The Weekly Roundup

Jeff Wacker, a futurist with Plano-based Electronic Data Systems Corp., said the evolution of nanotech into the consumer arena will be marked by three phases. "I think there's the mild, I think there's the wild, and I think there's the magical," he said. At the "mild" end of the scale in the next few years are lighter, stronger, frictionless and more efficient upgrades to existing materials, such as in airplane wings, solar panels and batteries.

At the "magical" conclusion, 10 years or more down the road, consumers can expect to see nano assemblers, minuscule factories using billions of molecule-size machines to build nearly any product imaginable out of a pile of raw materials.

RR: Another deep thinker who believes, as many others do, that advances in the nanosciences will lead to molecular manufacturing.

To learn more, visit: http://crnano.org/

From: Small molecules, big impact
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=21916


Nanostellar, Inc., a leader in nano-engineered catalyst materials, today announced a first in diesel emissions technology: the introduction of gold as an oxidation catalyst. Nanostellar's NS Gold™ catalyst enables manufacturers of light- and heavy-duty diesel engines to reduce noxious emissions by as much as 40 percent more than existing pure-platinum catalysts at equal cost. Nanostellar introduced its first-generation product, based on a platinum and palladium alloy, in mid-2006, and it achieved 25%-30% higher performance than commercial pure-platinum catalysts. NS Gold™, Nanostellar's second-generation product, delivers a further 15%-20% performance increase.

RR: This is great news for the environment. As oil and gas prices rise and concern for the environment turns to action, expect to see technologies like this begin to make a difference.

From: Nanostellar Introduces Gold in Oxidation Catalyst That Can Reduce Diesel Hydrocarbon Emissions by as Much as 40 Percent More Than Commercial Catalysts
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=21935


FriCSo, Inc., a developer and manufacturer of environmentally friendly technology and polymer-based devices that create a friction reduction nanolayer on moving parts, today announced that a test conducted by the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology found that FriCSo's Surface Engineering Treatment (SET) highly reduces particulate matter emissions, increases engine mechanical efficiency, and reduces fuel consumption.

RR: ditto my previous comment.

From: New Nanolayer-based Technology Highly Reduces Engine Emission and Improves Fuel Consumption
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=21933


The use of nanotechnology is an innovation in the development of surface coatings, particularly in relation to UV absorbing and penetration. In meeting this challenge, Nanovations has introduced a new VOC-free technology for clear impregnating wood protection.

RR: Nanovations has recently released several new nanotech-enabled products. See http://www.nanovations.com.au/ then click on Products.

From: Nanovations introduces surface protection for woods
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=21999


There seems to be an arms race going on among nanotechnology investment and consulting firms as to who can come up with the highest figure for the size of the "nanotechnology market". The current record stands at $2.95 trillion by 2015.

RR: An excellent article! Michael Berger debunks the hyper-hyped “trillion dollar” figures being casually thrown around. “…trillion-dollar forecasts for an artificially constructed ‘market’ are an irritating, sensationalist and unfortunate way of saying that sooner or later nanotechnologies will have a deeply transformative impact on more or less all aspects of our lives.”

From: Debunking the trillion dollar nanotechnology market size hype
http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=1792.php


Billionaire investor Wilbur Ross, who has made most of his money restructuring failed companies in such unglamorous industries as steel, coal, and most recently, textiles, is not the kind of guy to jump on the latest technology fad. Therefore, when someone like Ross begins investing in nanotechnology, I believe it serves as further validation that the technology is moving into the mainstream.

RR: Jack Uldrich (Access Team member -- access-nanotechnology.com/our-team.htm) sums it up nicely “My point here is that Ross is not a venture capitalist. He is a practical, experienced businessman with a great nose for turning around companies. If he's investing in nanotech, it's not because he thinks it's a fad, but because he thinks there's great value in these companies.”

From: Nanotech Wins a Convert
http://www.fool.com/investing/high-growth/2007/04/18/nanotech-wins-a-convert.aspx


"Nanotechnology could not only change our whole economy and the quality of life of Russian people, but can also drastically change all our perception about modern warfare." Sergei Ivanov, Russian first deputy prime minister
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070419/63937318.html

Russian President Vladimir Putin has urged the government to ensure the effective spending of the major funds that will be invested in the development of nano-technologies. “This is a line of business the state will spare no effort or funds to develop,” Putin said at a conference devoted to the development of this branch of science. “The question is how to ensure this be arranged for properly and the funds be spend (sic) effectively. He said nanotechnology will lay the groundwork for new weapon systems, both offensive and defensive.

Russia is currently concentrating material and human resources to produce arm systems based on nanotechnologies, President Vladimir Putin said.
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=22063

Russia will pour over US$1 billion (€740 million) in the next three years into equipment for nanotechnology research as it uses massive oil and gas export earnings… Ivanov predicted that 90 percent of nanotechnology developments would be used for civilian purposes and 10 percent for military purposes. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/18/technology/EU-TEC-Russia-Nanotechnology.php

RR: This one is pieced together from three articles. Given the thousands of scientists at large in Russia, combined with the billion dollar investment, expect to see significant progress in the nanosciences.



Since the 1960s, the best way to isolate precise instruments like atomic-force and scanning-tunneling microscopes along with fab tools from vibration was passive air tables that support weight on a cushion of air. A recent alternative is using active electronic feedback to send cancelling forces that damp out oscillations in springs.

RR: Good news on the “tools” front.

From: 'Negative stiffness' used to damp vibrations
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=22059


A domestic water filter that uses metal nanoparticles to remove dissolved pesticide residues is about to enter the Indian market. Its developers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Chennai (formerly Madras) believe it is the first product of its kind in the world to be commercialized. 'Based on consumption patterns of a typical Indian household, the filter is designed to have enough nanomaterials to provide 6000 litres of pesticide-free water for one year,' Pradeep said. 'After that, the company will recycle the filters to recover the silver.'

RR: At an estimated cost of £115 ($230) it may find difficulties entering the US market in any quantity. I can buy water that has been micron filtered, UV irradiated, charcoal and reverse osmosis filtered for 25 cents per gallon at the local food mart. At $230 for the filter, it would cost about $7 per gallon, which may be an acceptable figure for areas with pesticide residue problems.

From: Pesticide filter debuts in India
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=22073


Nanoexa announced today that its subsidiary Decktron will combine technologies to develop lithium batteries that will outperform currently available batteries. The batteries could end up in plug-in electric hybrid vehicles.

RR: Yet another entry in the rapidly expanding list of companies that are vying for king of the nanotech-enabled battery market. Given the incentives (think global warming, massive pollution, and peak oil) I don’t doubt that before the dust settles there will be many more companies trying to cash in on this seemingly lucrative market.

From: High-Performance Batteries Could Solve Energy Storage Problem for HEVs
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=22046


G24 Innovations Limited (G24i), a Cardiff -based company that aims to revolutionise solar power by leading the development of extremely lightweight, flexible solar cells, is to sponsor a competition with students from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design to design a product that uses the company's cutting edge technology.

RR: Good news, and another indicator that alternative energy technologies are being taken seriously.

From: Cardiff sponsors solar energy contest
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=22045


Curcumin, an element found in the cooking spice turmeric has long been known to have positive effects against certain types of cancer. Effective treatments based on curcumin however have been limited due to its poor dissolving capabilities in water based substances, leading to low absorption rates when ingested. Researchers affiliated with the Institute for NanoBioTechnology at Johns Hopkins University report to have overcome this problem by encapsulating free curcumin with a polymeric nanoparticle, creating nanocurcumin.

RR: I find it encouraging that scientists continue looking to nature in an effort to deal with one of mankind’s most deadly killers. Add “nanocurcumin” to your list of nano-things to watch.

From: Polymer Coated Curcumin Promises Effective Against Cancer
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=22076


The ability to eliminate waste and toxins from production processes early on, to create more efficient and flexible solar panels, and to remove contaminants from water, is becoming an exciting reality with nanotechnology. This "green nanotechnology" involves designing nanoproducts for the environment and with the environment in mind.

RR: Live webcast, Thursday, April 26, 2007, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

From: Green Nanotechnology: It’s Easier Than You Think
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=22051


The global search for a sustainable energy supply is making significant strides at Wake Forest University as researchers at the university's Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials have announced that they have pushed the efficiency of plastic solar cells to more than 6 percent.

RR: Given the rising cost of silicon, couple with the need for alternative energy sources, efficient plastic solar cells (should they become more efficient and/or cheap) may make, as they say “plastic devices the photovoltaic of choice.”

From: Plastic solar cell efficiency breaks record at WFU nanotechnology center
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=22027


Industrial Nanotech, Inc. (Pink Sheets:INTK), an emerging global leader in nanotechnology, announced today that it has entered into negotiations with a Fortune 100 company for the incorporation of the Company's patented nanotechnology based coating, Nansulate®, into their products. The Company estimates the value of the project to be approximately 4.5 million dollars annually once an agreement is reached.

RR: These guys are everywhere with their insulation product. Keep an eye on them as they break into new industries.

From: Industrial Nanotech, Inc. Enters Negotiations with Major Electronics Manufacturer
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=22009


For custom reports on nanotech and cleantech news and developments, please contact me at rocky at access-nanotechnology.com

Contact me at the same address to discuss a complimentary evaluation of your project needs. Or visit http://access-nanotechnology.com/

The Weekly Roundup

Here are some of the news bits that caught my eye this week:

Students from the competition's NanoFresh group had their own innovative ideas. The team presented a water purifying mechanism designed for backpackers, travelers and commercial facilities such as schools and offices. According to team member Lyle Kaplan-Reinig, a fourth-year chemical engineering major, the group's goal for the product was for it be an easy-to-use household mechanism that eliminates harmful carcinogenic compounds found in tap water.

The first-place winner of the final competition will receive $10,000 to start up their business. Another $23,000 will be given out for the various other prizes.

RR: This is a great way to generate the next batch of technologies and products. Enable our country’s best and brightest young minds with a little cash incentive. While the dollar amounts are low, they do serve as an incentive, and are, at the very least, a step in the right direction. Anything we (the previous batches of "young minds") can do that serves to set free these young minds will be to our benefit.

From: Contest Finalists Display Inventions
http://www.dailynexus.com/article.php?a=13762


It’s a big feat of the tiniest proportions. Simon Fraser University’s Nano Imaging Lab has produced the world’s smallest published book. At 0.07 mm X 0.10 mm, Teeny Ted from Turnip Town is a tinier read than the two smallest books currently cited by the Guinness Book of World Records.

RR: This latest nanotrek (an adventure into the nanoscale) serves to illustrate our ever-expanding ability to control the nanoscale.

From: Nano lab produces world’s smallest book
http://www.sfu.ca/mediapr/news_releases/archives/news04110701.htm
image here: http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=1773.php


Deformable, spherical aggregates of metal nanoparticles connected by long-chain dithiol ligands self-assemble into nanostructured materials of macroscopic dimensions. These materials are plastic and moldable against arbitrarily shaped masters and can be thermally hardened into polycrystalline metal structures of controllable porosity. In addition, in both plastic and hardened states, the assemblies are electrically conductive and exhibit Ohmic characteristics down to 20 volts per meter. The self-assembly method leading to such materials is applicable both to pure metals and to bimetallic structures of various elemental compositions.

RR: Yes, I know, that paragraph is a mouthful. What it means to me is that once again we’ve discovered a new way to create materials that may enable a whole new range of products. Harkening back to The Graduate, the phrase "I just want to say one word to you -just one word. ‘Plastics’" comes to mind, only this time with a nanotech twist. Our understanding of the nanoscale, and the often-unique phenomena found there, is looking more and more likely to enable a new generation of plastics. This news bit is just one of many recent articles that supports that assumption.

From:
Plastic and Moldable Metals by Self-Assembly of Sticky Nanoparticle Aggregates
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=21888


The stretching alignment technique is applicable to a broad range of SWNT experiments where orientation is important, particularly in optics. The work should further our current understanding of how nanotubes interact with light, with important practical applications in optical sensing and the manipulation of individual nanotubes using electromagnetic fields.

RR: Getting nanotubes to do what we want remains one of the main logjams in commercializing products that incorporate them.

From: Stretching exercises shed new light on nanotubes
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=21886


NCR Corp. is spinning off a new company that is developing a technology capable of combating the counterfeiting of cash, pharmaceuticals and military parts, the new company's CEO said Thursday.

Prime is developing a nano-technology that has its origins in NCR labs, Ricci said. Essentially, the process — known as LumID or luminescent identifier — creates very tiny glass beads with "chemical tags" allowing whatever has been embedded with the beads to be accurately identified, he said.

RR: Anti-counterfeiting may prove to be one of the nanotechnologies that brings greater public acceptance to an often contentious yet unrelated group of advanced technologies. Several stridently vocal anti-technology groups have been tarring all nanotechnologies with the same brush, effectively and unfairly equating those that may have downsides to all others.

From: NCR spins off company to combat counterfeit cash
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=21883



Civil Society-Labor Coalition issues an open letter to the international nanotechnology community at large:To All Interested Parties:We, the undersigned, submit this open letter to the international nanotechnology community at large. We are a coalition of public interest, non-profit and labor organizations that actively work on nanotechnology issues, including workplace safety, consumer health, environmental welfare, and broader societal impacts.

RR: The Civil Society-Labor Coalition weighs in on the latest proposal by DuPont Chemical Company (DuPont) and Environmental Defense (ED) for "a voluntary ‘risk assessment’ framework for nanotechnology." Yes, they do make some good points, such as "Nanotechnology’s rapid commercialization requires focused environmental, health and safety research, meaningful and open discussion of broader societal impacts." However, saying "We strongly object to any process in which broad public participation in government oversight of nanotech policy is usurped by industry and its allies" is putting the cart before the horse; why does the DuPont/ED framework necessarily mean that broad public participation will go by the wayside? Of course it doesn’t, and there are efforts, here and abroad, to engage the public (visit www.nanotech-now.com/preparing-for-nanotechnology.htm to read about some of them). Are those efforts enough? I don’t know, and neither (I suspect) does the Civil Society-Labor Coalition.

From: Activist groups reject DuPont-ED nanotechnology risk framework
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=21875


Mihail Roco, the National Science Foundation's senior advisor for nanotechnology and key architect of the National Nanotechnology Initiative, visited Rice's Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology (CBEN) this spring for a three-day conference on nanotechnology-enabled water treatment. During his visit, Roco discussed the conference, CBEN and the future of U.S. nanotechnology with Rice News' Science Editor Jade Boyd.

RR: This bit goes to illustrate a beneficial use of one nanotechnology; the treatment of water. I recommend this article be read in full. Roco doesn’t sugar-coat the need to prepare for potentially negative environmental effects, and in fact, he’s speaking at the leading R&D center that was created just for that purpose, and talks about the need to prepare.

From: The future of nanotechnology
http://www.media.rice.edu/media/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=9459&SnID=193827417


The year is 2027 and you're feeling decidedly unwell. Suspecting something a little more sinister than a common cold, your GP takes a sample of your saliva with a small dipstick-shaped implement coated in sensitive high-tech nanoparticles.

The colour change of the nano-particles instantly identifies the nature of the problem. The bad news is that you have a potentially debilitating genetic disease. The good news is that your doctor can quickly prescribe a customized treatment: several billion specialized nanoparticles which will enter your bloodstream and modify the offending gene at the molecular level.

RR: This ties in nicely with my "Interview with NanoTumor Center" – see (1), and "Nanomedicine at Johns Hopkins" – see (2), and "Nanomedicine Today" – see (3). And don’t be surprised to see these and other "nanomedicines" well before 2027.

From: Nano scientists make huge advances
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=21853

(1) http://nanoscale-materials-and-nanotechnolog.blogspot.com/2007/03/interview-with-nanotumor-center.html
(2) http://nanoscale-materials-and-nanotechnolog.blogspot.com/2007/03/nanomedicine-at-johns-hopkins.html
(3) http://nanoscale-materials-and-nanotechnolog.blogspot.com/2007/01/nanomedicine-today.html


In order to assist high school students to think about the future with nanotechnology the Clarion University nanotechnology program and the art department are sponsoring a digital art contest, "Nanotechnology and the Environment for High School Students."

"The contest asks students to digitally illustrate what they think the future of nanotechnology and the environment hold. What will the effect of nanotechnology be on the environment? Will it solve our pollution and climate change problems or create environmental disasters undreamed of before? Only student creativity can tell us."

RR: This is one way to gauge public perceptions regarding nanotech.

From: Clarion University sponsors nanotechnology digital art contest
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=21796


Venture capitalist, scientist and newsletter advisor, Josh Wolfe - in The Forbes/Wolfe Nanotech Report - looks at two favorite buys in the sector. In this case, he is selecting stocks that make the high-tech tools needed by researchers involved in nanotech.

RR: Who is making money in nanotech in these early days? Tool makers, of course.

From: A trio of experts looks at nanotech
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=21791


Starpharma Holdings Limited makes and develops its products using nanotechnology. Its main drug is called VivaGel, a gel-based microbicide designed to protect women from sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. The gel has made it through Phase 1 clinical trials, and the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has even granted the drug fast-track status — and fast-track designation is nothing to scoff at.

RR: Great news, both in terms of a product that holds huge potential, and for the fact that it has received fast-tract status (meaning that the approval process could take a decade or more less time).

From: Starpharma Holdings Limited’s VivaGel on the Fast Track to the Market
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=21785


The Deal's Tech Confidential was released last week and profiled five clean technologies that venture capitalists are showing increased interest in. Here's a quick rundown on those technologies and some venture-funded startups working in each area…

RR: Another positive indicator that clean technologies are starting (finally!) to garner the investment attention they deserve. Does anyone really not understand that we need more than one solution to all the problems generated by our use of and addiction to foreign oil?

From: 5 clean technologies drawing intense VC interest
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=21770


For custom reports on nanotech and cleantech news and developments, please contact me at rocky at access-nanotechnology.com

Contact me at the same address to discuss a complimentary evaluation of your project needs. Or visit http://access-nanotechnology.com/

Important Quotes

Over the past 8+ years I have been gathering quotes that have a bearing on nanotechnology. Be they on investments, the ethics of advanced technologies, or forecasts and predictions, I have collects thousands of relevant quotes from individuals in business, government, academia, and the private sector.

Recently I put together a series of these quotes for my Access Team website "To help convey the most critical notions and core assumptions about nanotechnology and molecular manufacturing..." including these:

"As an emerging science in its infancy, nanotechnology promises the nano-scale manufacture of materials and machines made to atomic specifications. The impact of nanotechnology on our way of life is widely believed to reach profound and hitherto unimagined levels in the coming decades. Proposed changes include clean abundant energy, pollution-free and inexpensive production of superior defect-free materials, complete environmental restoration and cleanup, safe and affordable space travel and colonization, and quantum leaps in medicine leading to perfect health and immortality. As a result of these advances, we anticipate the obsolescence of nearly all of today's industrial and economic processes by the first half of the new century, leading to global and radical changes in life style, finance, law, and politics."

~Behfar Bastani and Dennis Fernandez
From Intellectual Property Rights for Nanotechnology

Starting around 2010, workers will cultivate expertise with systems of nanostructures, directing large numbers of intricate components to specified ends. One application could involve the guided self-assembly of nanoelectronic components into three-dimensional circuits and whole devices. Medicine could employ such systems to improve the tissue compatibility of implants, or to create scaffolds for tissue regeneration, or perhaps even to build artificial organs."

~Mihail C. Roco, Senior adviser for nanotechnology to the National Science Foundation and a key architect of the National Nanotechnology Initiative

"Over the next ten years, the fields of chemistry, physics, material sciences, biology, and computational sciences will converge in a way that will define nanotechnology and impact almost every industry, including computers, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, defense, health care, communications, transportation, energy, environmental sciences, entertainment, chemicals, and manufacturing. Previously distinct disciplines will also combine: medicine and engineering, law and science, art and physics, etc. This merging will result in developments that are not simply evolutionary; they will be revolutionary."

~Jack Uldrich & Deb Newberry

Read this collection in full, here:
www.access-nanotechnology.com/quotes.htm

Visit Nanotechnology Now (nanotech-now.com) to read new quotes each week (left column, home page)

The Weekly Roundup

Starting this week I will dedicate Friday’s post to a recap of the week’s news that grabbed my attention.

Here are the news bits and press releases that caught my eye this week.

Stealth Inkjet Printer Startup Could Rock Industry – March 22, 2007

"…a nanotech-fueled, consumer inkjet printer that can print sixty pages a second for under $200 has successfully demonstrated the technology. … Company executives have said they feel that they can ship an 8x10 color inkjet by the end of 2008 that will cost less than $200 and print 60 pages a minute."

"The Memjet technology uses a series of individual MEMS-based inkjet nozzles, fabricated using conventional semiconductor manufacturing techniques. Each chip measures 20 millimeters across and contains 6,400 nozzles, with five color channels, the company said. A separate driver chip calculates 900 million picoliter-sized drops per second. For a standard A4 letter printer, the result is a total of 70,400 nozzles."

RR: Two points here: 1) this technology, should it pan out, represents a huge leap in printer capabilities while at the same time a huge decrease in price performance, and 2) it also demonstrates Ray Kurzweil’s now famous Law of Accelerating Returns, which states: "An analysis of the history of technology shows that technological change is exponential, contrary to the common-sense "intuitive linear" view. So we won't experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century -- it will be more like 20,000 years of progress (at today's rate). The "returns," such as chip speed and cost-effectiveness, also increase exponentially. There's even exponential growth in the rate of exponential growth."

Nanotechnology companies team up – March 22, 2007

"The Houston nanotechnology company founded by Rice University Nobel laureate Richard Smalley and a California firm that plans to use nanotubes to build better electronics are merging, the companies will announce today.

The move will unite the world's leading producer of carbon nanotubes, Carbon Nanotechnologies, and Unidym, a company that can use them to make better television, phone and computer screens and other electronics."

RR: Is this the model that will finally put nanotubes on the consumer products map? Perhaps, but considering the number of nanotube manufactures and the fact that not one of them has lived up to the hype regarding price, functionalization and separation, perhaps not. Stay tuned.

Speaking of hype, one final quote from the article "We're at the brink of the really high-value applications" said CNI chief Bob Gower, who likened the world-changing potential of nanotubes to the Internet. "This is truly disruptive technology."

Researcher’s Light Body Armor May Save Soldiers’ Lives – March 22, 2007

"…a composite manufacturing process to create lightweight body armor using nanotubes that protects a soldier's legs, arms and head. Metal traditionally has been used for such protective gear, but lightweight composites materials such as the ones produced by Okoli now can be used in place of heavier metals, he said."

RR: New technologies have always (and seemingly will always) represent a double-edged sword, which can be used in peaceful as well as military applications. In this case, let’s consider the fact that the use of nanotubes will be for saving lives in a time of war, and by extension, in times of peace when used by police forces and civilians.

They did get one thing wrong in the article: "Nanotubes are derived from buckminsterfullerene…" Actually, nanotubes are distinctly different from buckyballs, and are "derived" from sources other than C60 (1) (you don’t use C60 to make nanotubes, although they are both composed of carbon atoms). Nanotubes represent another way that carbon atoms can be arranged; in this case in a tube rather than a sphere. In "science guy" talk, nanotubes are allotropes of carbon (2), and members of the fullerene family, as are buckyballs.

To read the complete articles, see:
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=21388
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=21364
http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=21400

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_nanotube#Synthesis
(2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allotropes_of_carbon

Interview with Neil Gordon of the Canadian NanoBusiness Alliance

Today I would like to share with you an interview I did with my friend and colleague Neil Gordon. Neil is the president of the Canadian NanoBusiness Alliance (CNBA). Neil specializes in nanotechnology commercialization and global initiatives.

In their own words, the CNBA is “a nanotechnology association and facilitator,” with a duel mission:

1. To establish a Canadian National Nanotechnology Initiative including the creation of commercially-oriented nanotech hubs, the promotion of nanotechnology in Canada, and the promotion of Canadian nanotechnology capabilities internationally.

2. To develop major nanotechnology initiatives across the globe.

RR: What are your concerns regarding a nanotechnology-enabled military and/or homeland security department?

With all of the amazing progress made by humankind during the twentieth century in political, social, technological and economic endeavors, it is maddening to accept that military and homeland security must take such a prominent role in our society today. That being said, the nanotechnology community has a unique opportunity to help our government agencies develop technologies to better protect human life and dignity, along with the values we believe in. My biggest concern is the long time duration for characterizing the specifications to defend against new types of threats, then develop, test and deploy better systems that meet these unprecedented requirements.

RR: What is being done vs. what (in your opinion) should be done to prepare for advanced nanotechnologies and their use by the military and homeland security departments?

The technology and end-user communities along with their funders need to better coordinate new standards, specifications, development plans and investments to reduce the time for new solutions coming to market. One example where this coordination is taking place is CANEUS. CANEUS is a NASA-led initiative between multiple government agencies in the US and allied countries, and with the private sector that is coordinating “collaborative” investments and developments of Micro-Nano-Technologies (MNTs) for the aerospace industry.

Read the entire interview here http://www.nanotech-now.com/products/nanonewsnow/issues/027/027.htm#Gordon

Exploring Tomorrow – A Report from the World Future Society

The following are five forecasts from The World Future Society and its magazine THE FUTURIST.

Social and Technological Forecasts for the Next 25 Years

Forecast #1: Hydrogen fuel cells will be cost competitive by 2010. The cost of power via fuel cell is dropping rapidly-from $600,000 per kilowatt-hour in the 1970s to $1,200 today. By 2012, fuel cell power is expected to cost around $400 per kilowatt-hour. It would then be competitive with every type of power. Fuel cells will power cars and allow each home to have its own non-polluting electricity generator.

Forecast #5: Speculation in hydrogen energy stocks could create an investment bubble, as happened with the Internet. When investors see the huge potential of hydrogen energy, the stocks of companies with promising technologies may skyrocket to unsustainable levels.

Forecast #6: Ocean Currents May Surpass Wind as an Energy Source. Turbines driven by ocean currents could generate four times more electricity than windmills. At one site alone-in the Channel Islands off the coast of France-the potential electricity could match that produced by three nuclear power plants.

Forecast #8: Weapons of mass destruction will be even easier to obtain over the next 15 years. Terrorists may move from bombs to creating havoc on the cellular level. The weapons of the future-genetic engineering and nanotechnology-require neither large facilities nor mass materials.

Forecast #9: The convergence of genetic engineering, nanotechnology and robotics will allow humans to change their bodies in profoundly new ways. In the next 15 years, people may be able to rearrange their genes to change their physical features, extend their lifespan, merge their brains with computers and their bodies with robots, among many other remarkable developments.

I bring these to your attention because nanotechnologies play an enabling role in each scenario.

Specific to nanotechnology, they also offer these forecasts for the next 15 years:

Two to five years from now:

1. Car tires that need air only once a year.
   
2. Complete medical diagnostics on a single computer chip.
   
3. Go-anywhere concentrators that produce drinkable water from air.
   
   Five to 10 years:
   
   
4. Powerful computers you can wear or fold into your wallet.
   
5. Drugs that turn AIDS and cancer into manageable conditions.
   
6. Smart buildings that self-stabilize during earthquakes or bombings.
   
   10 to 15 years:
   
   
7. Artificial intelligence so sophisticated you can't tell if you're talking on the phone with a human or a machine.
   
8. Paint-on computer and entertainment video displays.
   
9. Elimination of invasive surgery, since bodies can be monitored and repaired almost totally from within.
   

I highly recommend reports from the WFS as well as membership. There are very few sources of credible information about the future, and fewer still at the rate WFS charges.

For details, visit www.wfs.org/foresight/

(Full disclosure: I was not paid for or otherwise compensated for this endorsement.)

Advanced materials, Pt. I

Another area that my consulting team helps clients with is advanced materials. So today, I will recap news about nanotechnologies and materials. As this is a major area within “nanotechnology” I will cover it on a monthly basis.

These bits span the period December 30, 2006, through January 12, 2007.

ENTA (the European Nanotechnology Trade Alliance) announced a free and confidential service for UK companies. The service assists companies in reporting data on engineered nanoparticles to the UK government, in an effort to insure that the particles are developed safely.

SDCmaterials announced the appointment of Joseph R. Bronson to its Board of Directors.

Paul Hansma, Patricia Turner and Rodney Ruoff announced their paper “Optimized adhesives for strong, lightweight, damage-resistant, nanocomposite materials: new insights from natural materials.” Nanotechnology 18 (2007) 044026 (3pp).

NanoComp was featured in an article touting their nanotube advances. They have the ability to weave them into fibers and fabric; very attractive technologies for the military. (http://www.nanocomptech.com/)

Researchers at MIT and GKSS Research Center (Germany) announced shape-memory polymers that are able to change shape based on their temperature. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17116879)

University of Minnesota researcher Andreas Stein (and team) reports that they have developed a new technique for creating nanoscopic cubes and spheres of silicon dioxide. They are now able to de-construct larger structures to get the shape they want. (http://www.chem.umn.edu/groups/stein/)

University of Dayton Research Institute announced a $15 million contract with the US military for composite-based armor for vehicles. They expect that if all goes well the new armor will be available next year. Companies involved include TPI Composites and Armor Holdings Inc. The materials they create for the military are expected to show up in civilian applications such as wind turbine blades, automobile bodies, containers, and other areas where light weight and high strength are essential. (http://www.udri.udayton.edu/)

“A team of researchers from ETH Zurich in Switzerland and Zhejiang University in PR China have demonstrated nanorobotic spot welding using single-crystalline copper-filled CNTs inside a transmission electron microscope (TEM).” (http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=1192.php)

University of Pennsylvania research physicist A.T. Charlie Johnson reports on nanotube/epoxy mixes that may lead to stronger glues. (http://www.lrsm.upenn.edu/~nanophys/)


Please contact me at rocky at bir-consulting.com for detailed reports on this or any other "nanotech" area, including advanced materials, nanomedicine, energy, cleantech, etc.

Clean Energy, Pt. 1

One of the areas that my consulting firm has expertise in is clean energy systems, especially where nanotechnologies are incorporated. As such, one of the things I will do in this blog is keep you updated on what’s happening in this area.

The following is a snapshot of news for the period January 13 - 26, 2007.

Researchers at MIT have developed a lithium battery that can charge or discharge in about 10 minutes. (RR: this is actually “old news” in that the announcement was first made in February 2006. It has, however, been getting a lot of press lately, due in my opinion to the real potential of their discovery)

See http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2006/battery-hybrid.html for more.


The EU announced £36 billion for R&D into “areas ranging from information and communication technology to energy and space research.” Specifically, £2.3bn to nanotechnology and £1.5bn energy.

See http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/research/notes/story/0,,1990832,00.html for more.


EPSRC awarded University of East Anglia £208,000 “to improve hydrogen storage in solid form using nanotechnology.”

See http://www.e4engineering.com/Articles/297749/Power+pack.htm for more.


“Industrial Nanotech, Inc. (Pink Sheets:INTK), a Company that specializes in nanotechnology innovation and product development, today announced that, at the request of the U.S. Government's Center For Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), the Company has agreed to expand the capabilities of its planned manufacturing facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to include the production of specialty advanced materials for certain undisclosed US Government agencies.”

See http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=19722 for more.


“GE Global Research, the centralized research organization of the General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), today announced a promising breakthrough in nanotechnology that provides a direct pathway to making nanoceramic materials from polymeric precursors. Developing processes and a greater understanding of nano-engineered ceramics could lead to future applications in aviation and energy, where products such as aircraft engines and gas turbines could one day achieve new levels of efficiency, reliability and environmental performance.”

See http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=19724 for more.


“A joint Japanese research group from the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology has developed a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) that can operate with high efficiency at relatively low temperatures of around 500-650 C.”

See http://www.fuelcellsworks.com/Supppage6749.html for more.


Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced $30 million for the Helios Project, “a $120 million research facility where experts in genetics, nanomaterials and other fields design new photovoltaic cells and harness the methods that nature uses in plants, insects and microbes to turn sunlight into energy.”

See http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2007/January/18/local/stories/04local.htm for more.


Advanced Diamond Technologies, Inc. (ADT) received $500,000 Phase IIB SBIR from the NSF for the continued development of diamond-enhanced mechanical seals for pumping applications. DOE estimates trillions of BTUs saved annually if the technology plays out.

See http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=19822 for more.


Luna Innovations Incorporated was awarded $4 million by the USAF for R&D, including next-generation solar cells.

See http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=19827 for more.


Oak Ridge National Laboratory is working to transform fuel for engines. They will study highly reactive metal nanoparticles. “With a modified engine and a tankful of metal, they predict that an average saloon car could travel three times as far as the equivalent petrol-powered vehicle.”

See http://www.centralchronicle.com/20070123/2301302.htm for more.


Plextronics, Inc., recieved $750,000 from the Sustainable Energy Fund (SEF) of Central Eastern Pennsylvania. Funds to go towards R&D on Organic solar cells.

See http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=19864 for more.


“The University of South Carolina will launch its 7-week long Citizens’ School of Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technology (CSFC&HT) on Feb. 5.”

See http://www.techjournalsouth.com/news/article.html?item_id=2570 for more.


University of Minnesota Prof. Eray Aydil and his team are working on solar cells.

See http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/breaking_news/16545780.htm for more.


DayStar Technologies Inc., received $5 million. Daystar is a solar cell manufacturer. Investors include Michael Dura of Guilderland/PreX Capital Partners LLC, Millennium Partners LP, and others not announced.

See http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=557415&category=BUSINESS&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=1/26/2007 for more.


Industrial Nanotech announced order for Nansulate by JatroDiesel to insulate refineries.

See http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=19984 for more.


Please contact me at rocky at bir-consulting.com for detailed reports on this or any other "nanotech" area, including advanced materials, nanomedicine, energy, etc.

2057 – A Review

Why I liked the series, or “What they got right”

First and foremost, LIFE WILL BE DIFFERENT! Nearly everything we do, nearly every experience we have, will be shaped by paradigm-shifting new technologies. Materials will be lighter, stronger, and functionalized. The way we work with information will be exponentially enhanced. Many things will be automated, including health monitoring and tracking. Should you choose, it will be an always-on interconnected society.

They also got right that privacy will be an issue. With the ever-decreasing size (and cost) and increasing functionality of sensors, it is absolutely believable that in 2057 we’ll be constantly surveiled, at home, at work, and in public. Is this a good or bad thing? I don’t know, although I tend to think it is something we should spend time considering, starting now. (1)

Screening, diagnosis, monitoring, treatment of disease, and emergency care will undergo a radical change in the next 50 years. Given the very rapid advances in the use of nanoparticles for medicine, I would be very surprised if by 2057 if cancers were not simple-to-treat short-term illnesses, like the common cold is today. In fact, I’d be surprised if this were not the case by 2020, given the pace of advances being made. (2)


What they got wrong

There was no mention of molecular manufacturing. My guess is they left it out because there is controversy surrounding the idea that we will soon be able to construct common objects using individual molecules (controversy which seems unreasonable given advances in nanoscale science). Omitting the likelihood that in 50 years we won’t have molecular manufacturing seems to suggest that they were avoiding the topic; there is ample science to support the idea that among the other advances depicted, molecular manufacturing should have been included.

Holographic pets: My friend (and futurist) Brian Wang says it this way: “I thought the holographic sharks would be visual pollution. They should have those only visible to the user. Feed the image to the retina or via some non-invasive communication feed to the brain. I also failed to see the economic benefits.” I agree. Can you imagine walking through a packed mall (will we still have them?) and everyone around you has a holographic projection following them?

Conspicuous by its absence was quantum computing (QC). As Brian Wang goes to great lengths to point out (in his blog) QC is happening now. When I asked him to speculate on near-future advances, he said “I think on the low end they should have thousands of qubits able to simulate thousands of quantum molecules (in the 3 to 5 year timeframe) against simulations of 50-100 molecules with similar precision.”

Hyper-efficient solar panels: This one seems pretty obvious to anyone tracking advances in this area. There are several technologies currently on the drawing board (or more precisely, in university and business labs) that look very promising. By promising I mean likely to achieve huge improvements in their sunlight-to-energy conversion rate. Today’s technologies allow for conversion rates that are almost good enough to compete toe to toe with coal, nuclear, and other traditional energy generation technologies. Were I a betting man, I’d place a large percentage of my dollars on photovoltaics (PV). In fact, of all the nanotechnologies, solar/PV is one of the areas where I will be placing my bets.


What I hope to see, or “wouldn’t it be nice, if?”

(And just as important, I also believe that these are likely, many of them earlier than 2057)

The Hand-comp (the 2057-version of the personal computer/cell phone/PDA)
Self-guided, networked cars
Custom-built organs from scratch
Space Elevator and tethered research stations
Smart Houses
Information transfer at predictable increases
Artificial blood


Things I am leery of, or “can’t we have all the rest, without this?”

An oil shortage that brings the US and China to the brink of war (and possibly beyond). How about, instead, we start funding alternate energy technologies at a rate equal to or exceeding that which goes towards supporting oil? As I said in my last post, can you imagine being free from the idiocy surrounding the use of petroleum?


In Closing

The last sentence on the 2057 “About the Show” page states: “This series is all about opening the window of our future based on science fact, not science fiction.”

Mostly I’d agree.

My bottom line in regards to this series: it was well worth the 3-hour watch. At worst, it will get more people asking questions about the technologies depicted; stimulating the debate by adding more stakeholders is a good idea. At best, it will get more people asking questions about the technologies depicted…


To learn more about possible futures, visit:
2005 BT Technology Timeline

And a nice collection at DMOZ http://dmoz.org/Society/Future/Predictions/


(1) David Brin presents an interesting and compelling argument with
The Transparent Society: Will Technology Force Us to Choose Between Privacy and Freedom (I highly recommend this book.)

Synopsis: David Brin, in The Transparent Society, acknowledges that privacy, as we know it, is being slowly eaten away day by day. Entire cities are falling under the watch of surveillance cameras; "nanny monitors" that allow parents to keep an eye on the people who are watching their children are becoming more common in households with children. However, instead of calling for restrictions on this surveillance, he argues for a more open society from both sides -- one in which those in power would be required to adhere to the same "openness" standards as their constituents, where the authorities are monitored as well as monitoring.

(2) According to the National Vital Statistics Report (Vol. 53, No. 15, February 28, 2005), 13 of the top 15 killers in the US are medical related. I would be very surprised to see any of the 13 medical reasons in the top 10 in 2057 as anything other than a minor contributing factor. See http://origin.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr53/nvsr53_15.pdf

2057

Last night I watched 2057 – The World. 2057 is a Discovery Channel production, featuring Michio Kaku as "guide."

The theme for the 2057 programs is technologies that will most change the world in the next 50 years. Included among those technologies are those that we talk a lot about on this blog: nanoscale materials, solar energy, nanotubes for space applications, and others.

In The World, the primary theme is the development of super efficient solar cells (being done in a lab 250 miles above the Earth’s surface, tethered like a space elevator), and a growing conflict between the US and China over oil. Not wanting to spoil the plot for you, I’ll stop there, and say that this is a great production, with excellent CGI, descriptive narration, and real world examples of today’s technologies.

I highly recommend that you add this one to your list to watch.

In a future blog note I’ll review the other two programs in the series: The City, and The Body.

To learn more about this program, visit:
http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/2057/about/about.html

Muddying the waters

The History channel is rerunning a 2004 episode titled “Doomsday Tech” in which they profile 4 scenarios, including gray goo.

If you want to learn about nanotechnology and molecular manufacturing, don’t count on this program for instruction; it is both confusing and incomplete.

If, however, you want to learn more about global warming, peak oil, nuclear Armageddon, a new ice age, this looks like a good program to watch.

They point out that the “stunning level of technological progress human beings have achieved in a very short time” has a dark side “we’ve reached a pivotal moment in human history when we as a species possess technologies that could destroy us.”

Yes, gloom and doom; but what did you expect with that title?

Not all of it though: they also discuss alternate energy in the forms of wind power, solar power, tidal (wave) power, hybrid cars, geothermal and hydrogen (fuel cells), so it’s not all a bad trip.

My earlier point about not counting on this program to learn about nanotech starts with scenario #4: Gray Goo. Everybody that has paid attention to this issue knows that gray goo is more of a public perception issue rather than a scientific one. My friends at the Center for Responsible talk about this issue in depth at Grey Goo is a Small Issue (www.crnano.org/BD-Goo.htm). To put it in plain terms, molecular manufacturing doesn’t need self-replicating nanorobots (a.k.a. free-floating autonomous assemblers, as was highlighted in the program).

Much more important and likely molecular manufacturing "bad news" scenarios include (but are not limited to) this list, compiled by CRN:

Economic disruption from an abundance of cheap products
Economic oppression from artificially inflated prices
Personal risk from criminal or terrorist use
Personal or social risk from abusive restrictions
Social disruption from new products/lifestyles
Unstable arms race
Collective environmental damage from unregulated products
Black market in nanotech (increases other risks)
Competing nanotech programs (increases other risks)
Attempted relinquishment (increases other risks)

Back to the program. I also find fault in the way they use “nanotechnology” and “molecular manufacturing” interchangeably, as if the terms meant the same thing. At one time they did, but the day is long since past when old-school scientists and industry co-opted the term “nanotechnology” and rewrote its definition to mean “materials in the .1 nm to 100 nm range, which often exhibit unique properties.” Whereas “molecular manufacturing” means “the building of complex structures by mechanochemical processes.”

Their descriptions (backed by background images of a nanofactory) serve only to further confuse an already confusing subject. At one moment they talk about tiny robots, and at another about super strong materials.

And not once do they talk about the nanofactory, which is featured prominently as background animations.

All in all, a very confusing portrayal of a very important topic; one which left me disappointed with an organization known for its unbiased and accurate programs.

Don’t get me wrong, I did like the information about the first three scenarios. They seem to follow conventional wisdom, and present it in no scarier terms than other portrayals I have seen and read.

One thing I took away from the program, which I watched three times, was a closing quote by Sir Martin Rees:

What we’re seeing in this century is new technologies, which produce greater risk and greater opportunities. We have to insure that we can harness the opportunities and avoid the risks of misuse.

His quote absolutely applies to molecular manufacturing.

To learn more about nanotechnology and molecular manufacturing, visit:

What is Nanotechnology? - http://www.crnano.org/whatis.htm

What are the benefits? - http://www.crnano.org/benefits.htm

What are the dangers? - http://www.crnano.org/dangers.htm


You can buy the video here http://store.aetv.com/html/product/index.jhtml?id=74178 or watch your listings for a repeat of the program.

Military Nanotechnologies

In November 2003, I interviewed Professor Ned Thomas, Director of the Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (ISN).

The importance of what he said then bears review again, today.

Here is an excerpt:

RR: What are the greatest challenges facing the creation of the products necessary for the "soldier system of the future?"

NT: Basic research is the forte of universities, and I think MIT is a pretty good one to do basic science and engineering, and to come up with breakthrough discoveries. But that isn't something a soldier can use - that's a discovery, it's a proof-of-concept. So we have industrial partners, and the way that ISN is structured is that we have a number of industry partners that were chosen because of their portfolio of technical abilities and manufacturing capabilities which complement our basic research capabilities.

The customer is the Army - really the individual soldier. So how do you get this guy something that he can wear and break, and come back and tell you "I like it, but make it do this, and make it less that." So you need to be able to make some prototypes and so forth. Universities don't build prototypes and we don't manufacture anything - that's industry stuff. So we have a number of industrial partners - Raytheon and DuPont are two of the big ones who know how to make stuff. Raytheon, for example, is a systems-integrator, so if you think about the soldier as a system, that's the right way to do it, not to think of them as a Christmas tree, where each thing you give them is a separate system. When you hand them this radio and it weighs 20 pounds, nobody thinks much about "How does that affect the rest of what he takes?"

If you're working on an airplane, and you come up with a new design for a landing gear, and you change the weight of the plane by 20 pounds, everybody cares. The avionics guys, the hydraulics guys, the power guys, the fuel guys, all of those guys say "Whoa, whoa, whoa! A 20 pound change in the weight of the plane - why are you doing that? It's affecting me!" So they see it as an integrated system, where any change, anywhere, affects everything. So of course that happens to the soldier too - the guy is affected by whatever you do to him, but nobody much thought about it that way. They would say "Here's a cool thing, carry this," and actually the guy has to carry either this, or he drops something else - he has to make choices. So integrating it, and trying to make all these different capabilities work together, can (help them to) take advantage of one another - they're synergistic rather than antagonistic. This is kind of the over-arching big view of how you pull this all together, and that's a huge challenge, because people like to go off and do their thing, and come up with a great new tool, like a medical monitor. And medical monitoring would be wonderful if you think of the civilian-side uses. When Grandma gets old, she doesn't have to go into the nursing home, she can stay at home, and her bodily functions and physiological conditions are monitored and wirelessly communicated back to some monitoring station that says "Glucose levels too low - Grandma needs to take her medication." So you send her an email to remind her. Or maybe if she's incapacitated you send a nurse to her home and to take care of her. So having an ability to monitor physiological status would be terrific.

Imagine all those guys that went into the World Trade Center, and knew where every one of them was all the time and what condition they were in. Then you know which guys you can rescue, which guys are still alive, etc. That's unbelievably valuable for fire and police and first-responders. Now, at the same time that you are doing this, supposing that all this wireless cool stuff is giving away their position - if you're a soldier, you don't want to be broadcasting "I'm over here!" - it's not just about physiological monitoring, its all these other things that have to be optimized at the same time." So it's back to the airplane-metaphor - yeah it's a great new landing gear, but how does that help us with our fuel and other issues relating to flying the plane?


Read the entire interview here


MIT's Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (ISN)
http://web.mit.edu/isn/index.html

Nanotubes, Pt III

Credit: Peihong Zhang. From the lab of Prof. Vincent H. Crespi “…nanotubes are the strongest fibers known.” See a video presentation

As a result of the research I have been conducting on carbon nanotubes for one of my clients, I can make the following observations:

     In the time since my 2003 survey (1), there are now a lot more varieties of nanotubes and nanotube-based products (resins and composites) being sold and used.

     In general, prices have gone down. However, certain varieties remain very expensive, and none are “industrial quantities” cheap.

     You can now buy bulk nanotubes in the $5 - $8 per gram range. They won’t be “pure.” They will, however, give you an opportunity to “play” with them without breaking the bank. (When you view the 2003 survey you will note low cost nanotubes; by and large these were small quantity lots, not kg quantities as is available today.)

     Purity is definitely an issue; most producers of nanotubes now sell them based on “percent pure.” The higher the purity the higher the cost, well above $1,000 per gram in many cases.

     Purity is related to “what percent is nanotubes and what is impurities” as well as “what percent is a certain type of nanotube, while the remainder is another.”


In recent conversations with one of the leading nanotube researchers and one of the leading visionaries of nanotube-enable products, I came away with a couple insights:

     Nanotubes will be a huge part of the advanced materials world where strength and weight are primary concerns.

     Given recent progress in production increases and reasons to believe separation issues will be solved soon, use of nanotubes in consumer products and military applications should start to take off within the next year or so. (For instance, CNTs are being added to most Li-ion batteries produced in Japan, and the US military has several near-future applications being jointly developed by industry, university and government labs.)

The visionary closed our conversation with “We can't talk publicly about what we are doing yet but, yes, 2007 will be an interesting year.” When their news hits the streets, expect big, bold headlines.


(1) http://www.nanotech-now.com/nanotube-survey-april2003.htm