Posted on 12/01/2004 9:43:25 PM PST by PeaceBeWithYou
Tiny nanocables, 1,000 times smaller than a human hair, could become key parts of toxin detectors, miniaturized solar cells and powerful computer chips.The technique for making the nanocables was invented by UC Davis chemical engineers led by Pieter Stroeve, professor of chemical engineering and materials science. They manufacture the cables in the nano-sized pores of a template membrane. The insides of the pores are coated with gold. Layers of other semiconductors, such as tellurium, cadmium sulfide or zinc sulfide, are electrochemically deposited in the gold tube until a solid cable forms, then the membrane is dissolved, leaving finished cables behind.
Stroeve envisions many uses for these nanocables. For example, the cables' ability to conduct electricity changes when they are exposed to different chemicals or toxins. Earlier nano-devices could only detect whether a toxin was present, said Ruxandra Vidu, a postdoctoral scholar working with Stroeve. But nanocables will go further, measuring the quantity of toxins.
Stroeve's team can also construct arrays of nanocables. "You put a copper tape on the tops of the nanocables before the template is dissolved," Stroeve said. "You're left with nanocables sticking up at right angles from the tape."
These arrays have a very large surface area -- 1000 times greater than on a flat device of the same size. They could be used to efficiently capture sunlight in a tiny solar cell.
Nanocables could also be used to make computer chips more powerful by packing transistors closer together. Computers now contain silicon chips with metal transistors affixed to the surface. "With our new technique, we could embed transistors into the silicon chips to begin with," Stroeve said.
The work is published online in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
How expensive does the gold make this, though? Why couldn't they use something else, I wonder?
How expensive does the gold make this, though? Why couldn't they use something else, I wonder?
I wonder how efficient these solar cells could be?
The possibilities for nanotechnology are truly mind-boggling. Very very exciting stuff.
MM
BTT. Welcome to the 21st century. This is awesome.
Ping.
These things are small.. so not a lot of gold.. Gold is used to coat all kinds of electronics..
There's hardly any gold. The layers are so thin that you could make bazillions with a nothingth of a gram.
Cool! Now let's keep this technology in the good 'ole U.S.A.! Can you say, "Strategic Material"!
Gold doesn't corrode under all those chemicals used in the process, or other contaminants later, and it's an excellent conductor.
Unless of course you're testing mercury.
Or cyanide. Or Iodine. Or chlorine.
I'm sure a bottle of Goldschloger uses much more gold than this.
I would think that gold is used for it's various capabilities.
Malleability, flexibility, stability and the like. Conductivity is good, but gold can easily be combined with other metals without corrosive effects over time.
This is the reason it is used in electronics.
Can YOU say, "I'm an a**hole?" Have nice day!
Gold is used extensively in the microelectronics field because of its electrical properties.
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