atoms – Page 3 – Shamskm: A site to exchange knowledge and solutions

Ions Control Shape of Nanofibers Grown on Clear Substrate

By Guest PostAugust 20, 2011Scienceacetylene, acetylene gas, ammonia gas, anatoli melechko, atoms, biomedical research tools, c2h2, carbon nanofibers, catalytic action, cfd research corporation, chromium grid, dale hensley, electrode, fused silicon, gene delivery tools, gene therapy, graphite, graphitic carbon nanofibers, hexagonal structure, ions, nanofiber coatings, nanofibers, nickel nanoparticles, north carolina state university, oak ridge national laboratory, positively charged atoms, pure silicon dioxide, ryan pearce, solar cells, transparent substrate, water repellent coatings

Researchers from North Carolina State University, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and CFD Research Corporation have found a new way to develop straight carbon nanofibers on a transparent substrate. Growing such nanofiber coatings is important for use in novel biomedical research tools, solar cells, water repellent coatings and others. The technique utilizes a charged chromium grid, and relies on ions to ensure the nanofibers are straight, rather than curling – which limits their utility.

“This is the first time, that I know of, where someone has been able to grow straight carbon nanofibers on a clear substrate,” says Dr. Anatoli Melechko, an associate professor of materials science and engineering at NC State and co-author of a paper describing the research. “Such nanofibers can be used as gene-delivery tools. And a transparent substrate allows researchers to see how the nanofibers interact with cells, and to manipulate this interaction.” (more…)

Searching for the “Perfect Glass”

By Guest PostJune 18, 2011Sciencealuminum, atmospheric pressure, atomic structures, atoms, carnegie, cerium, cerium aluminum glass, crystals, favorablesystem, geophysical laboratory, gigapascals of pressure, glasses, ho kwang mao, metallic glass, minerals, silica, zeolite

Washington, D.C.— Glasses differ from crystals. Crystals are organized in repeating patterns that extend in every direction. Glasses lack this strict organization, but do sometimes demonstrate order among neighboring atoms. New research from Carnegie’s Geophysical Laboratory reveals the possibility of creating a metallic glass that is organized on a larger scale. Their results are published June 17 in Science.

Scientists have discovered glasses that demonstrate order among the nearest neighboring atoms, called short-range order, and a slightly wider range of atoms, called medium-range order. Most research about finding or creating a glass with a long-range, nearly crystalline, level of order—referred to as the perfect glass state—has been conducted on ice and the minerals silica and zeolite. But no research into long-range order glass has been successful until now. (more…)

ALPHA Stores Antimatter Atoms Over a Quarter of an Hour – and Still Counting

By Guest PostJune 8, 2011Sciencealpha collaboration, anti atoms, antihydrogen atoms, antimatter atoms, atoms, atoms of antihydrogen, berkeley lab, CERN, geneva, joel fajans, jonathan wurtele, lasers, magnetic trap, matter antimatter asymmetry, properties of antihydrogen, switzerland, time to go for coffee

*Berkeley Lab physicists join with their international colleagues in reaching a new frontier in antimatter science*

The ALPHA Collaboration, an international team of scientists working at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, has reported storing a total of 309 atoms of antihydrogen, some for up to 1,000 seconds (almost 17 minutes), with an indication of much longer storage time as well.

ALPHA announced in November, 2010, that they had succeeded in storing antimatter atoms for the first time ever, having captured 38 atoms of antihydrogen and storing each for a sixth of a second. In the weeks following, ALPHA continued to collect anti-atoms and hold them for longer and longer times. (more…)

Study Improves Understanding of Method for Creating Multi-Metal Nanoparticles

By Guest PostDecember 18, 2010Sciencealloy nanoparticles, atoms, chemical reactions, core, digestive ripening, electric field of light, environmental applications, gold, gold core, gold silver alloy, industrial, joe tracy, multi component metal nanoparticles, nanoparticles, optical properties, security technology, shell nanoparticles, silver, silver shell, single metal nanoparticles, synthesis, technique, tunable properties, two metals

A new study from researchers at North Carolina State University sheds light on how a technique that is commonly used for making single-metal nanoparticles can be extended to create nanoparticles consisting of two metals – and that have tunable properties. The study also provides insight into the optical properties of some of these nanoparticles.

Tuning the optical properties of nanoparticles is of interest for applications such as security technology, and for use in making chemical reactions more efficient – which has multiple industrial and environmental applications. (more…)

The Promise of Ion Beam Cancer Therapy

By Guest PostOctober 23, 20101 commentHealth, Scienceatoms, beams of ions, berkeley lab, bragg peak, cancer, carbon, cyclotron, ernest lawrence, gamma rays, heavy ion linear accelerator, heidelberg ion beam therapy center, hilac, hit, hydrogen ions, ion-beam therapy, john lawrence, neon, protons, robert wilson, therapy, x-rays

For certain kinds of cancer, the most effective therapy does not use x-rays or gamma rays but beams of ions, the electrically charged cores of atoms, including hydrogen ions (protons) and heavier ions such as carbon and neon.

About the image: Beams of heavy ions can target hard-to-reach tumors with great accuracy and with minimal damage to surrounding tissues. Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center. Image credit: Berkeley Lab (more…)

Tag Archives: atoms

Ions Control Shape of Nanofibers Grown on Clear Substrate

Searching for the “Perfect Glass”

ALPHA Stores Antimatter Atoms Over a Quarter of an Hour – and Still Counting

Study Improves Understanding of Method for Creating Multi-Metal Nanoparticles

The Promise of Ion Beam Cancer Therapy