Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors







Heifer International

Wikipedia Affiliate Button


Home > Press > New 'frozen smoke' may improve robotic surgery, energy storage

UCF associate professor Lei Zhai worked with fellow professors Saiful Khondaker, Sudipta Seal and Quanfang Chen.

Credit: Jason Greene
UCF associate professor Lei Zhai worked with fellow professors Saiful Khondaker, Sudipta Seal and Quanfang Chen.

Credit: Jason Greene

Abstract:
A spongy substance that could be mistaken for packing material has the nanotechnology world buzzing.

University of Central Florida Associate Professor Lei Zhai and postdoctoral associate Jianhua Zou have engineered the world's lightest carbon material in such a way that it could be used to detect pollutants and toxic substances, improve robotic surgery techniques and store energy more efficiently.

New 'frozen smoke' may improve robotic surgery, energy storage

Orlando, FL | Posted on March 1st, 2011

The new material belongs to the family of the lightest solid, also known by its technical name of aerogel or its common nickname of "frozen smoke."

Zhai's team worked with UCF professors Saiful Khondaker, Sudipta Seal and Quanfang Chen to create multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) aerogel. Carbon nanotubes are so small that thousands fit on a single strand of human hair. And using the nanotubes instead of silica (major material in sand), the foundation for traditional aerogel, increases the materials' practical use.

For the first time, even the tiniest pressure change can be detected and tracked. Strips of MWCNT aerogel could be used in robotic fingers and hands to make them super sensitive and give them the ability to distinguish between holding a power saw or a scalpel - a distinction necessary for use in surgery.

Because the nanotubes have a large surface area , great amounts of energy could be stored in the aerogel, increasing the capacity of lithium batteries or supercapacitors used to store energy generated from renewable resources such as wind and the sun.

Combining the larger surface area and improved electrical conductivity is also important in developing sensors that can detect toxins capable of invading the food or water supply. And the same technique can be used to develop equipment capable of detecting even trace amounts of explosives.

"This has many potential applications and could really open up new areas to explore that we haven't even imagined yet," Zhai said.

A report detailing Zhai's work appears in the journal ACS Nano.

Zhai joined UCF in 2005 after he completed his post-doctoral work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has a master's degree in Chemistry from East Tennessee State University and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University. Zhai has written dozens of peer-reviewed articles, has obtained six patents and is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences. He is the recipient of National Science Foundation CAREER Award.

####

About University of Central Florida
UCF Stands For Opportunity --The University of Central Florida is a metropolitan research university that ranks as the second largest in the nation with more than 56,000 students. UCF's first classes were offered in 1968. The university offers impressive academic and research environments that power the region's economic development. UCF's culture of opportunity is driven by our diversity, Orlando environment, history of entrepreneurship and our youth, relevance and energy.

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
Zenaida Gonzalez Kotala
UCF News & Information

407-823-6120

Copyright © University of Central Florida

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

News and information

Pioneering breakthrough of chemical nanoengineering to design drugs controlled by light June 18th, 2013

Study Shows How the Nanog Protein Promotes Growth of Head and Neck Cancer June 18th, 2013

New Method to Synthesize Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles with High Catalytic Activity June 18th, 2013

Production of Polyaniline Biosensors Modified with Conductive Polymer Composites June 18th, 2013

Nanotubes/Buckyballs

Unzipped nanotubes unlock potential for batteries: Rice University lab combines graphene nanoribbons with tin oxide for improved anodes June 13th, 2013

The Diabetes ‘Breathalyzer’: Pitt chemists demonstrate sensor technology that could detect and monitor diabetes through breath analysis alone June 10th, 2013

Los Alamos catalyst could jumpstart e-cars, green energy: The new material has the highest oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity in alkaline media of any non-precious metal catalyst developed to date June 4th, 2013

Even with Defects, Graphene is Strongest Material in the World: New Study Reveals Strength of CVD Graphene May 31st, 2013

Nanomedicine

3-D printing could lead to tiny medical implants, electronics, robots, more June 18th, 2013

Pioneering breakthrough of chemical nanoengineering to design drugs controlled by light June 18th, 2013

Study Shows How the Nanog Protein Promotes Growth of Head and Neck Cancer June 18th, 2013

Production of Polyaniline Biosensors Modified with Conductive Polymer Composites June 18th, 2013

Discoveries

Which qubit my dear? New method to distinguish between neighbouring quantum bits June 18th, 2013

Pioneering breakthrough of chemical nanoengineering to design drugs controlled by light June 18th, 2013

Study Shows How the Nanog Protein Promotes Growth of Head and Neck Cancer June 18th, 2013

New Method to Synthesize Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles with High Catalytic Activity June 18th, 2013

Announcements

Pioneering breakthrough of chemical nanoengineering to design drugs controlled by light June 18th, 2013

Study Shows How the Nanog Protein Promotes Growth of Head and Neck Cancer June 18th, 2013

New Method to Synthesize Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles with High Catalytic Activity June 18th, 2013

Production of Polyaniline Biosensors Modified with Conductive Polymer Composites June 18th, 2013

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE







  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoTech-Transfer
University Technology Transfer & Patents
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More












ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project








abbigliamento uomo
Computer Accessories
© Copyright 1999-2013 7th Wave, Inc. All Rights Reserved PRIVACY POLICY :: CONTACT US :: STATS :: SITE MAP :: ADVERTISE