in sustainable remediation uses a variety of approaches: in situ remediation; harnessing the natural catalytic properties of biological processes (such as bioremediation and phytotechnologies); and application of novel materials science (such as nanotechnology, advanced membranes, new carbon materials, and materials reuse). Collectively, the investment in new technologies shows promise to reduce the amount and toxicity of hazardous substances in the environment. This manuscript highlights SRP funded innovative devices and tools for exposure assessment and remediation of organic, inorganic, and mixtures of contaminants with a particular focus on sustainable technologies.

IUPAC is a global, scientific organization that contributes to the worldwide understanding of chemistry and the chemical sciences. It is certainly true that young chemists are shaping our science, and it is important for IUPAC to provide encouragement to our young colleagues. IUPAC accomplishes this goal through the IUPAC Prize for Young Chemists. This prestigious annual prize honors four to five chemists for important and outstanding research carried out during recent Ph.D. studies. The work is mainly judged on the basis of a 1000-word essay which is supported by recommendations from the senior scientist(s) with whom the candidate collaborated.As immediate Past President of IUPAC, I have had the pleasure of chairing an international prize selection committee of eminent chemists with a wide range of expertise in chemistry that adjudicated essays from 36 applicants from 19 countries. Reading these outstanding essays provided a wonderful overview of new trends in chemistry. Due to the large number of excellent candidates, it was not an easy task to pick the winners, but in the end the committee arrived at a unanimous decision and awarded the 2009 IUPAC Prize for Young Chemists to the following five chemists:- Faisal A. Aldaye, McGill University, Montréal, Canada; "Supramolecular DNA nanotechnology: Discrete nanoparticle organization, three dimensional DNA construction, and molecule-mediated DNA self-assembly"- Christopher Bettinger, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; "Synthesis and microfabrication of elastomeric biomaterials for advanced tissue engineering scaffolds"- Xinliang Feng, Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Mainz, Germany: "C3-symmetric discotic liquid-crystalline materials for molecular electronics: Versatile synthesis and self-organization"- Xing Yi Ling, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands: "From supramolecular chemistry to nanotechnology: Assembly of 3D nanostructures"- Shengqian Ma, Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA; "Gas adsorption applications of porous metal–organic frameworks"Each winner received a cash prize of USD 1000 and a trip to the 42nd IUPAC World Chemistry Congress, which took place in Glascow, Scotland, 2-7 August, 2009. Here the winners had the opportunity to present their work, which is an important stage of any research project. The prize winners also were invited to submit manuscripts on aspects of their research for publication in Pure and Applied Chemistry (PAC). It is a pleasure to see that all five prize winners have taken advantage of this offer. The result is five refereed papers which contain critical reviews of high quality and appear in PAC.Finally, it is an honor and a pleasure to congratulate each of the winners (and their supervisors) for winning the 2009 IUPAC Prize. It is IUPAC's hope that each of them has been encouraged to continue to do exciting research that will contribute to a bright future for the molecular-based sciences, which are so important for our common future.Bryan R. HenryIUPAC Immediate Past President and Chair of the IUPAC Prize Selection Committee

AbstractWith the progress in nanotechnology, the importance of nanodimensional standards is increasing. Realizing nanodimensional standards requires multiple types of high-precision microscopy techniques. The National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ), one of the research domains in the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), is developing nanodimensional standards using atomic force, transmission electron, and scanning electron microscopes. The current status of nanodimensional standards in NMIJ is introduced herein.

The SSHARE project will develop innovative self-sufficient envelope for buildings aimed at net zero energy, thereby contributing to the European technology. Envelope is a combination of two breaking through technologies: HUNTER-Humidity to Electricity Convertor and Advanced Radiant Panel for Buildings that will cool or heat the building, depending on the time of year, imitating perspiration of living beings and using only water as both thermal and electric energy supply. Successful realization of the project is assured by implementing a coordinated network of knowledge sharing in materials science, chemistry and mechanical engineering; by solidifying the state-of-the-art understanding in nanoelectronics and energy efficiency, and by applying bottom-up nanoengineering approaches via an international and inter-sector collaboration of highly qualified researchers from Portugal, Spain, Ukraine, Belarus, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research Russian Federation. Technological (panels fabrication) as well as fundamental (renewable energy) issues will be assessed by this multidisciplinary consortium. This paper explains the basis and principles for the development of a new generation of building materials and hence the creation of net zero building. Sharing the culture of research and innovation, the SSHARE project will allow applying recent advancements in nanotechnology science and mechanical engineering to address ““Plus Energy Houses”” EU 2050 concept.”.

The importance of nanotechnology standardization is to reach the main topic in developing standards, which is “uniformity in manufacturing and facilitating the commercialization of nano-products.” According to this goal, activities on standardization in nanotechnology have been started in Iran, where development of nanotechnology is assigned to National Nanotechnology Committee of Iran. This committee is working under direct supervision of presidency office. As written in the committee’s official website [http://www.nano.ir], one of the long term goals of this movement, according to the “fourth development program of Iran” is to reach appropriate share of world trade based on nanotechnology. For this purpose standard developing and quality management system is needed for facilitating industrial and technological cooperation and decreasing costs raised from quality unawareness. So our workgroup has selected nanotechnology standardization as one of its research topics. We have studied current state of different active countries in this field and find out that one can categorize these activities into two major groups, General and Specific. The general activities refer to those looking from the regulatory and nomenclature point of view. In the other side specific activities have done according to local contracts signed between manufacturers, organizations and business start-ups. As examples of the activities started in Iran we can mention: 1. Establishing National Laboratory Network for Nanotechnology by National Nanotechnology Committee of Iran. 2. Collaboration of the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran (ISIRI) with, International Standard Organization (ISO) for starting the new Nanotechnology TC (technical committee). Today, Iran is one of the 23 active members of ISO TC 229 on Nanotechnologies. 3. Academic research on standardization of measurement procedures used for nano-scale materials. We have gathered or proposed in our research some opportunities specifically for Iran, which may also be helpful for other developing countries to enhance their market position in the upcoming era of nanotechnology. These proposals can be listed as below: 1. Establishing a national committee for managing and regulating of nanotechnology standards; 2. Starting nanotechnology technical committee in Iranian Standard and Industrial Research Organization; 3. Actively collaborating with other countries and international standard institutes, insisting on the country’s core competencies; 4. Introducing Iran’s specific needs to international standard institutes; 5. Equipping national laboratories; 6. Collaborating with international laboratory networks; 7. Developing specific standards based on casual contracts; 8. Activation of researchers to focus on measurement procedures and methods; 9. Participation in regional seminars and workshops and initiation of such activities. With paying attention to these activities, we can find the opportunity of holding a highly referenced database and information center for nanotechnology related commerce. To organize the “nanotechnology technical committee” inside the ISIRI [http://www.isiri.org/], which is responsible for all standardization activities in Iran, we decided to follow the common inter organizational disciplines of this institute, but we suggested assigning 2 or 3 members of this committee, despite others, as full time members. These members would track international standardization activities, and would be the administrators of such activities within Iran. Actively collaboration with other countries and international standard institutes, insisting on the country’s core competencies, would have lots of benefits for country. Taking into consideration that, there is no comprehensive and global accepted nano-standard in the world, through these efforts we can introduce our main interested topics of standardization to international standard institutes (e.g. during our correspondences with Dr. Hatto from UK committee for standardization in Nanotechnologies, we received an offer to notice them our priorities in Nano-standards). To do so, ISIRI has announced his full support of new ISO TC on Nanostandards. To be able to play an appropriate role in this field, having laboratories with advanced equipments is something essential. Because of the reason that these facilities are costly, we decided to take the advantages of National Laboratory Network for Nanotechnology. The laboratories within this network can support nanostandardization process through measurement at nano scale, identifying characterization of nano structures and materials, and their physical and chemical properties (for more information about this network you can visit the following website http://nanolab.nano.ir). Having a well-known and advanced national laboratory network, Iran can provide services to other countries too, and also can become a member of international laboratory networks to develop it activities. The other activity that Iran is interested in is to take part in joint works with international standard making organizations to develop specific standards (e.g. characterization of nanoparticles in ceramics industry). After developing such standards they could be certified through authority standard making organization. Universities also can play an active role in nanotechnology standardization from different aspects. For instance they can do surveys to study priorities of country in this field, and also can study on measurement at nanoscale, characterization of nanomaterilas, test method subjects and etc. Also, some activities in this field have been done in some first rated universities in the country. Participating in regional seminars and making good connections between scientists who are working at this task is another way to have a good background about nano standardization and developing special standards in nano technology. Scientists can co-work in regional universities and laboratories and they can present their research results in such kind of seminars. The goal of such program is making a new task in science and a good relationship between researchers who are working at laboratories on nano standardization and governments. Developing specific standards based on casual contracts makes our universities, laboratories and industries strong for developing standards for special cases. Being strong in such contracts give our industries and universities a powerful goal for developing standards in special cases. Equipping national laboratories and Collaborating with international laboratory networks gives our industries and universities a wide range of abilities for making precision measurements and being in touch with other institutes. The researchers and engineers can use the results of each laboratory for their researches and measurements. In this way the special contracts can be stronger and appearance of Iran in seminars, workshops and commercial relations will be more effective. One of the most important decisions can be finding a proper industry in Iran which can compete in world trade. For this kind of industry using nano materials as the primary materials or in other steps of process and developing standards will be very helpful. This kind of researches will helpful for developing a long range policy for nanotechnology in Iran.