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Biotech Science

New Microscope Shows Nano-Fibre Formation 118

Posted by Hemos from the from-the-ground-up dept.
Freshly Exhumed writes "An article, with mpeg and avi movies, in Chemical and Engineering News describes how researchers from Danish high-tech firm Haldor Topsoe and the Danish Technical University have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of nano-research. With the help of a specially designed microscope, researchers can now directly observe carbon nano-fibre formation. This is a prelude to actually controlling the growth of the fibres, which up until now has been very problematic. The new microscope's impact is expected to have tremendous significance for the development of future electronic components, energy extraction, and environmental technology."
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New Microscope Shows Nano-Fibre Formation More

New Microscope Shows Nano-Fibre Formation

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  • Growing Nanofibers (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    I've found growing carbon nanofibers by decomposing hydrocarbon gases on solid catalysts very intriguing. The main problem that they have faced is that it has been very difficult to probe the fundamental steps that drive the growth, in part because of the high temperature and pressure required to sustain the reaction.

    It looks like they have somehow found a way around this problem.

  • Space elevator, here we come!! (Score:5, Insightful)

    by stephenisu ( 580105 ) on Monday February 09, 2004 @10:45AM (#8225969)
    The implications for this are amazing. If we had a working space elevator, getting to mars would cost next to nothing, relative to todays costs of breaking low earth orbit.
    • Notwithstanding the hideous cost of the space elevator, you are correct.

    • Mars?? (Score:4, Insightful)

      by misleb ( 129952 ) on Monday February 09, 2004 @12:36PM (#8227072)
      The implications for this are amazing. If we had a working space elevator, getting to mars would cost next to nothing, relative to todays costs of breaking low earth orbit.

      What about breaking low Mars orbit? Sending people to Mars is only half the problem. Getting them back is the other half. Sure, Mars is smaller than Earth, but it isn't THAT small. WHat are ya gonna do, send half of NASA to Mars to build a launch pad/control center/space elevator?? Are they gonna live there for a 10 years or whatever while the means of getting home is assembled and tested? Even if you could ship prefabricated facilities, you'd need a lot of equipment/tools. You have all the cost problems all over again (probably worse). SUre, we might have this kind of thing there eventually (like 75 years from now), but not one person can leave Mars until this stuff is in place. They are essentially stranded. Personally, i'd rather be stranded on Gilligan's Island. At least the weather was nice there.

      I guess a space elevator would be neat, but come on, get your head out of clouds.

      -matthew

      • Re:Mars?? (Score:4, Insightful)

        by Smidge204 ( 605297 ) on Monday February 09, 2004 @12:50PM (#8227233) Journal
        Just send them an ACME Do-It-Yourself Space Elevator Kit!

        One complete space elevator tailored for Martian use. Pack it up, send it over, put it into geo-stationary orbit where you want it, and drop anchor. This can probablty all be done remotely.

        If I'm not mistaken, that's pretty much how they (currently) plan to build on for Earth: Unreel a starter cable from above and anchor it. Only difference is the crawlers that go up and down the starter cable to reinforce it would have to start at the top.
        =Smidge=
        • One complete space elevator tailored for Martian use. Pack it up, send it over, put it into geo-stationary orbit where you want it, and drop anchor. This can probablty all be done remotely.

          Umm, wouldn't the weight of the starter cable pull the starter satelite (or whatever is at the top) out of orbit?

          -matthew

          • As I recall, the satellite would would move out and away from teh planet as the cable was lowered, so the center of mass for the whole thing stayed at GCO. Thus, it wouldn't fall. Once the calbe is strong enough, a transport car (whose mass would be really smal compared to te satellite) can ride up and down without upsetting the whole system.
            =Smidge=
            • That's one hell of a spool of cable.

            • I believe that this is, in fact, incorrect. The Satellite reels out cable in BOTH directions at once, to keep itself balanced. This also gives you a rather convenient way of launching interplanetary spacecraft - run them out to the end of the cable and then let go.

              • That's another way to do it. The net result is that the center of mass for the whole thing stays in geo-sync orbit.

                To the best of my knowledge, "Highlift Systems" (Being the most visible group working on this concept) does not use the two-ended-ribbon system you describe. All depends on who you talk to.
                =Smidge=

                • Ah, point. Though I'd think the two-ended-ribbon would be more useful in general, as you don't just have a lift platform but an interplanetary launch platform. However, I can see building single-ended designs first...

                  Another interesting idea are skyhooks, which are basically beanstalks that don't touch the ground and don't have to be in geosynch orbit. Instead, their lower end's moving through the atmosphere at a reasonable clip at the right altitude and speed for well-designed and still fairly cheap airc

        • Re:Mars?? (Score:3, Informative)

          by cflorio ( 604840 )
          Yes, exactly.

          The only problem with the one for Mars are the Mars moons. The Martian moons are much closer to Mars than our is, so close in fact that the elevator will have to dodge the moons.

          I read that the elevator would have to dodge these moons several times a day. This is all detailed in the Space Elevator Book [amazon.com]

      • What if we were to send up a team of lawyers? We wouldn't need a space elevator at the Mars end then...
    • As eager as I am to get to Mars, there something more important about Clarke's beanstalk. Does any body remember Heinlein writing that once you're in low-Earth orbit, you're halfway to anywhere in the Solar System?

  • Title? (Score:4, Funny)

    by CleverNickedName ( 644160 ) on Monday February 09, 2004 @10:47AM (#8225987) Journal
    Shouldn't that read "New Nanoscope Shows Nano-Fibre Formation"

  • Step (Score:4, Insightful)

    by strike2867 ( 658030 ) on Monday February 09, 2004 @10:47AM (#8225992)
    This is a very small step up the ladder to massproducing nano particles. When you need millions to be produced cheap enough to be profitable for business, a microscope that can see one at a time isnt that helpful, just makes one of the steps in the process a bit cheaper.

    • Bad step (Score:3, Funny)

      by burgburgburg ( 574866 )
      This is the first step to nanobots successfully self-replicating, overrunning our feeble flesh and blood bodies in the quest for total world domination.

      I'm glad I moved my family up here to the hills.

      • I realize you were trying to be funny. To be in the mind of someone who modded you interesting must be amazing. But in any case self-replication is not that good. Think of cancer. And if you want to read more about nano particle world domination, you should read Michael Crichtons Prey [crichton-official.com]. Why yes, it is fiction. And why yes, it is worse than most of his other books.

    • Re:Step (Score:5, Insightful)

      by BigBadBri ( 595126 ) on Monday February 09, 2004 @11:21AM (#8226300)
      No - the real help is that being able to video the fibre formation helps in understanding the reaction dynamics, which is important.

      This could lead to improvements in catalyst design, maybe to new methods of production with the sort of yield that will make these nanofibres economically viable.

      Well done the Danes, I say.

  • Implications of nano-technology (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Killjoy_NL ( 719667 ) <slashdotNO@SPAMremco.palli.nl> on Monday February 09, 2004 @10:47AM (#8225996)
    [bigbrother-mode] Forget RFID, what if in say 50 years, every baby gets a little nano-computer implanted that is fed by bio-electricity ? This is some scary shit even though it could have some practical uses. A biomonitor that will give you a signal (on your mobile with wireless technology), location tracing (for if you get lost as a child) [/bigbrother-mode] Still cool tech though :)
    • Bio-electricity? Fibers? Does this mean that when it'll be time to upgrade, you can just eat your old cpu?

      I can see the ads already... New Intel MyTanium - now with chocholate flavor!

    • ["A biomonitor that will give you a signal (on your mobile with wireless technology)"]

      Why bother carrying a "mobile" when you're already toting around a processor the size of a flea's earlobe inside you? All it'd have to do to report to you is transmit the info directly into your nervous system (which it's already hooked up to in the first place ) and Presto! no worry about the info being intercepted and decoded by Wal-Mart so they know whether you need toothpaste (or Viagra, or Odor Eaters, etc..
  • My knowledge on nano technology is very limited, but I just want congratulate the Danish scientist! It's great that we can keep up in this field considering that we are a relatively small country.

    From me - a Dane.

    • Re:Waving the National Flag (Score:5, Funny)

      by Channard ( 693317 ) on Monday February 09, 2004 @10:50AM (#8226032) Journal
      My knowledge on nano technology is very limited, but I just want congratulate the Danish scientist! It's great that we can keep up in this field considering that we are a relatively small country.

      First pastries and bacon, now this. Is there anything the Danish can't do?

      • "First pastries and bacon, now this. Is there anything the Danish can't do?"

        Play American football...

      • Not much, but based on personal experience, having sex with more than three supermodels at a time seems just plain impossible.

      • Not much ... (Score:5, Informative)

        by zonix ( 592337 ) on Monday February 09, 2004 @12:04PM (#8226735) Journal
        First pastries and bacon, now this. Is there anything the Danish can't do?

        Not much. Perhaps you recognize these guys?

        • Tycho Brahe (astronomy)
        • Niels Bohr (physics)
        • Bjarne Stroustrup (C++ creator)
        • Hans Christian Andersen, Soeren Kierkegaard, Karen Blixen (tales, essays, short stories)
        • Victor Borge (comedy)
        • Bille August (movie director)
        • Carl Nielsen (classical composer)
        • Arne Jacobsen (designer - the father of modern danish design)

        They're all Danes. Perhaps some interesting companies too:

        • Novo (largest supplier of insulin, creator of the world smallest syringes - a perfect combo)
        • Lego (well)
        • Carlberg (mmmm... beer)
        • Maersk (shipping inddustry - look for the star logo)

        We're also the worlds largest producer of windmills, I believe? We can do pretty much everything.

        I don't know about the pastries. A "Danish" as you know it, is not called a Dasish in Denmark - it's not even believed to be Danish, if I'm not mistaken? :-)

        z

        • Re:Not much ... (Score:3, Interesting)

          by IdleTime ( 561841 )
          That is correct, A Danish is actually from Austria and is called, the more appropriate "Wienerbrod", translates in English to "Bread from Vienna"
        • heheh... some of these guys are pretty old. We should be thankful that we have done things of value since the deaths of Tycho Brahe and Soren Kierkegaard.
        • I don't really want to knock at Stroustrup but apparently the Danes don't get laid that often...

  • Micro, Nano... Tecto? (Score:4, Funny)

    by smack_attack ( 171144 ) on Monday February 09, 2004 @10:50AM (#8226027) Homepage
    I'm just taking a wild guess with the subject, but does anyone know what comes after nano? Eventually we're going to get there and I wanted to know what the name was, maybe it's something cool like hyper or jigga.
    • milli micro nano pico femto

    • Re:Micro, Nano... Tecto? (Score:5, Informative)

      by Qwerpafw ( 315600 ) on Monday February 09, 2004 @11:01AM (#8226138) Homepage
      What's smaller than nano? (Keep in mind that nano means "one billionth", or unit * 10^-9)

      pico (symbol is "p") is 10^-12, or one-thousandth of a nano.

      femto (symbol is "f") is 10^-15, or one-millionth of a nano.

      atto (symbol is "a") is 10^-18, or one-billionth of a nano (nano means one-billionth, so atto is one billionth of a billionth)

      zepto (symbol is "z") is 10^-21, or nano divided by one trillion.

      yocto (symbol is "y") is 10^-24, or nano divided by one quadrillion.

      Yocto would be one-millionth of a billionth of a billionth of a unit. That's very small.

      • The ultimate is the Planck unit, which is roughly 10^-33 of a meter, or one thousandths of a billionth of a nano (or something like that). The size is usually stated as 1.6 x 10^-35.

        This is the size at which quantum effects dominate, and according to string theorists, is the size you start to see many more dimensions that the usual 4 (I've heard from 6 to 10 dimensions exist at this scale).

      • So, the scientists ran out of ideas for prefixes and just started naming them after the Marx brothers?

  • server suicide (Score:5, Informative)

    by flogger ( 524072 ) <non@nonegiven> on Monday February 09, 2004 @10:57AM (#8226095) Journal
    It has been a long time since 5 meg video files posted on slashdot haven;t been, well, slashdotted. mirror is at this spot. [alchurch.net]

  • pardon me (Score:5, Informative)

    by cyfer2000 ( 548592 ) on Monday February 09, 2004 @11:26AM (#8226350) Journal
    may be a little off topic, but I feel it is very important.

    The avi files are from http://pubs.acs.org, millions of researchers and professors and students in chemistry related areas arround the world need this web site to read publications from ACS.

    So please don't /. this website. Especially, if you are not really interest in the avi files, don't click them.

    Thank you.
    • Let's hope to God that they didn't put this new nano-scope in the same room as the server.

      The '8 jets of flame that are shooting out of the drives right now could dammage it.

      What's the matter officer? I have obeyed all of your silly Earth laws!
  • As found in the article: From a detailed inspection of the images and quantum mechanical calculations, the researchers conclude that nucleation and growth of the fibers' graphene layers occur at tiny defects in the nickel crystals known as single-atom step edges. The angstrom-sized imperfections are observed to form and then disappear repeatedly during the course of the reaction.

    This fact on a philosophical/human level seems quite reassuring. Perhaps it is our "defects" our differences, our changes in s

  • Environmental SEM (Score:5, Interesting)

    by The Fun Guy ( 21791 ) on Monday February 09, 2004 @12:03PM (#8226733) Homepage Journal
    This type of scanning electron microscopy is fairly new (~10-15 yrs), but it's not a Danish invention... a lot of places make and sell these microscopes. Traditional SEM requires sputter coating your subject with gold or osmium, something really electron dense to get a good conduction and bounceback. You "shine" electrons at your subject, they bounce back, you detect them. All well and good, but the coating process meant some artifacts were introduced, and you killed your subject. The detection had be done under high vacuum, and it had to be dry, so water and air wouldn't scatter the electrons and ruin your imaging.

    Environmental SEM (or "variable pressure" SEM) puts the subject in a chamber that's isolated from the electron emitter/detector by a thin membrane. The separation allows for different pressures and atmospheres around the detector and the subject. From an informative website(http://www.itg.uiuc.edu/ms/equipment/micro scopes/esem/): "When the electron beam (primary electrons) ejects secondary electrons from the surface of the sample, the secondary electrons collide with water molecules, which in turn function as a cascade amplifier, delivering the secondary electron signal to the positively biased gaseous secondary electron detector (GSED). Because they've lost electrons in this exchange, the water molecules are positively ionized, and thus they are forced/attracted toward the specimen (which may be nonconductive and uncoated), serving to neutralize the negative charge produced by the primary electron beam."

    You can take live action shots of wee beasties or watch crystals grow, live, rather than having to take snapshots of stopped processes.

    Very cool.

    • A TEM, not an ESEM! (Score:2, Informative)

      by MZdoctor ( 634109 )
      Well intended Fun Guy, but unfortunately irrelevant. As indicated by the AC above, images such as these are only possible with a transmission electron microscope or TEM, at least for now and in the foreseeable future. Atomic resolution requires at least 200 kV electron acceleration voltage, immersion type magnetic objective lenses (lenses where the specimen is at the point of maximum magnetic field), and detection of the weakly scattered high energy primary electrons, not the occasional low energy secondary

      • Re:A TEM, not an ESEM! (Score:2, Interesting)

        by SB9876 ( 723368 )
        Agreed, getting an HV TEM to get carbon lattice images at 500 C and with gasses being fed into the column is pretty damned impressive. One has to wonder, however, about the effect of the electron beam flux on the nanotube formation.

        I used to work with a guy doing extremely low-loss EELS (plasmon edge stuff) and he found that he had to drop the accelerating voltage to 100kV to prevent nanotube deterioration. Though, he was working on small single-wall tubes, not the big, multi-walled behemoths you see in
  • where are the maginfied magnified beer images?
  • We're not speaking French, you know!

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