Nano Self-Assembly: An NSTI Executive Briefing
Move over carbon nanotubes. Another maturing vein of nano-science, "nano-structured fluids," is capturing the imagination of some of the nation's top nano researchers. The Nano Science and Technology Institute (NSTI) will for the first time, provide an international briefing on why "nano-structured fluids" research is poised to dramatically change the direction of traditional nano-materials work, in a variety of unexpected ways.
Dynamic Self-Assembly: Nano-Structured Fluids' Hidden Gold
(PRWEB)
November 1, 2004 -- Nano-structured fluids research has long been the domain of
consumer products and foods companies such as L’Oréal, Proctor and Gamble, and
Nestlé. Innovative work on next-generation consumer products such as cosmetics,
paints, ice cream, and shampoo has been based on nano-structured fluids science
for years.
"We view nano-structured fluids as a major growth area for
business and scientific development. The capability of this area of science to
unlock principals of self-assembly has the potential to greatly impact and
accelerate commercialization of nanotechnology." Said Bart Romanowicz, NSTI
executive director of technology.
But, new revelations over
nano-structured fluids' remarkable property of "dynamic self-assembly" are
bringing new nano-scientists to the table, according to Fiona Case, the Nanotech
2005 program chair for the event's first Nano-Structured Fluids symposium.
”In a fluid system, molecules, such as surfactants and block copolymers,
or larger structures such as colloids, are free to flow around and assemble
themselves into new nano-scale materials, this simply can’t happen with solids "
Case said. "And, while it has long been an area of research among foods,
chemical, oil and cosmetic companies, the implications for nano-materials, that
go into semiconductors, for instance, are only just beginning to be understood.
The broader nanotechnology community is waking up to the potential for dynamic
self-assembly in a wide range of different applications."
Probing Nano's
Secret of Self-Assembly
Just how big might "dynamic self-assembly" be to nano
materials research? Well, some top scientists believe it could be quite big, it
seems.
Researchers at Argonne National Lab's materials science division,
said, "Dynamic self-assembly [which is the spontaneous organization of materials
into complex morphologies, constitutes one of the greatest hopes to
nanofabrication's challenge to create ever smaller structures,"
Putting
money and research cycles where their mouth is, at present Argonne is conducting
research into new metal-based nano-fluids that would be used to dramatically
enhance the thermal conductivity of conventional heat transfer fluids and flow
smoothly in microchannel passages.
On the commercial side, IBM recently
highlighted the potential for block-copolymer self-assembly to create nanometer
size structures for electronics application. Elsewhere, a commercial research
project is using dynamic self-assembly to develop a new prototype paint that
would allow walls to react to changes in temperature or moisture by changing
colors.
During > Nanotech 2005Nanotech 2005, May 8-12, Anaheim, CA.
Case will chair an all-expert symposium that will further explore the
State-of-the-Art of nano-structured fluids and dynamic self-assembly The
symposium will include presentations from some of the leading academic groups,
who will introduce self-assembled nanostructured fluids (or soft condensed
matter), and share the latest developments; and also from companies who already
utilize these materials such as Proctor and Gamble, Nestle and IBM. Her goal,
she says, "is to help scientists that wouldn't normally think to talk to one
another, tap into one another's latest discoveries."
For example, Case
points out, "If I were to mention 'soft, condensed matter,' I don't think a lot
of nano materials scientists would jump up and say 'That's for me.' But, the
advances in computer modeling and simulation experiments (which will be featured
at the Nanotech2005 symposium) make it a lot easier to put the 'fluids'
scientists in the room right next to the 'materials' scientists and get them to
suddenly recognize how the one area of research is applicable to the other,"
Case said.
"With graphics and the latest computer models of these new
materials, you can get down to "First Principles" and that's where you can get
professionals across fields to suddenly understand nano-structured fluids and
self assembly, and apply it to their own work in amazing ways," she added.
Unlocking Nature's Own Nano-Construction Secrets
Taken another way,
"dynamic self-assembly" also presents principals based on Nature's own
construction approaches.
"Natural systems form nano-scale structures,"
Case points out. "Cells, bone, nerves all are structures on the length scales
interesting to those attending Nanotech 2005. " And, these natural structures
"do not require huge chemical plant and input of energy," Case said, adding:
“Nature's nano-scale structures [are formed at room temperature using the energy
released from a slice of pizza. This is because natural systems use the approach
of self-assembly in a fluid system."
She also added that the science of
nano-structured fluids may provide some valuable insights into Nature's
energy-efficient approach to nano-based construction.
"We don't yet
understand how to design molecules that self-assemble into the complex
structures nature creates, but we can certainly design materials that form rods
or spheres, or hollow balls. And even with these simple building blocks we can
start to create some quite complex structures"
Nanotech2005 Dynamic
Self-Assembly Program
The keynoter for Case's Nano-Structured Fluids and
Self-Assembly panel, Tim Lodge of the University of Minnesota, is a leader in
researching how to design molecules that will self assemble in a controlled
manner to create a specified structure. Lodge wil be joined by a distinguished
group of other international researchers from the commercial and academic
arenas. Among the highlighted topics and speakers are:
· Application of
Polymer Self Assembly to Semiconductor Microelectronics
Chuck Black, IBM,
York Town, US
· Cubosome formation via dilution – kinetic effects and
consumer product implications
Pat Spicer, Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati,
US
· Food Goes Nano -Novel Nano Sized Liquid Vehicles and Technology for
Solubilization of Nutraceuticals in Foods
Nissim Garti, Nutralease &
Hebrew University, IL
· Small-angle scattering characterization of block
copolymer micelles and lyotropic liquid crystals
Paschalis Alexadridis, State
University of New York at Buffalo
· Soft Glasses and Gels - From Colloid
Physics to Food Technology
Peter Schurtenberger, Department of Physics of the
University of Fribourg, CH
· Benefits of Nanoscience in Foods
· Martin
Michel, Nestlé Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
· Simulation of
Nanostructured Fluids, Soft Materials, and Self-Assembly
Toshihiro Kawakatsu,
Tohoku University, Japan
· Recent Applications of Mesoscale Modeling to
Nanotechnology and Drug Delivery
Amitesh Maiti, Accelrys, San Diego,
US
For more info on Nanotech 2005 and/or Nano-structured Fluids and
Self-Assembly, or to submit a presentation (deadline November 11), go to www.Nanotech2005.com
Nanotech 2005 will include new
vertical industry sessions aimed at creating a better understanding of how
nanotechnology can be applied in various markets. Vertical industry sessions
will include Health Sciences, Bio-Nanotechnology, Cosmetics, Displays and
Optics, Electronics, and Telecommunications.
The conference provides a
multi-industry perspective on corporate R&D as well as the commercialization
and product development of micro and nanotechnologies. Also to be showcased are
investment strategies by large institutional investors, private equity
opportunities, venture capital and angel investor meetings, and a large early
stage venture forum.
The conference will be held at the Anaheim Marriott
and Convention Center. Attendees and exhibitors can get more information at www.nanotech2005.com and
learn about early registration rates.
ABOUT NSTI
The Nano Science and
Technology Institute (NSTI) was created in 1997 and chartered with the promotion
and integration of small technologies through education, technology, and
business development. The NSTI is the founder and manager of the world's most
comprehensive small technology scientific and business event, the annual
Nanotechnology Conference and Trade Show (Nanotech).
The NSTI provides
technical, informational and business services to industrial and governmental
organizations worldwide. Through its knowledge network, NSTI offers high-value
services powered by a unique network of established high-level and long-term
relationships with leaders in the nascent fields of nanotechnology.
For
more information about NSTI, please check out www.nsti.org For More Information: Miranda Tan, ExcitePR
212-941-8499 ext. 102
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