But it did throw up an important question: just what is nanotech, and where does the BS end and the science begin?
I have a sneaky suspicion that Musk was trolling with his initial nano-comment. After all, much of the tech in his cars, solar cells and rockets relies on nanoscale science and engineering.
Mainstream nanotechnology came of age around 20 years ago, as the United States government began cross-agency efforts to invest in what it initially tagged as “the next industrial revolution”.
Scientists at the time were excited by how they might exploit some of the more unusual properties of materials that emerge when they are precisely designed and constructed at a really small scale, such as abrupt changes in electronic behaviour, or the emergence of super-strong structures.
And because it’s always easier to sell an idea to funders and policymakers if you have a clear brand and a compelling message, the term “nanotechnology” became the rallying call for this new “industrial revolution”.
To keep things simple, early definitions of nanotechnology focused on exploiting the “novel properties” that some materials begin to exhibit when they’re engineered at a scale of between 1 – 100 nanometres (a nanometre is one billionth of a metre).
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This article and images were originally posted on [ScienceAlert] May 30, 2018 at 05:30AM. Credit to Author and ScienceAlert | ESIST.T>G>S Recommended Articles Of The Day
BRID uses an exclusive multi patented version of PCO / Photocatalysis technology to literally vaporize: POLLUTANTS, CARBON MONOXIDE, NOx, ODORS, BACTERIA, FORMALDEHYDE, GERMS, MOLD SPORES and more!
Stunning Italian Design Elegant, Compact And Versatile
• Why is BRID such a powerful purifier?
BRID uses an exclusive multi patented version of PCO / Photocatalysis technology to literally vaporize: POLLUTANTS, CARBON MONOXIDE, NOx, ODORS, BACTERIA, FORMALDEHYDE, GERMS, MOLD SPORESand much, much more, transforming them into harmless substances. It does so extremely efficiently and with a multitude of technological advantages compared to older and conventional existing PCO products.
QUICK SUMMARY OF BRID’S KEY ADVANTAGES OVER CONVENTONAL AIR PURIFIERS:
– BRID uses a powerful cleaning technology called Photocatalytic Oxidation (PCO). The same technology is used, for example, by NASA.
BRID is not a mere conventional filter, think of it as a ‘Cold’ furnace that burns pollution, bacteria, odors, etc. and generates vapor and CO2 as a byproduct. It’s as simple as that.
– BRID patented innovation does not use UV light, unlike all other PCO purifiers do. The advantage of this patent is the absence of ozone as a byproduct. Only BRID offers this breakthrough technological leap.– BRIDdoes not merely trap pollutants, bacteria, etc. BRID ‘Vaporizes’ them through photocatalysis (PCO), which is an extremely efficient and effective process.
– BRID is the only PCO purifier that offers washable filters! It does not require to replace very expensivefilters (PCO Filters cost more than $100 each and up to $200) , making it the least costly PCO purifier in the world!
– BRID has an exclusive, patented ceramic module which allows nano particles to be ‘Baked’ permanently into the core, preventing them to escape the filter. No other PCO purifier does that.
– BRID is the only smart modular PCO purifier on the market
– BRID is offered at approx.50% less than retail priceduring this campaign. Comparable, less advanced, conventional PCO products cost twice as much, or more than BRID.
– BRID is designed in Italy, it’s compact and a powerful high tech air cleaner
-BRID exclusive patents:
WO2006061367 – Process for preparing dispersions of tio2 in the form of nanoparticles, and dispersions obtainable with this process and functionalization of surfaces by application of tio2 dispersions – WO2007088151 – Method for the preparation of aqueous dispersions of tio2 in the form of nanoparticles, and dispersions obtainable with this method – WO2012085950 – Device for reducing pollutants in a gas mixture – (IT) 102017000050577 (Approved as of Sep. 2017)
MORE IN DETAIL – How does BRID work?
BRID’s high tech Nano Ceramic Honeycomb Filter uses Titanium Dioxide (TiO2), which has been modified (Trade secret) in order to work with LED visible light. TiO2, through a well known and a scientifically well documented process (PCO), purifies the air, and that’s where BRID truly excels compared to literally any other purifier, making good use of several patented technological breakthroughs and without generating toxic Ozone, like others do. BRID is also the only purifier using ceramic filters where TiO2 is “Baked” into the filter, so nano particles never escape into the environment. The baking process also guarantees the virtually unlimitedlife of BRID’s amazing ceramic honeycomb filter. Other, less advanced PCO purifiers have to necessarily replace their filters from time to time, just like inkjet printers, substantially increasing ownership costs. These filters are typically very expensive to replace, while BRID runs without the need to replace filters!
Fits Beautifully In Every Enviroment Thanks To 5 Different Color Combinations
• BRID uses exclusive and unique patented nano technology, what are the differences compared to other purifiers?
BRID is the result of over 13 years of development. BRID is the only commercial purifier that uses a Nano Ceramic Core Filter and LED visible light, hence the only photocatalytic high tech purifier that does not generate harmful ozone! While other PCO purifiers mainly use the same outdated Technology (With UV light) necessarily generating unwanted ozone.
• BRID, unlike other purifiers does not need to replace the filters, why?
Our patented Nano Ceramic Filter only need rinsing with water, other purifiers need very expensive regular replacement filters.
• BRID, is cheaper than other nano technology purifiers, why?
BRID is being sold directly, without intermediates and uses the patented technology exclusively and is being offered to the consumer market for the very first time. Since the Nano Ceramic Filters do not need to be replaced, BRID drastically reduces costs to consumers overtime.
• BRID DOES NOT produce OZONE, how?
BRID uses an exclusive patented process that reacts to LED visible light and modified TiO2 in order to clean the air. BRID’s technologyDOES NOT produce ozone, which is the byproduct of virtually every Photocatalytic purifier that uses UV lights, which produces ozone.
Media Talking About BRID AIR PURIFIER
Clever Italian Engineering
BRID’s Core Element: Nano Ceramic Filter
The unique and ingeniously designed honeycomb structure, covered by 4 patents and its porous ceramic surface, treated with our modified TiO2 (Titanium Dioxide), is obtained through a meticulously calibrated heat treatment and then modified (doped) with a gas (Patent pending process).
LED Board
84 high quality cool white LEDs, arranged in 6 rows, light each ceramic filter from the top and bottom, starting the Clean Photocatalysis reaction WITHOUT generating any ozone. LED lights have a guaranteed life of several years, longer than conventional UV lights. BRID’s innovative modular Italian design allows for single elements to be replaced without any technical knowledge. We designed BRID thinking about end users.
The Fan
A super silent, 42 Db, white noise and low consumption fan (air flow of 7.600 Ft³ – 215 m³/h) pulls in the polluted air at 360˚. Quiet library -> 40 Db Normal Conversation -> 60 Db Vacuum Cleaner -> 74 Db
NWF Filter
A NWF (Non woven Fabric) filter at the bottom of the base blocks large particles like pollen, dander and dust. The prototype uses an inexpensive pre-filter, but the final production version will be equipped with a washable pre-filter, just like the nano ceramic filter, therefore you will not need to purchase additional consumables.
Works Worldwide (110 / 220 volts)
BRID’s power supply works worldwide (110 / 220 v.) and an accessory will allow you to use it even in your car (24 v.), making it a the perfect companion for commuting in heavy traffic or polluted cities.
BRID Air Is An Amazingly Powerful Nanotechnology Purifier
BRID is Car Friendly
If you are a daily commuter. let’s say in the highly polluted Los Angeles, or if you are forced to long frequent rides with your car, you know the struggle: exposure to toxic air is often far higher inside your car rather than outside.
Americans spend almost 300 hours driving each year
Whether you want it to merge with the rest of the room or make it the centerpiece,
BRID’s clean lines allow it to fit in with any interior design.
Five Stunning Color Combinations
Pure metal, Clear White & Oak Base, Deep Blue & Oak Base, Solid Pure White or Solid Deep Blue
The refined aircraft grade aluminum body with a sleek matte finish makes BRID the perfect accessory for any room in your house. Choose from the more modern pure metal version or add a touch of sophistication with the real oakbase. Whatever your style is, there is a BRID to match it.
BRID’s main component
The unique modular configuration lets BRID adapt to your needs and by simply adding a second power filter module (BRID XL) or a third power filter module (BRID XXL), it can speed up the cleaning process or deal with larger environments. Its ground breaking technology makes BRID the best solution when it comes to eliminating indoor pollution.
Once BRID has cleaned the entire room, it automatically adjusts to maintain the air pure and fresh and intervenes when the environment is once more altered by external causes.
BRID Can Be As Powerful As You Need
Less Waste & Future Upgrades
BRID’s distinctive configuration allows future upgrades to be easily implementable and inexpensive. We plant to develop BRID and we don’t want you to throw away perfectly functioning components. Using this approach, we placed the hardware in the base making it is less likely to become outdated. The base is the only module you’ll have to replace when future versions of BRID are available.
The working heart of the C.PC. (Clean Photocatalysis / PCO) technology is the revolutionary honeycomb-shaped ceramic filter. The Nanotechnology engineered ceramic filter is made of porous ceramic surface meticulously designed utilizing the latest technologies to create a designed nano structured filter, making it extremely effective, durable and 100% safe
The Revolutionionary Patented Nano Ceramic Module
Easy maintenance, no need to replace messy and expensive filters!
To make the ceramic filter good as new, just rinse it under tap water, let it dry and put it back in. There’s never been such a complete and user friendly air-purifier.
Clean BRID’s Filter In Seconds! No Expensive Replacements Necessary
So, what’s photocatalysis?
Photocatalysis is a reaction which uses light to increase the rate of a chemical reaction.
BRID’s active ceramic element, which is permanently bound with our modified nano Titanium Dioxide (TiO2), absorbs radiation from our precisely calibrated LED board, producing free radicals. They then attack pollutant molecules, breaking apart their chemical bonds and turning them into harmless substances.
BRID was developed in conjunction with CE.RI.COL (Colorobbia Consulting research Center), a research lab specialized in innovative environmental research, a spin off of Colorobbia, a worldwide leader in the ceramic business. Prof. Giovanni Baldi holds over 25 Patents, and many of them relate to NanoTechnology.
the brain behind BRID and owner of over 25 Patents
Tests have shown when used indoors, over 90% of the VOCs (volatile organic compounds), outdoor pollution, odors and bacteria that are commonly found in homes and offices are removed.
Technologies compared: BRID vs conventional consumer Air Purifiers
BRID IS THE ONLY HIGHLY EFFICIENT PURIFIER THAT IS TRULY OZONE FREE. All other known commercial purifiers use different spectrums of UV light, which are scientifically known to produce different degrees of toxic ozone. When others claim to be ozone free, their refer to “Acceptable”, as their UV Light will produce it. The only way to not produce toxic Ozone is to use visible light, like BRID uniquely does.
01— Blending In
Place BRID wherever you like. With its sleek design it blends in perfectly no matter where you put it. Plug it in and begin to enjoy its patented Clean Photocatalysis technology purifying the air.
02— Pulling In
The air’s journey begins as BRID’s silent fan channels the air through its first phase: an NWF (non-woven fabric) filter. This filter begins the purification process by blocking the larger particles such as pollen, dander and dust. Now half of the air is refreshingly clean.
03— Pushing Through
Now the air passes through its second filter and our Clean Photocatalysis technology is implemented. The ceramic filter is activated by 84 visible LED lights.
04— Breaking Down
Our modified Titanium Dioxide (TiO2), presented in our ceramic filter, absorbs radiation from our precisely calibrated LED board, producing free radicals. They then attack pollutant molecules, breaking apart their chemical bonds and turning them into harmless substances.
05— That’s it
BRID is now taking care of your environment. In a matter of minutes, the air in your room will be cleaner and free of bacteria and nasty odors.
06— Need more?
Have a bigger room? Add more power filter modules with ease and begin to notice the difference fresh air can make. Need to clean your filter? It’s easier than you think, with no tools required for adding or removing ceramic filters. Simply pass your filters under running water.
BRID’s LAB TEST RESULTS (Explained Below)
BRID drastically reduces Formaldehyde!
Formaldehyde is an organic chemical that is commonly found in our environment. Formaldehyde is present in products such as chemicals, particle board, household products, glues, permanent press fabrics, paper product coatings, fiberboard and plywood. It is also widely used as an industrial fungicide, germicide, and disinfectant. It is a sensitizing agent that can cause an immune system response upon initial exposure. It is also a suspected human carcinogen that is linked to nasal cancer and lung cancer.
BRID’s effect on formaldehyde was tested with a single activated filter in lab conditions. The results have show a 82,7% Formaldehyde depletion in one cycle.
Formaldehyde depletion in one cycle.
NOx reduction Certification
BRID was tested and certified by our exclusive partner CE.RI.COL (Colorobbia Consulting research Center), member of Colorobbia Group in Florence, Italy.
Ce.Ri.Col (Colorobbia Consulting research Center) plays a major role in the continuous research of the synthesis of nanoparticles, which has been a part of the world of ceramics for over a century, but has also always conducted research and analysis of chemicals, outdoors.
Actual BRID Lab Test Result
The test was carried out by placing BRID, BRID XL and BRID XXL in a (35 ft³ / 1 m³) computer monitored test box and polluting the air inside with a controlled amount of Pollutants (NOx) at a 100 ppb concentration, above the legal limit.
The measurement was taken using chemiluminescence technology with the Thermo Model 42i, at a sampling interval of 10 s for 90 minutes. The graph above shows the rate at which the pollution was reduced for all three configurations of the product.
BRID’s effect on Carbon Monoxide was tested and evaluated by the independent lab Micro-B srl.
A BRID XXL with three power modules was placed in a 17 ft³ / 0.5 m³ test box that was filled with Carbon Monoxide using a gasoline-powered automobile. Our laboratory used a Carbon Monoxide measurement device with a 1ppm resolution, collecting data every 10 minutes for the first 4 hours, and every 20 minutes for the remaining 11 hours.
The concentration of Carbon Monoxide decreased at an exponential rate reducing it by half in approximately 3 hours, showing that a continued use of BRID does indeed lessen the threat of Carbon Monoxide gas in indoor environments, adding precious minutes in case of emergencies.
Actual BRID Lab Test Result
Pre-filter
We use a G4 non-woven fabric pre-filter that blocks pollen, dust, dander and particulate matter as small as 0.5 µm. This filter should be a washable filter in the final version, making it totally inexpensive.
Actual BRID Lab Test Result
NEW! WATCH A BRAND NEW QUICK REAL LIFE TEST VIDEO
In this quick brand new video you can see how BRID Air Purifier vaporizes toxic VOC. The real life experiment was done in the 3D printer room, which has a normal level of 1200ppm. BRID was let run for a few hours, lowering that level to 600ppm. At this point BRID was turned off and resin containers were opened for a while, then closed. The room reached a VOC level of 2300ppm. After settling, BRID was turned on again, bringing VOC levels impressively down to 600ppm again.
Find out what easily-adaptable BRID setup works best for your space. Cleaner and healthier air is only a few clicks away.
BRID targets all bacteria, without toughening the strongest ones, which is what usually occurs. By lowering the level of harmful impurities you, your loved ones and those around you are guaranteed a clean and healthy environment that won’t weaken your immune system.
BRID can adapt to different environments thanks to its modular configuration that guarantees extra cleaning power where you need it.
In Auto mode BRID takes action only when it’s needed and how it’s needed
The Night Mode lets BRID continue to work quietly in the background, making it ideal for sleeping. Take advantage of this mode when you want to dim down the lights while still keeping the air you breath clean and refreshing.
For an extra power, you can set BRID on Boost Mode and speed up the fan.
By putting two BRID units in the same room, the reduction of indoor pollution happens at an exponential rate.
Data refer to NOx reduction – Actual BRID Lab Test Result
Two BRID XXL, in a 4,000 ft3 / 120 m3 room, can clean 90% of the air in three hours and a half, compared to the thirty-two hours needed for one BRID XXL.
Stay connected and know exactly what’s going on with your air. BRID’s app offers a variety of easy to understand statistics and information keeping you informed about your air.
Wifi Connection: BRID and your smartphone stay connected via wi-fi.
Statistics & Air Quality Monitor: Get regular up to the minute information regarding the air you breath.
Filter: Receive regular alerts for ceramic filter cleaning and NWF filter replacements.
Night / Boost mode: Enable the mode you prefer with one tap.
By using our novel nanochip technology, injured or compromised organs can be replaced,” says one of the study leaders, Chandan Sen. “We have shown that skin is a fertile land where we can grow the elements of any organ that is declining. Wait, are we in Star Trek now?
Your daily selection of the latest science news!
According to ScienceAlert
Imagine buzzing the skin over an internal wound with an electrical device and having it heal over just a few days – that’s the promise of new nanochip technology that can reprogram cells to replace tissue or even whole organs.
It’s called Tissue Nanotransfection (TNT), and while it’s only been tested on mice and pigs so far, the early signs are encouraging for this new body repair tool – and it sounds like a device straight out of science-fiction.
The prototype device, developed by a team at Ohio State University, sits on the skin and uses an intense electrical field to deliver specific genes to the tissue underneath it. Those genes create new types of cells that can be used nearby or elsewhere in the body.
“By using our novel nanochip technology, injured or compromised organs can be replaced,” says one of the study leaders, Chandan Sen. “We have shown that skin is a fertile land where we can grow the elements of any organ that is declining.”
Researchers from The University of Manchester have shown it is possible to build a new super-fast form of computer that “grows as it computes”.
Professor Ross D King and his team have demonstrated for the first time the feasibility of engineering a nondeterministic universal Turing machine (NUTM), and their research is to be published in the prestigious Journal of the Royal Society Interface.
The theoretical properties of such a computing machine, including its exponential boost in speed over electronic and quantum computers, have been well understood for many years – but the Manchester breakthrough demonstrates that it is actually possible to physically create a NUTM using DNA molecules.
“Imagine a computer is searching a maze and comes to a choice point, one path leading left, the other right,” explained Professor King, from Manchester’s School of Computer Science. “Electronic computers need to choose which path to follow first.
“But our new computer doesn’t need to choose, for it can replicate itself and follow both paths at the same time, thus finding the answer faster.
“This ‘magical’ property is possible because the computer’s processors are made of DNA rather than silicon chips. All electronic computers have a fixed number of chips.
“Our computer’s ability to grow as it computes makes it faster than any other form of computer, and enables the solution of many computational problems previously considered impossible.
“Quantum computers are an exciting other form of computer, and they can also follow both paths in a maze, but only if the maze has certain symmetries, which greatly limits their use.
“As DNA molecules are very small a desktop computer could potentially utilize more processors than all the electronic computers in the world combined – and therefore outperform the world’s current fastest supercomputer, while consuming a tiny fraction of its energy.”
The University of Manchester is famous for its connection with Alan Turing – the founder of computer science – and for creating the first stored memory electronic computer.
“This new research builds on both these pioneering foundations,” added Professor King.
Alan Turing’s greatest achievement was inventing the concept of a universal Turing machine (UTM) – a computer that can be programmed to compute anything any other computer can compute. Electronic computers are a form of UTM, but no quantum UTM has yet been built.
DNA computing is the performing of computations using biological molecules rather than traditional silicon chips. In DNA computing, information is represented using the four-character genetic alphabet – A [adenine], G [guanine], C [cytosine], and T [thymine] – rather than the binary alphabet, which is a series of 1s and 0s used by traditional computers.
Microtubules — the skeletal material in eukaryotic cells – that appear to store energy at their outer edges. Credit: New Jersey Institute of Technology
A little-understood biological property that appears to allow cell components to store energy on their outer edges is the possible key to developing a new class of materials and devices to collect, store and manage energy for a variety of applications, a team of researchers at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and Yeshiva University has proposed.
In a paper published last week in Nature Communications, “Dynamical Majorana edge modes in a broad class of topological mechanical systems,” the researchers report the discovery of a large class of materials with such capabilities.
“Remarkably, we believe these properties may be present in many materials composed of dimers, a chemical structure in which two similar masses are linked to one another through a rigid, nearly unstretchable bond. Dimers make up the building blocks of many cellular components and so it appears that storing energy in this way is a strategy that a variety of cells use on a daily basis in many living organisms,” notes Camelia Prodan, associate professor of physics at NJIT and an author of the paper.
“This research could be used to explain cell behavior that is not yet fully understood,” she adds.
The paper stems from research funded by a $1 million grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation awarded last year to Prodan and her collaborator, Emil Prodan, professor of physics at Yeshiva University, to research the role of topological phonon edges in the functioning of microtubules—the skeletal material in eukaryotic cells. Phonon edges are quanta of sound or vibrational energy confined to the edge or surface of a material.
The Prodans are particularly interested in how microtubules store energy at their edge that is not propagated in their cylinder-shaped bodies. Majorana edge modes are the equivalent of a type of subatomic particle – Majorana fermions – that appear in some types of superconductors. They are the energetic vibrations that appear at the edge of a material that cannot be destroyed by the environment or by the material breaking.
They are exploring the potential to engineer new materials with novel physical properties based on topological phonon edge modes.
“Ultimately, we would like to create materials that mimic this property – the ability to restrict energy to an edge – to enhance earthquake resistance in buildings or the protection of bullet proof vests, for example,” she says. “We also think this property may be the key to a new generation of anti-cancer agents, because of the role topological phonons may play in cell division. Microtubules must fall apart before a cell can divide. Chemotherapy currently works by preventing cells from dividing, but recurrent cancers find a way to weaken these defenses.”
Working with nanotechnology experts at NJIT, Reginald Farrow, research professor of physics, and Alokik Kanwal, assistant research professor, they hope to provide the first experimental verification of the key role that these topological phonons play in many fundamental cellular processes, including cell division and movement.
In addition, based on the results of their study of microtubules and topological phonon edge modes, the research team will seek to predict and fabricate a new class of materials called topological phononic crystals, with applications ranging from energy-efficient solar cells, to sound deadening and amplification, to insulation.
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As soon as it comes out of the printing nozzle, the solvent evaporates and the ink solidifies. It takes the form of filaments slightly bigger than a hair. The manufacturing work can then begin. Credit: Polytechnique Montréal
Carbon nanotubes have made headlines in scientific journals for a long time, as has 3D printing. But when both combine with the right polymer, in this case a thermoplastic, something special occurs: electrical conductivity increases and makes it possible to monitor liquids in real time. This is a huge success for Polytechnique Montréal.
The article “3D Printing of Highly Conductive Nanocomposites for the Functional Optimization of Liquid Sensors” was published in the journal Small. Renowned in the field of micro- and nanotechnology, Small placed this article on its back cover, a sure sign of the relevance of the research conducted by mechanical engineer Professor Daniel Therriault and his team. In practical terms, the result of this research looks like a cloth; but as soon as a liquid comes into contact with it, said cloth is able to identify its nature. In this case, it is ethanol, but it might have been another liquid. Such a process would be a terrific advantage to heavy industry, which uses countless toxic liquids.
A simple yet efficient recipe
While deceptively simple, the recipe is so efficient that Professor Therriault protected it with a patent. In fact, a U.S. company is already looking at commercializing this material printable in 3D, which is highly conductive and has various potential applications.
The first step: take a thermoplastic and, with a solvent, transform it into a solution so that it becomes a liquid. Second step: as a result of the porousness of this thermoplastic solution, carbon nanotubes can be incorporated into it like never before, somewhat like adding sugar into a cake mix. The result: a kind of black ink that’s fairly viscous and whose very high conductivity approximates that of some metals. Third step: this black ink, which is in fact a nanocomposite, can now move on to 3D printing. As soon as it comes out of the printing nozzle, the solvent evaporates and the ink solidifies. It takes the form of filaments slightly bigger than a hair. The manufacturing work can then begin.
Credit: Polytechnique Montréal
The advantages of this technology
The research conducted at Polytechnique Montréal is at the vanguard in the field of uses for 3D printers. The era of amateurish prototyping, like printing little plastic objects, belongs to the past. These days, all manufacturing industries, whether aviation, aerospace, robotics or medicine, etc., have set their sights on this technology.
There are several reasons for this. Firstly, the lightness of parts because plastic is substituted for metal. Then there is the precision of the work done at the microscopic level, as is the case here. Lastly, with the nanocomposite filaments usable at room temperature, conductivities can be obtained that approximate those of some metals. Better still, since the geometry of filaments can be varied, measures can be calibrated that make it possible to read the various electric signatures of liquids that are to be monitored.
A topical example: pipelines
At the connection points of pipes that form pipelines, there are flanges. The idea would be to factory- manufacture the pipes with flanges coated by 3D printing. The coating would be a nanocomposite whose electric signature is calibrated according to the liquid being transported – oil, for instance. If there is a leak and the liquid touches the printed sensors based on the concept developed by Professor Therriault and his team, an alert would sound in record time, and in a very targeted way. That’s a tremendous advantage, both for the population and the environment; in case of a leak, the faster the reaction time, the lesser the damages.
In many parts of the world, the only way to make germy water safe is by boiling, which consumes precious fuel, or by putting it out in the sun in a plastic bottle so ultraviolet rays will kill the microbes. But because UV rays carry only 4 percent of the sun’s total energy, the UV method takes six to 48 hours, limiting the amount of water people can disinfect this way.
Now researchers at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University have created a nanostructured device, about half the size of a postage stamp, that disinfects water much faster than the UV method by also making use of the visible part of the solar spectrum, which contains 50 percent of the sun’s energy.
In experiments reported today in Nature Nanotechnology, sunlight falling on the little device triggered the formation of hydrogen peroxide and other disinfecting chemicals that killed more than 99.999 percent of bacteria in just 20 minutes. When their work was done the killer chemicals quickly dissipated, leaving pure water behind.
“Our device looks like a little rectangle of black glass. We just dropped it into the water and put everything under the sun, and the sun did all the work,” said Chong Liu, lead author of the report. She is a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Yi Cui, a SLAC/Stanford associate professor and investigator with SIMES, the Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Sciences at SLAC.
Nanoflake Walls and Eager Electrons
Under an electron microscope the surface of the device looks like a fingerprint, with many closely spaced lines. Those lines are very thin films – the researchers call them “nanoflakes” – of molybdenum disulfide that are stacked on edge, like the walls of a labyrinth, atop a rectangle of glass.
An electron micrograph shows the pattern of nanostructured walls on the surface of the device. Plopped into a sample of contaminated water and placed in sunlight, it killed more than 99.999 percent of bacteria in just 20 minutes. Credit: C. Liu et al., Nature Nanotechnology
More information: Chong Liu et al, Rapid water disinfection using vertically aligned MoS2 nanofilms and visible light, Nature Nanotechnology (2016). DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2016.138
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