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Category: nanotechnology

Sensor identifies sodium nitrite in drinks using laser-modified cork

A team of researchers from the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, has developed a sensor that can identify sodium nitrite (NaNO2) in various beverages, including mineral water, orange juice, and wine. This inorganic salt is used as a preservative and fixative to give products such as ham, bacon, and sausages their pink or red color. Depending on the amount, it can cause serious health problems by leading to the formation of nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic compounds.

“This risk motivated us to develop a simple, fast, and accessible way to detect the compound and ensure the quality and safety of liquid consumption,” says Bruno Campos Janegitz, head of the Laboratory of Sensors, Nanomedicine, and Nanostructured Materials (LSNano) at UFSCar. Janegitz coordinated the study, which was published in the journal Microchimica Acta.

“Detection [of NaNO2] in beverages, especially wines, is important for , since its use is not legally permitted in Brazil and most countries,” the authors write in the article.

Ultrasensitive sensor maps magnetization textures in rhombohedral graphene

Graphene, which is comprised of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice, is a widely used material known for its advantageous electrical and mechanical properties. When graphene is stacked in a so-called rhombohedral (i.e., ABC) pattern, new electronic features are known to emerge, including a tunable band structure and a non-trivial topology.

Due to these emerging properties, electrons in rhombohedral can behave as if they are being influenced by “hidden” magnetic fields, even if no is applied to them. While this interesting effect is well-documented, closely studying how electrons organize themselves in the material, with their spins and valley states pointing in different directions, has so far proved challenging.

Researchers at Weizmann Institute of Science recently set out to further examine the local magnetization textures in rhombohedral graphene, using a nanoscale superconducting quantum interference device (nano-SQUID). Their paper, published in Nature Physics, offers new insight into the physical processes governing the correlated states previously observed in the material.

Curved nanosheets in anode help prevent battery capacity loss during fast charging

As electric vehicles (EVs) and smartphones increasingly demand rapid charging, concerns over shortened battery lifespan have grown. Addressing this challenge, a team of Korean researchers has developed a novel anode material that maintains high performance even with frequent fast charging.

A collaborative effort by Professor Seok Ju Kang in the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering at UNIST, Professor Sang Kyu Kwak of Korea University, and Dr. Seokhoon Ahn of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) has resulted in a hybrid anode composed of graphite and organic nanomaterials. This innovative material effectively prevents capacity loss during repeated fast-charging cycles, promising longer-lasting batteries for various applications. The findings are published in Advanced Functional Materials.

During battery charging, lithium ions (Li-ions) move into the , storing energy as Li atoms. Under rapid charging conditions, excess Li can form so-called “dead lithium” deposits on the surface, which cannot be reused. This buildup reduces capacity and accelerates battery degradation.

Atom-scale stencil patterns help nanoparticles take new shapes and learn new tricks

Inspired by an artist’s stencils, researchers have developed atomic-level precision patterning on nanoparticle surfaces, allowing them to “paint” gold nanoparticles with polymers to give them an array of new shapes and functions.

The “patchy nanoparticles” developed by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers and collaborators at the University of Michigan and Penn State University can be made in large batches, used for a variety of electronic, optical or biomedical applications, or used as building blocks for new complex materials and metamaterials.

Led by Qian Chen, an Illinois professor of materials science and engineering, the researchers report their findings in the journal Nature.

Acoustically activatable liposomes as a translational nanotechnology for site-targeted drug delivery and noninvasive neuromodulation

Purohit et al. incorporate sucrose into drug-loaded lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulations, which shifts the acoustic impedance in a way that triggers drug release upon exposure to focused ultrasound (FUS). By using FUS to both transiently open the blood-brain-barrier and to release drugs from their LNPs, various drugs were delivered into the brains of mice.

Acoustically activatable nanocarriers made by incorporating 5% sucrose into liposomes release drug with low-intensity ultrasound, providing a readily clinically translatable system for both central and peripheral noninvasive neuromodulation.

Bioreducible Gene Delivery Platform that Promotes Intracellular Payload Release and Widespread Brain DispersionClick to copy article linkArticle link copied!

We here introduce a novel bioreducible polymer-based gene delivery platform enabling widespread transgene expression in multiple brain regions with therapeutic relevance following intracranial convection-enhanced delivery. Our bioreducible nanoparticles provide markedly enhanced gene delivery efficacy in vitro and in vivo compared to nonbiodegradable nanoparticles primarily due to the ability to release gene payloads preferentially inside cells. Remarkably, our platform exhibits competitive gene delivery efficacy in a neuron-rich brain region compared to a viral vector under previous and current clinical investigations with demonstrated positive outcomes. Thus, our platform may serve as an attractive alternative for the intracranial gene therapy of neurological disorders.

Scientists build artificial neurons that work like real ones

There are a wide range of applications for Fu and Yao’s new neuron, from redesigning computers along bio-inspired, and far more efficient principles, to electronic devices that could speak to our bodies directly.

“We currently have all kinds of wearable electronic sensing systems,” says Yao, “but they are comparatively clunky and inefficient. Every time they sense a signal from our body, they have to electrically amplify it so that a computer can analyze it. That intermediate step of amplification increases both power consumption and the circuit’s complexity, but sensors built with our low-voltage neurons could do without any amplification at all.”

The secret ingredient in the team’s new low-powered neuron is a protein nanowire synthesized from the remarkable bacteria Geobacter sulfurreducens, which also has the superpower of producing electricity. Yao, along with various colleagues, have used the bacteria’s protein nanowires to design a whole host of extraordinary efficient devices: a biofilm, powered by sweat, that can power personal electronics; an “electronic nose” that can sniff out disease; and a device, which can be built of nearly anything, that can harvest electricity from thin air itself.

How a fabric patch uses static electricity in your clothes to let you chat with AI and control smart devices

There could soon be a new way to interact with your favorite AI chatbots—through the clothing you wear. An international team of researchers has developed a voice-sensing fabric called A-Textile. This flexible patch of smart material turns everyday garments into a kind of microphone, allowing you to speak commands directly to what you’re wearing. This lets you communicate with AI systems such as ChatGPT or smart home devices.

Wearable devices that sense and interact with the world around us have long been the stuff of science fiction dreams. However, traditional sensors currently in use are often bulky, rigid and uncomfortable. They also lack sensitivity, meaning they struggle to hear soft or normal speaking voices, making it hard for AI to understand commands.

The researchers addressed this issue by exploring triboelectricity, the principle behind static electricity. A-Textile is a multi-layered fabric, and as you move the layers, they rub together to create a tiny electrostatic charge on the fabric. When you speak, the cause the charged layers to vibrate slightly, generating an that represents your voice. To boost the signal, the team embedded flower-shaped nanoparticles into the fabric to help capture the charge and prevent it from dissipating. This ensures it is clear enough to be recognized by AI.

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