Author: Allison

Robert A. Freitas Jr. has announced the release of his report on a Pathway to Diamond-Based Molecular Manufacturing. This documents a possible path to diamondoid mechanosynthesis. The background academic work and studies involved a number of scientists at Zyvex who have filed for a provisional patent on the process.

This is a shortened version of his presentation at the First Foresight Conference on Advanced Nanotechnology in October 2004. Anyone who is seriously interested in the mechanosynthesis path to nanotechnology who did not attend the conference should read this document

Svidinenko Yuriy writes "The Ministry of Industry and Science of the Moscow region, Administration of the city of Fryazino, Radio-electronic Industry Department of the Federal Industry Agency, "Concern NANOINDUSTRY" Joint Stock Company and "VOLNA" research-and-production enterprise supported by the Committee for Industrial Development and High Technologies of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, are organizing the International Conference "NANOTECHNOLOGIES for INDUSTRY 2004". The Conference will take place in Fryazino (not far from Moscow) from December 8-9, 2004. More here: http://www.nanonewsnet.com/index.php?module=pagese tter&func=viewpub&tid=3&pid=25"

Tekes writes "The Technology Agency of Finland, Tekes launches FinNano technology programme on 1st January 2005. The total duration of the programme is five years, 2005 ñ 2009. The costs of the programme are Ä 45 million, including Ä 25 million in research funding, and Ä 20 million in corporate financing.

Koen Vercruysse writes "Dear Nanodot members,

I have some (small) experimental observations that, because I have little background in inorganic or physical chemistry, I am at a loss to explain.

Chemists at U.C. Riverside have apparently discovered a carborane (a complex molecule of boron, carbon, chlorine and hydrogen) that they are claiming is the world's strongest acid. Details are here. Perhaps this provides an additional tool for the chemistry path to molecular nanotechnology.

Roland Piquepaille writes "Australian and U.S. researchers have found a new way to exploit the old technology of spinning wool. This CSIRO news release, "Futuristic 'smart' yarns on the horizon," tells us that spinning of carbon nanotubes could lead to 'smart' yarns which could be knitted together to make artificial muscles for robot soldiers or even bandages that send a signal after you're hurt. However, this news release is short on facts, and in "Knitting in nanometres," ABC Science Online wrote something more substantial. You'll discover that the scientists "created the yarn by growing a mat of fibres on a substrate, called a nanotube forest." And with this spinning process, this 'forest' can grow as long as you want, like several kilometers long. If it is proven, this is truly amazing, and practical military or medical applications could be ready within five years. This overview contains selected excerpts and some scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs of the process."

Roland Piquepaille writes "Researchers at Nanomix, a 20-person Californian company, have developed a nanoelectronic sensor which combines carbon nanotubes, carbon dioxide-detecting polymers and silicon to become a human breathing monitor. The device can determine carbon dioxide concentrations in exhaled air, according to "Monitoring Life, One Breath At A Time," a news release from the National Science Foundation. It could be used as early as 2005 to monitor patientsí breathing during surgery. Even more importantly, it will be used in the field for emergency care by helping to verify proper breathing tube placement or to provide feedback about adequacy of ventilation. This overview gives you more details and references. It also include an illustration of the carbon nanotube network device."

NIST has announced (here) that they can grow oriented "nanowires" from ZnO on sapphire. Applied Physics Letters abstract is here. The nanowire sizes are from 3-10 nm. Not only is this scale "real" nanotechnology but several problems are resolved such as orientation determined by the positioning of gold nanodroplet catalysts and atomic precision as the wires are effectively single-crystals.

Svidinenko Yuriy writes "Ascend Instruments, a manufacturer of value added solutions for nanoscale test and manufacturing, announces Extreme Magic, a revolutionary new technique for enhanced TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) sample extraction that eliminates many of the most difficult and time consuming steps from FIB (Focused Ion Beam)-based TEM sample preparation processes. More here: http://www.nanonewsnet.com/index.php?module=pagese tter&func=viewpub&tid=3&pid=18"