Recent breakthroughs in nanotechnology have started to offer a real tough competition to the traditional silicon-based solar manufacturing. In fact, nanotechnology ventures to replace silicon technology within a few years. According to the estimate published by the Department of Energy, over 50% of the electrical needs of buildings in the U.S. can be easily met by installing Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) systems. BIPV refers to the use of photovoltaic materials that are used to replace traditional construction materials.
During the recent past, NanoSolar sector has attracted investments worth more than $100 million from capital powerhouses and individual patrons like Google for instance. NanoSolar is an amazing technology where solar cells manufactured employing this technology can be literally printed on either plastic or metal. One would even be surprised to note that the process of integrating solar into a building is much simpler than printing a document. Thanks to the amazing nanotechnology, a major advance further has been achieved over the process of installing costly glass panels on the rooftops.
The manufacturing process of solar sheets employing nanotechnology is amazingly cost effective and simple working out to just one tenth of the price spent on the traditional solar panels. The production rate of solar sheets can be drastically enhanced making hundreds of feet every minute. Under full production in 2008, NanoSolar can produce even up to 430 MW of solar cells in a matter of just one year. The main components of solar-electric carpets are semi-conductor quantum dots and nanoparticles. These are called SolarPly BIPV, which can be very easily incorporated into the roofing membranes.
Several important companies have entered into this arena manufacturing PV solar panels that can easily be integrated into buildings. Some of the notable companies in this line are Helio Volt, Konarka, Spire, Innovalight, and Solexant. In addition, STMicroelectronics is a remarkable player in the field focusing on creating and employing nanotech applications into the production of solar cells.
Spire Corp is another company that is venturing into the integration of nano solar technology into windows. Its nanostructured materials help in the efficient fabricating of solar cells. This method enables the availability of solar in different colors. This is indeed useful for the architects to work on various options to improve aesthetics.
Since the existing solar cell technologies rely on semiconductor materials like silicon, they involve high material costs. Surprisingly, the total cost of solar-generated electricity over 20 years through conventional photovoltaic systems is around ten times more than the price of electricity generated from fossil fuels. However, the complete organic approach is the unique specialty and advantage of the ST team helping to drastically reduce the production cost of solar cells. In this manufacturing process, a mixture of materials that accept electron and organic materials that accept electron is meticulously integrated in-between two electrodes. This set up presents an ideal nanostructure for this blend since the electron-donor and electron-acceptor materials need to be maintained in an intimate contact within a distance of not more than 10 nm.
The market of solar electricity is just zooming ahead. Global shipments of PV modules and cells are growing at an average rate of more than 35% in a year. Not far from now, we can certainly expect that the global photovoltaic market can cater to mass requirements through high-volume industrial production.
Resources
Green Tech Forum
STMicroelectronics
Monday
Nanotechnology in drug delivery systems
Nanotechnology has been instrumental in promoting certain valuable innovations in the manufacturing of drugs and drug delivery systems.
Non-invasive, micellar nanoparticle technology is known to deliver the drug encapsulated in tiny emulsion particles right into the skin. The micellar nanoparticles get deposited in the outermost skin layer while rubbing, thereby functionally producing a drug depot. The emulsion deposits the active drug into the epidermis and stratum corneum. Gradually, the drug diffuses into the deeper layers of the skin till it reaches the blood stream. Estrasorb, developed by Novavax, is one product that uses this nanoparticle technology to deliver estrogen in a lotion product to be used for treating the symptoms of menopause.
The nanocrystal technology innovated by Elan enables the formulation of compounds that are poorly water soluble besides improving their compound activity and final product characteristics. Interestingly, their NanoCrystal Ò technology can be introduced into all dosage forms both oral and parenteral and oral, also including liquid, solid, fast-melt, controlled release and pulsed release forms. The principle involved in this technology is quite interesting. Poor water solubility causes slow dissolution rate. Therefore, decreasing the size of particles shall increase the surface area, leading to a dramatic increase in the rate of dissolution. This is what is achieved by efficiently by employing NanoCrystal Ò technology. NanoCrystal Ò particles are tiny particles of drug substance, amazingly lesser than 1000 nanometers (nm) in diameter. They are produced through wet-milling technique. The NanoCrystal Ò particles forming part of the drug are ably stabilized against agglomeration through surface absorption of selected stabilizers. The resulting aqueous dispersion substance clearly behaves like a solution that can be further processed into finished dosage forms for all modes of administration.
BioSilicon, from Psvidia, is an amazingly simple product used as advanced drug delivery system. Despite the delivery characteristics imparted by the process of nanostructuring, the product does not require complex chemistry unlike most polymer-based drug delivery systems. The final product is pure silicon. The product has an additional advantage over several others in terms of its radiation and heat stability, thereby simplifying sterilization and manufacturing.
Non-invasive, micellar nanoparticle technology is known to deliver the drug encapsulated in tiny emulsion particles right into the skin. The micellar nanoparticles get deposited in the outermost skin layer while rubbing, thereby functionally producing a drug depot. The emulsion deposits the active drug into the epidermis and stratum corneum. Gradually, the drug diffuses into the deeper layers of the skin till it reaches the blood stream. Estrasorb, developed by Novavax, is one product that uses this nanoparticle technology to deliver estrogen in a lotion product to be used for treating the symptoms of menopause.
The nanocrystal technology innovated by Elan enables the formulation of compounds that are poorly water soluble besides improving their compound activity and final product characteristics. Interestingly, their NanoCrystal Ò technology can be introduced into all dosage forms both oral and parenteral and oral, also including liquid, solid, fast-melt, controlled release and pulsed release forms. The principle involved in this technology is quite interesting. Poor water solubility causes slow dissolution rate. Therefore, decreasing the size of particles shall increase the surface area, leading to a dramatic increase in the rate of dissolution. This is what is achieved by efficiently by employing NanoCrystal Ò technology. NanoCrystal Ò particles are tiny particles of drug substance, amazingly lesser than 1000 nanometers (nm) in diameter. They are produced through wet-milling technique. The NanoCrystal Ò particles forming part of the drug are ably stabilized against agglomeration through surface absorption of selected stabilizers. The resulting aqueous dispersion substance clearly behaves like a solution that can be further processed into finished dosage forms for all modes of administration.
BioSilicon, from Psvidia, is an amazingly simple product used as advanced drug delivery system. Despite the delivery characteristics imparted by the process of nanostructuring, the product does not require complex chemistry unlike most polymer-based drug delivery systems. The final product is pure silicon. The product has an additional advantage over several others in terms of its radiation and heat stability, thereby simplifying sterilization and manufacturing.
Credit Suisse Global Nanotechnology Index
The FINANCIAL -- Credit Suisse expects nanotechnology to make a breakthrough in the near future. Many new materials, applications and services currently under development are likely to emerge in the next decade and revolutionize everyday life.
Therefore, Credit Suisse has developed the Credit Suisse Global Nanotechnology Index, which focuses on companies offering nanotechnology products. Based on the index, two structured products have now been launched to allow investors to participate in potential growth in this sector.
Nanotechnology is defined as an enabling technology stemming from changes in the intrinsic characteristics of materials when size scales are reduced to the nanometer level (1 nanometer is one billionth of a meter). In other words, processes at the nanometer level enable the creation of materials with new properties. Some early applications of nanotechnology already exist with, for example, cold-resistant and waterproof clothing, anti-graffiti wall coatings, mud-resistant car bodies, OLED-based TV and transparent solar panels. It is expected that more will be in store in the near future, with regard to applications and services that are likely to quickly develop commercially. Credit Suisse estimates a growth per annum between +10% and +25% by 2010 in the five nanotechnology sectors defined below. The Credit Suisse Global Nanotechnology Index was launched in anticipation of this development.
Index Represents Global Nanotechnology Universe
The Nanotechnology Index universe encompasses five sectors, i.e. nano materials, nano information technology, nano healthcare, nano tools, and nano energy/others. The Credit Suisse Global Nanotechnology Index series offers investors exposure to 25 stocks representative of the nanotechnology universe worldwide. The rule-based index methodology enables selection of the largest companies in each sector, based on market capitalization and other criteria, including free float and daily traded volume. Companies must also realize more than 10% of their sales, or display leadership, in nanotechnology. From the investor's perspective, the Credit Suisse Global Nanotechnology Index permits financial exposure to an industry whose economic and social importance we expect will increase steadily and is consequently aimed at long-term oriented investors.
The Index is rebalanced every six months to select new market leaders in each sector and also makes it possible to react to various corporate activities such as IPOs and new nanotechnology initiatives from existing firms. This dynamic element is critical to ensure a reliable representation of rapidly changing markets for nanotechnology. Therefore, the Credit Suisse Global Nanotechnology Index provides a tradable and investable indicator and represents as a global, dynamic and well-balanced index that will reflect the significant growth potential of the markets for nanotechnology.
Nanotechnology Products
Credit Suisse offers two new investment opportunities which are based on the Credit Suisse Global Nanotechnology Index and cater for the various risk-return profiles of investors.
A CPUPLUS allows investors to benefit from capital protection at maturity, and at the same time to retain the opportunity to participate in the positive performance of the Index. The amount repaid at maturity depends on the change in the Index during the term of the CPUPLUS. This is assessed each quarter, with the three best quarterly performance values of the underlying being substituted by a value that has been defined in advance.
A CertificatePLUS allows investors, at maturity, to participate 100% in the positive performance of the underlying. Furthermore, investors are repaid in full provided that, during the term, the Index does not reach or exceed pre-defined barrier values. If the Index does reach or exceed its barrier at least once during the term, the investors continue to participate fully in the positive performance of the Index, yet without minimum repayment.
From finchannel.com
Therefore, Credit Suisse has developed the Credit Suisse Global Nanotechnology Index, which focuses on companies offering nanotechnology products. Based on the index, two structured products have now been launched to allow investors to participate in potential growth in this sector.
Nanotechnology is defined as an enabling technology stemming from changes in the intrinsic characteristics of materials when size scales are reduced to the nanometer level (1 nanometer is one billionth of a meter). In other words, processes at the nanometer level enable the creation of materials with new properties. Some early applications of nanotechnology already exist with, for example, cold-resistant and waterproof clothing, anti-graffiti wall coatings, mud-resistant car bodies, OLED-based TV and transparent solar panels. It is expected that more will be in store in the near future, with regard to applications and services that are likely to quickly develop commercially. Credit Suisse estimates a growth per annum between +10% and +25% by 2010 in the five nanotechnology sectors defined below. The Credit Suisse Global Nanotechnology Index was launched in anticipation of this development.
Index Represents Global Nanotechnology Universe
The Nanotechnology Index universe encompasses five sectors, i.e. nano materials, nano information technology, nano healthcare, nano tools, and nano energy/others. The Credit Suisse Global Nanotechnology Index series offers investors exposure to 25 stocks representative of the nanotechnology universe worldwide. The rule-based index methodology enables selection of the largest companies in each sector, based on market capitalization and other criteria, including free float and daily traded volume. Companies must also realize more than 10% of their sales, or display leadership, in nanotechnology. From the investor's perspective, the Credit Suisse Global Nanotechnology Index permits financial exposure to an industry whose economic and social importance we expect will increase steadily and is consequently aimed at long-term oriented investors.
The Index is rebalanced every six months to select new market leaders in each sector and also makes it possible to react to various corporate activities such as IPOs and new nanotechnology initiatives from existing firms. This dynamic element is critical to ensure a reliable representation of rapidly changing markets for nanotechnology. Therefore, the Credit Suisse Global Nanotechnology Index provides a tradable and investable indicator and represents as a global, dynamic and well-balanced index that will reflect the significant growth potential of the markets for nanotechnology.
Nanotechnology Products
Credit Suisse offers two new investment opportunities which are based on the Credit Suisse Global Nanotechnology Index and cater for the various risk-return profiles of investors.
A CPUPLUS allows investors to benefit from capital protection at maturity, and at the same time to retain the opportunity to participate in the positive performance of the Index. The amount repaid at maturity depends on the change in the Index during the term of the CPUPLUS. This is assessed each quarter, with the three best quarterly performance values of the underlying being substituted by a value that has been defined in advance.
A CertificatePLUS allows investors, at maturity, to participate 100% in the positive performance of the underlying. Furthermore, investors are repaid in full provided that, during the term, the Index does not reach or exceed pre-defined barrier values. If the Index does reach or exceed its barrier at least once during the term, the investors continue to participate fully in the positive performance of the Index, yet without minimum repayment.
From finchannel.com
Sunday
Reversing the Aging Proccess
Products in nanotechnology: Cosmetics
With nanotechnology proliferating into the production of daily-use consumables, the cosmetic industry is one of the leading product areas to employ nanotechnology extensively. Some of the notable highlights of nanotechnology products in cosmetics include anti-aging products and skin care solutions.
Rewind Time Vitamin C and a nanotechnology delivery system is one of the excellent anti-aging cosmetic products to employ nanotechnology. This is a vitamin C serum that facilitates the production of collagen and elastin in the fibroblasts, contributing to bring down the appearance of wrinkles. The product is also known to reduce discoloration as a result of exposure to sun and also prevents the damage of free-radicals thus slowing down the aging process. The product contains a type of peptide, a form of non-irritating vitamin C delivered through a nanotechnology system to ensure that the active ingredients penetrate deep into the surface of the skin to reach the lower level of the skin called as dermis. Crystal Radiance is known to exfoliate, bluff and stimulate the skin cells to give a microdermabrasion experience. The product helps to smooth the patchy and dry skin to increase the cell turnover thereby producing a soft and glowing skin. In this product the highlight is the employment of nanotechnology to aid the complete and deep penetration of the product into the skin to ensure the complete benefits ensuing from the product (www.jamieoskin.com)
Hyalogy™ P-effectis yet another interesting product that employs patented nanotechnology. The product is an ultimate example for the breakthrough in the formulation technology that employs a process of proprietary nanotechnology. Notably, this company is also the first one in the industry to create a product in the cosmetology market that ensures the hyaluronic acid to penetrate deep into the skin while applied topically. The Hyalogy™ Total Skin Care Line provides a more effective and deep hydration into the skin for a prolonged period of time to yield better results than the current formulations of conventional skin moisturizers. The notable achievement of this product is the underlying research efforts into advanced infiltration nanotechnology. The process of deep penetration aided by the nanotechnology ensures deep miniaturization beneath the surface of the skin without the use of needles. In all the previous attempts of the cosmetic industry, hyaluronic acid had to be injected into the dermis of the skin using needle as the formulations could not themselves penetrate deep inside. In the above said regards, the role of nanotechnology in the cosmetics industry has certainly offered a remarkable breakthrough. http://www.nanotechnologyworld.co.uk/content/view/329/31/
With nanotechnology proliferating into the production of daily-use consumables, the cosmetic industry is one of the leading product areas to employ nanotechnology extensively. Some of the notable highlights of nanotechnology products in cosmetics include anti-aging products and skin care solutions.
Rewind Time Vitamin C and a nanotechnology delivery system is one of the excellent anti-aging cosmetic products to employ nanotechnology. This is a vitamin C serum that facilitates the production of collagen and elastin in the fibroblasts, contributing to bring down the appearance of wrinkles. The product is also known to reduce discoloration as a result of exposure to sun and also prevents the damage of free-radicals thus slowing down the aging process. The product contains a type of peptide, a form of non-irritating vitamin C delivered through a nanotechnology system to ensure that the active ingredients penetrate deep into the surface of the skin to reach the lower level of the skin called as dermis. Crystal Radiance is known to exfoliate, bluff and stimulate the skin cells to give a microdermabrasion experience. The product helps to smooth the patchy and dry skin to increase the cell turnover thereby producing a soft and glowing skin. In this product the highlight is the employment of nanotechnology to aid the complete and deep penetration of the product into the skin to ensure the complete benefits ensuing from the product (www.jamieoskin.com)
Hyalogy™ P-effectis yet another interesting product that employs patented nanotechnology. The product is an ultimate example for the breakthrough in the formulation technology that employs a process of proprietary nanotechnology. Notably, this company is also the first one in the industry to create a product in the cosmetology market that ensures the hyaluronic acid to penetrate deep into the skin while applied topically. The Hyalogy™ Total Skin Care Line provides a more effective and deep hydration into the skin for a prolonged period of time to yield better results than the current formulations of conventional skin moisturizers. The notable achievement of this product is the underlying research efforts into advanced infiltration nanotechnology. The process of deep penetration aided by the nanotechnology ensures deep miniaturization beneath the surface of the skin without the use of needles. In all the previous attempts of the cosmetic industry, hyaluronic acid had to be injected into the dermis of the skin using needle as the formulations could not themselves penetrate deep inside. In the above said regards, the role of nanotechnology in the cosmetics industry has certainly offered a remarkable breakthrough. http://www.nanotechnologyworld.co.uk/content/view/329/31/
Friday
Nanowires brighten up organic LEDs
Organic LEDs that use gold nanowires to boost light-emitting efficiency show promise for future lighting and display technology.
Nanowires brighten up organic LEDs
Light extraction
Nanowires can enhance the light-emitting efficiency of organic LEDs by up to 45%, say researchers in Taiwan. An added bonus is that the nanowires could replace expensive indium tin oxide as the anode in such devices. The technique might even be applied to liquid crystal displays to increase their brightness and possibly eliminate the need for colour filters (Applied Physics Letters 92 013303).
Organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) are promising for next-generation displays and lighting because they are simple to make. Although OLEDs are better than conventional inorganic LEDs in many ways, they do suffer from a low light-emitting efficiency of around 20%. This is because most of the light is trapped (due to total internal reflection) in the transparent substrate and the organic layers making up the devices.
Previous research extracted this trapped light by using dielectric microstructures or roughing the surface. Now, Pei-Kuen Wei of the Research Center for Applied Science in Taipei and colleagues have found that an array of 50 nm-thick gold nanowires placed on top of an indium tin oxide (ITO) anode can increase the light-emitting intensity of an OLED made from Alq3 by up to two times. The nanowires, which act as light scatterers, are placed 450 nm apart in the arrays. This period matches the peak emission wavelength of the emitted light, which enhances light extraction.
www.ophir-spiricon.com
Wei told nanotechweb.org that the gold nanowire arrays might be used to replace expensive ITO in OLEDS because they are conducting and have a high optical transmission. "The concept of using metallic nanowire arrays for efficiently extracting light from a substrate could also be applied to LCDs," he added. Modern liquid crystal backlights use a thin glass or PMMA plate to guide light that may also benefit from light scatterers. Moreover, since the wavelength of the light scattered depends on the periodicity of the nanowires in the arrays, it might be possible to produce red–green–blue colours directly from the guiding plate without using colour filters, he said.
The team is now trying to find the optimal nanostructures for light extraction. It will also test various 2D periodic nanostructures, such as square or hexagonal nanodots, and other metals like silver.
By Belle Dumé from optics.org
Nanowires brighten up organic LEDs
Light extraction
Nanowires can enhance the light-emitting efficiency of organic LEDs by up to 45%, say researchers in Taiwan. An added bonus is that the nanowires could replace expensive indium tin oxide as the anode in such devices. The technique might even be applied to liquid crystal displays to increase their brightness and possibly eliminate the need for colour filters (Applied Physics Letters 92 013303).
Organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) are promising for next-generation displays and lighting because they are simple to make. Although OLEDs are better than conventional inorganic LEDs in many ways, they do suffer from a low light-emitting efficiency of around 20%. This is because most of the light is trapped (due to total internal reflection) in the transparent substrate and the organic layers making up the devices.
Previous research extracted this trapped light by using dielectric microstructures or roughing the surface. Now, Pei-Kuen Wei of the Research Center for Applied Science in Taipei and colleagues have found that an array of 50 nm-thick gold nanowires placed on top of an indium tin oxide (ITO) anode can increase the light-emitting intensity of an OLED made from Alq3 by up to two times. The nanowires, which act as light scatterers, are placed 450 nm apart in the arrays. This period matches the peak emission wavelength of the emitted light, which enhances light extraction.
www.ophir-spiricon.com
Wei told nanotechweb.org that the gold nanowire arrays might be used to replace expensive ITO in OLEDS because they are conducting and have a high optical transmission. "The concept of using metallic nanowire arrays for efficiently extracting light from a substrate could also be applied to LCDs," he added. Modern liquid crystal backlights use a thin glass or PMMA plate to guide light that may also benefit from light scatterers. Moreover, since the wavelength of the light scattered depends on the periodicity of the nanowires in the arrays, it might be possible to produce red–green–blue colours directly from the guiding plate without using colour filters, he said.
The team is now trying to find the optimal nanostructures for light extraction. It will also test various 2D periodic nanostructures, such as square or hexagonal nanodots, and other metals like silver.
By Belle Dumé from optics.org
Thursday
Sea cucumbers inspire switchable material
A sudden stiffening of the skin can help the humble sea cucumber defend itself from predators. Now, scientists in America have designed a new composite material that mimics this feat. Christoph Weder, Stuart Rowan and colleagues at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, say that their invention could be useful for biomedical applications.
The sea cucumber - a relative of the starfish that grazes the ocean floor for carrion - can become rigid in seconds, thanks to its ability to control the interaction between collagen fibrils in its tissue. The researchers tried to imitate this with a network of cellulose nanofibres, dubbed 'whiskers', and embedded them into a rubbery polymer substance.
In the absence of water the whiskers form a rigid network, giving the whole composite material a high rigidity. 'In the absence of water, the nanofibres are "glued" to each other, and the nanofibre network dominates the mechanical properties of the material,' explains Rowan. 'In this state the material is strong and rigid, much like a CD case.'
'But if the material is exposed to water, the water molecules "unglue" the nanofibers and the material becomes about 1000 times softer, so its properties resemble those of a soft rubber.'
'I think it is one of the most exciting recent opportunities in the design of new materials, and would open the door to applications in a number of different fields,' says Craig Hawker a materials scientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, US. 'This could radically change the way scientists think about nanomaterials - it could be game-changing.'
The scientists think that the switchable material could be used in microelectrodes that are implanted into the brain to treat diseases such as Parkinson's, which could be made to go soft in the aqueous environment of the body and thus avoid scarring.
Experimenting with the composition of the material, the scientists also created a composite substance that can be switched by temperature changes, and they hope to find others where the same change can be induced by chemical or electrical signals.
'One can imagine protective clothing, for example, which is flexible and comfortable to wear but becomes rigid and protective when necessary,' adds Hawker. 'This is essentially what sea cucumbers use this process for.'
By Michael Gross from
RSC.org
The sea cucumber - a relative of the starfish that grazes the ocean floor for carrion - can become rigid in seconds, thanks to its ability to control the interaction between collagen fibrils in its tissue. The researchers tried to imitate this with a network of cellulose nanofibres, dubbed 'whiskers', and embedded them into a rubbery polymer substance.
In the absence of water the whiskers form a rigid network, giving the whole composite material a high rigidity. 'In the absence of water, the nanofibres are "glued" to each other, and the nanofibre network dominates the mechanical properties of the material,' explains Rowan. 'In this state the material is strong and rigid, much like a CD case.'
'But if the material is exposed to water, the water molecules "unglue" the nanofibers and the material becomes about 1000 times softer, so its properties resemble those of a soft rubber.'
'I think it is one of the most exciting recent opportunities in the design of new materials, and would open the door to applications in a number of different fields,' says Craig Hawker a materials scientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, US. 'This could radically change the way scientists think about nanomaterials - it could be game-changing.'
The scientists think that the switchable material could be used in microelectrodes that are implanted into the brain to treat diseases such as Parkinson's, which could be made to go soft in the aqueous environment of the body and thus avoid scarring.
Experimenting with the composition of the material, the scientists also created a composite substance that can be switched by temperature changes, and they hope to find others where the same change can be induced by chemical or electrical signals.
'One can imagine protective clothing, for example, which is flexible and comfortable to wear but becomes rigid and protective when necessary,' adds Hawker. 'This is essentially what sea cucumbers use this process for.'
By Michael Gross from
RSC.org
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