Name: ___Zoha Rashid___Date: _____9-29-14_______
Periodic-als Science in the News
Topic Selected: Nanotechnology
Why did you select this topic? My uncle is a professor and I heard him talking about nanotechnology one time and I want to learn more about it.
Why is this topic currently a news headline? Nanotechnology is being used in many ways to improve the world today, one way is the fastest semiconductor nano-lasers were created by PhD student from the University of Jena along with some of his colleagues from Imperial College London.
Facts Source 1
Source 1 Title: Super Nano-Waterproof Coating
MLA Citation: "Super Nano-Waterproof Coating Actively Shrugs Off Water, Grease and Would-Be Stains." Popular Science. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sep. 2014.
- This new coating will actively shrug off water, grease and other stains.
- Material would be stabilized by exposure to UV light.
- Any liquids or would get pushed away from the fabric rather than scrubbed off.
- This advanced technology would be it’s own layer of ‘fabric’ that would cover your clothing.
- Invented and introduced by Tong Lin and his colleagues at the Australian Future Fibres and Innovation Centre at Deakin University.
- Created by using layer by layer deposition to form stable coats of silica nanoparticles.
- By alternating negative and positively charged layers of material, it would now stick together to form one giant layer.
- Because this idea had previously broken down into almost acid like substances, Ling and his team shot them with ultraviolet radiation to stabilize the compound.
- Apparently, this method works for any substances ranging from cotton to coconut.
- In the experiment conducted, the nanotechnology successfully fought off assault from acids, soaps, bases, and solvents.
- Also, it survived through about fifty washes.
- According to the American Chemical Society, this technology is more efficient than car wax and teflon, and to prove it they used a microscope and camera to watch as the water droplets hit the surface of the layer.
- It is named ‘Langmuir’.
Facts Source 2
Source 2 Title: Nanotech clothing fabric ‘never gets wet’
MLA Citation: "Nanotech Clothing Fabric 'never Gets Wet'" - Tech. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sep. 2014.
- Waterproof material designed by Swiss Chemists.
- Polyester fibres coated with millions of of tiny silicone filaments.
- Water would stay in a perfect ball of liquid sitting atop the fabric if horizontal.
- Anymore than two degrees and the water will roll down the fabric without leaving any traces behind.
- Water can also very likely just bounce right off.
- Nanofilaments are chemically hydrophobic.
- The fibres, or ‘spikes’ are water repellent so when water does hit the spikes, it prevents any water from soaking through into the actual fabric of your clothing.
- A combination of water repellent substance and nanostructures like these are also responsible for certain parts of nature such as the Lotus Leaf.
- Spiders and certain other insects use paltrons to breathe underwater, likewise, these filaments have space between them to create permanent air layers.
- It is said that this fabric can be submerged in water for two months and it would still emerge completely dry.
- Drag can also be reduced when being held through water, this can be a huge advancement for swimmers.
- It is possible that sometime in the future, there will be swimsuits that never get wet, something very useful for athletic swimmers.
- Although polyester gives the best results so far, this nanotech can be added to many other materials such as cotton and viscose.
- New coating is also very durable unlike some other waterproof materials.
- Will act as self cleaning clothing.