The Expanding Universe

Category Archives: nanotechnology

What Are Carbon Nanotubes and Why Should You Care?

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Have you heard of carbon nanotubes? Probably not.

They sound like a futuristic technology that has lots of vaguely high-tech properties. And that is pretty much exactly what they are.

Carbon nanotubes are made from similar materials to carbon fiber, and while the nanotubes do have structural applications like carbon fiber, they also do so, so much more.

In this article, we’re going to break down the what, why, and how of carbon nanotubes so that you understand what they are, and why they actually matter to you.

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One in 5 materials chemistry papers may be wrong, study suggests

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A new study that compared the results reported in thousands of papers published about the properties of metal organic framework (MOF) materials – which are prominent candidates for carbon dioxide adsorption and other separations – suggests the replicability problem should be a concern for materials researchers, too. […]
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Taking ice lithography to the next level

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Researchers have discovered that ices of simple organic molecules such as alcohols and nonane (main component of diesel) can be nanopatterned by a focused electron beam. The entire 3D lithography process takes place in a single vacuum instrument and avoids exposing users to chemicals and the need for cleanrooms. With organic ice resist (OIR) technology, nanolithography can be made accessible to more scientists. The short-term implication of this work is to provide researchers with a new nanoscale 3D printing technology. The long-term implications might have a revolutionary impact on semiconductor production and computing. […]
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