Bayer MaterialScience has opened a new pilot facility for the manufacture of carbon nanotubes at CHEMPARK Leverkusen. The company has invested some EUR 22 million in the planning, development and construction of the facility, which is the largest of its kind in the world and has an annual capacity of 200 metric tons.

The Stanford University Biodesign Program is partnering with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) to establish a new training program called Singapore-Stanford Biodesign. This program seeks to train the next generation of Asian leaders who can develop innovative medical devices to address Asia's growing healthcare needs.

A quarter-century of academic study at the intersection of law and science was commemorated on Wednesday, Jan. 27, as the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law unveiled its new Center for Law, Science and Innovation and announced programs that will reinvent the law school's role in solving global technological challenges.

Picosun Oy, Finland-based global manufacturer of state-of-the-art Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) systems today introduced a novel sealed precursor cartridge which will revolutionize precursor handling and lower the running costs of ALD systems significantly.

Nano-sized cables made with titanium dioxide (TiO2)-coated carbon nanotubes could hold the key to developing new high-capacity batteries, report chemists in Germany and China.

About two years ago we reported on the concept of a biological nanofactory that comprises multiple functional modules: a targeting module specifically targets cells; a sensing module senses and transports raw materials that are present in their vicinity; a biosynthesis module converts raw materials to useful molecules, transport them back to the cell surface, and self-destructs upon completion of this sequence (self-destruct module).
Scientists at the University of Maryland have now demonstrated what was conceptualized in this earlier vision. Moreover they have added a quality that was not originally conceived - the nanofactory needs to have modalities that enable its own assembly. The scientists used the principles of synthetic biology to create the enzyme pathway that has as a part of it an assembly domain. Then, they used 'biofabrication' to assemble antibodies on to the synthesis domain, which enables targeting.

Hypres Inc., developer of the Digital-RF product line, achieved a significant milestone by successfully transitioning its SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) array antenna application to the SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) Phase III level with a new contract value of nearly $3M.

On 27th January 2010 the 25th series of experiments studying complex plasmas will start on board the international space station ISS. Physicists from the Max-Planck-Institute for extraterrestrial Physics in Garching, Germany, will use them to study fundamental structure forming processes to better understand what happens in liquids and solids.

Bayer CropScience will be using Fluidigm technology to conduct marker-assisted breeding, genetic analysis in its molecular breeding program and quality control on its vegetable seeds.

Elliot Scientific is pleased to announce that it has signed a distribution agreement with AKELA Laser Corporation of Monmouth Junction, New Jersey.

With all the buzz that is being created by portable e-book readers, it's worth taking a look at one of the advanced display technologies - also often referred to as electronic paper - that make these devices happen. Unlike a conventional flat panel display, which uses a power-consuming backlight to illuminate its pixels, electronic paper reflects light like ordinary paper and is capable of holding text and images indefinitely without drawing electricity, while allowing the image to be changed later. Because they can be produced on thin, flexible substrates an due to their paper-like appearance, electrophoretic displays are considered prime examples of the electronic paper category. Electrophoretic displays already are in commercial use, for instance in the Kindle or in the Sony Reader, but so far the displays are mostly black and white. There are still cost and quality issues with color displays. New work by researchers in South Korea shows that organic ink nanoparticles could provide an improved electronic ink fabrication technology resulting in e-paper with high brightness, good contrast ratio, and lower manufacturing cost.

Arkema, a world leader in multiwall carbon nanotubes and nanostructured polymers, is taking part in the Tokyo Nano tech 2010 tradeshow from February 17 to 19.

Research shows signalling between cells more complex than originally believed.

In 2010 Micromeritics will begin presenting a series of webinars that will highlight applications, theory, and instrumentation for a variety of materials characterization techniques.

Tegal Corporation, an innovator of specialized production solutions for the fabrication of advanced MEMS, power ICs and optoelectronic devices, today announced it has received an order for a Tegal 200 SE DRIE tool, equipped with the Tegal ProNovaTM ICP source, from a leading manufacturer of precision timing devices.

Veeco Instruments Inc., a leader in scientific and industrial metrology, today introduced the NT9080 Surface Metrology System, which combines non-contact white light interferometry, operator ease of use, and affordability for both expert- and entry-level precision surface measurements.

In its first feature article of 2010, SAFENANO provides a summary of key nanoEHS developments from 2009, and considers how these are likely to shape 2010 in nano.

Molecular Origami is a process that allows researchers to build nano-sized structures out of DNA (or RNA). To help illustrate the basics of DNA origami, Harvard’s Wyss Institute has created a Flash-based interactive feature that allows users to build virtual nanostructures by sequencing a simple, abstract representation of a DNA molecule and then allowing it to self assemble.

The tool, a peptide called PEG-POD, provides a vehicle for therapeutic genes and may help researchers develop therapies for degenerative eye disorders such as retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration.

New 100 micron frames, asymmetrical 9-window formats, and 10-30% lower prices available from TEMwindows.com