Previous Page
56
nanotimes News in Brief
Researchers at the Public University of Navarre (UPNA, Spain) are working on a project to design and manufacture composite PVC materials based on nanofillings and intended for multi-sectoral ap- plications. The ultimate aim of the Vinilclay project is to control and optimize the properties of the pla- stic material; specifically, its photostability, thermal resistance and gas permeation. The nanofilled poly- mer composite materials are developed through the synthesis and treatment of nanoclays inserted into the matrix of the polymer. According to Antonio Gil, “the main aim is to improve their photostability properties: ultraviolet rays, responsible for the acce- lerated degradation of the polymers, cause disco- louration and loss of performance of the materials, thus shortening their useful life. Inserting molecules capable of absorbing light radiation increases the composite’s resistance to UV radiation.”
The company Compuestos y Granzas, S. A. (CYGSA) is acting as the co-ordinator.
Scientists described development of a new ex- plosives detector that can sense small amounts of TNT and other common explosives in liquids instantly with a sensitivity that rivals bomb-sniffing dogs, the current gold standard in protecting the public from terrorist bombs. They reported on the technology, suitable for incorporation into a TNT test strip, at the 243. National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
By squeezing a porous solid, scientists surprisingly made its cavities open wider, letting in – and trap- ping – europium ions. Given the similarities bet- ween europium and uranium ions, the team, based at the University of South Carolina, Yonsei Uni- versity (Korea), and Stanford University, thinks the innovation could represent a promising new avenue for nuclear waste processing.
The focus of their work is natrolite, one of the many examples of aluminosilicate minerals called zeolites, which contain tiny, regularly spaced pores. Zeolites
12-03 :: March/April 2012
A new, ultrasensitive real-time sensor can detect trace levels of explosives, such as TNT, in liquids. © Yu Lei, Ph.D.
The sensor also has potential uses in detecting water pollution involving TNT, according to Yu Lei, Ph.D., and Ying Wang, who developed the sensor. Such contamination can occur from production, obsolete storage facilities and other sources. TNT contamina- tion of drinking water carries a risk of serious health disorders.