Audiência pública para discutir a nanotecnologia

A Comissão de Meio Ambiente e Desenvolvimento Sustentável realiza na quinta-feira (13), às 10 horas, audiência pública para discutir a situação atual da nanotecnologia no Brasil.

"Nano" – que significa "anão" - é uma unidade de medida equivalente à bilionésima parte do metro. Assim se medem células, átomos e DNA. A nanotecnologia consegue manipular estruturas dessa dimensão para criar produtos como cosméticos, comprimidos, chips, pastas de dentes e telas de TV dobráveis. Estima-se que até 2015 serão investidos 3 trilhões de dólares (cerca de R$ 6 trilhões) no setor em todo mundo.

 Regulamentação

O governo brasileiro criou uma rede nacional de Nano, que reúne um grupo de pesquisadores da área. Recursos foram disponibilizados para a pesquisa e ela já está incorporada nas principais universidades brasileiras.

 Porém, o Brasil não possui uma regulamentação para o assunto e não existe controle sobre essa tecnologia, que pode causar danos ambientais e à saúde. Não se sabe ao certo a que tipo de risco a população está exposta.

"Queremos saber até onde avançamos com as pesquisas e o que produzimos para o mercado nacional. Também precisamos saber o que estamos importando e o volume, se alguém controla a entrada desses produtos, e o que dizem as pesquisas com relação aos possíveis danos ambientais e à saúde humana, provocados pela nanotecnologia", diz o deputado Sarney Filho (PV-MA), que sugeriu a audiência.

 Foram convidados para o debate:

 o secretário de Biodiversidade e Florestas do Ministério do Meio Ambiente, Roberto Brandão Cavalcanti;

- o secretário de Desenvolvimento Teconológico e Inovação do Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia, Adalberto Fazzio;

- um representante do Ministério da Saúde;

- o professor do Departamento de Física da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Eronides Felisberto Silva Júnior;

- a química e pesquisadora da Fundação Jorge Duprat Figueiredo de Segurança e Medicina do Trabalho (Fundacentro), Arline Arcuri;

- o professor do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Direito da Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos do Rio Grande do Sul (Unisinos), Wilson Engellmann;

- o economista do Departamento Intersindical de Estatística e Estudos Socioeconômicos (Dieese), Thomaz Ferreira Jensen; e

- o coordenador da Rede de Pesquisas em Nanotecnologia (Renanosoma), Paulo Martins.

  Serviço:

O que: Audiência pública para discutir a nanotecnologia.

Data: 13 de dezembro de 2012, quinta-feira.

Horário: 10h

Local: Plenário 8, do Anexo II, da Câmara dos Deputados.

Link: www.camara.leg.br/meioambiente

Fonte: Câmara dos Deputados

________________________________________________________________

CÂMARA DOS DEPUTADOS

COMISSÃO DE MEIO AMBIENTE E DESENVOLVIMENTO SUSTENTÁVEL 54ª Legislatura - 2ª Sessão Legislativa Ordinária

PAUTA DE REUNIÃO ORDINÁRIA
AUDIÊNCIA PÚBLICA
DIA 13/12/2012

LOCAL: Anexo II, Plenário 08
HORÁRIO: 10h


A - Audiência Pública:

Tema:

ATUAL SITUAÇÃO DA NANOTECNOLOGIA NO BRASIL


Requerimento n.º 157/2012, do Deputado Sarney Filho (PV-MA)

EXPOSITORES:

(CONFIRMADO) Senhor ROBERTO BRANDÃO CAVALCANTI, Secretário de Biodiversidade e Florestas do Ministério do Meio Ambiente


(CONFIRMADO) Doutor ADALBERTO FAZZIO, Secretário Adjunto da Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Teconológico e Inovação do Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia


(CONFIRMADO) Senhor PEDRO BINSFELD, Coordenador-Geral de Assuntos Regulatórios do Ministério da Saúde


(CONFIRMADO) Doutor ERONIDES FELISBERTO SILVA JÚNIOR, Professor do Departamento de Física da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco


(CONFIRMADA) Doutora ARLINE ARCURI, Química, Pesquisadora da Fundação Jorge Duprat Figueiredo de Segurança e Medicina do Trabalho (Fundacentro)


(CONFIRMADO) Doutor WILSON ENGELLMANN, Professor do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Direito da Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos do Rio Grande do Sul (Unisinos)


(CONFIRMADO) Doutor THOMAZ FERREIRA JENSEN, Economista do Dieese - Departamento Intersindical de Estatística e Estudos Socioeconômicos


(CONFIRMADO) Doutor PAULO MARTINS, Coordenador da Rede de Pesquisas em Nanotecnologia (Renanosoma)

Fonte: Comissão de Meio Ambiente e Desenvolvimento Sustentável ________________________________________________________________ Veja aqui o Requerimento 157/2012 do Dep. Sarney Filho (PV/MA)  apresentado e aprovado em 17/10/2012:

Reunião debate diretrizes para Iniciativa Brasileira de Nanotecnologia

Integrantes do Comitê Interministerial de Nanotecnologias (CIN) discutiram nesta quinta-feira (11), em Brasília, os próximos passos para a finalização do documento da Iniciativa Brasileira de Nanotecnologia (IBN), que servirá de orientação para ações, programas e investimentos do governo brasileiro na área. Essa foi a segunda reunião do comitê, que deu partida, ainda, para a elaboração de um levantamento detalhado dos investimentos realizados. 

Segundo o coordenador-geral de Micro e Nanotecnologias do Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (MCTI), Flávio Plentz, ao longo do próximo mês os integrantes do comitê vão trabalhar nos últimos detalhes do documento que vai definir a linha mestra das ações governamentais.  “É uma iniciativa do governo brasileiro e, por isso, vai partir do comitê”, acrescentou Plentz.

A ideia, com o levantamento, é sistematizar as informações – atualmente dispersas – tanto das diversas áreas de governo como do setor empresarial e de outros segmentos. “A partir desse mapeamento de investimentos, vamos procurar saber onde o financiamento precisa ser reforçado e, ainda, os instrumentos que precisam ser criados ou modificados”, frisou. 

Durante a reunião, o secretário de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico e Inovação (Setec/MCTI), Alvaro Prata, ressaltou a importância do comitê e da necessidade de mobilização de diferentes parceiros em torno desse movimento para impulsionar a nanotecnologia no Brasil.
Segundo ele, a área é considerada prioritária e estruturante para o ministério, o que reforça a relevância de ter linhas cada vez mais detalhadas. “A ideia é que possamos utilizar todos os instrumentos e estruturas para fortalecer esses programas estruturantes”, disse.

Na pauta do encontro, foram apresentados os resultados de grandes eventos promovidos no último mês na área e, também, foi levantada a questão da regulação da nanotecnologia no Brasil, assunto considerado de grande importância pelos membros. “A nanotecnologia tem que ser regulada e tratada dentro das melhores práticas e dos princípios que regem a segurança”, ressaltou Plentz.

Investimento

Integrantes do MCTI informaram, no encontro, que o ministério está em fase conclusiva do orçamento para a nanotecnologia em 2013, que deve ganhar um reforço em relação aos anos anteriores, quando o investimento girou em torno de R$ 5 milhões. “Esse valor deve ser multiplicado por dez”, informou o coordenador da área.

Após dois meses de análises, a coordenação-geral divulgou ao comitê o resultado da seleção do primeiro grupo a integrar o Sistema Nacional de Laboratórios em Nanotecnologia (SisNano) – rede recentemente criada para estruturar e ampliar o acesso de cientistas e empresas à infraestrutura de pesquisa básica e avançada com matérias de tamanho atômico.
Do total de 50 propostas apresentadas no edital, 22 foram selecionadas, tendo como critérios o grau de maturidade do laboratório e a disponibilidade de recursos humanos para dar suporte ao público empresarial e a projetos de pesquisa desenvolvimento e inovação. Feita a seleção, serão discutidas condições e recomendações, caso a caso, para os candidatos integrarem o sistema.

“Esses laboratórios vão receber recursos e investimentos para se adequarem ao modo de operação para realmente dar suporte científica e tecnológico para quem quer trabalhar e fazer pesquisa em nanotecnologia”, informou Flávio Plentz.

Sobre o comitê interministerial

O CIN foi criado pela Portaria 510, de 10 de julho, com a finalidade de  assessorar os ministérios na integração da gestão, na coordenação e no aprimoramento das políticas, diretrizes e ações voltadas ao desenvolvimento das nanotecnologias no Brasil. É integrado por um representante e um suplente de dez ministérios, sendo o MCTI responsável pela sua coordenação. 

Cabe ao comitê, entre outras atribuições, propor mecanismos de acompanhamento e avaliação de atividades na área, bem como formular recomendações de planos, programas, metas, ações e projetos integrados para a consolidação e a evolução das nanotecnologias no país, indicando potenciais fontes de financiamento e os recursos necessários para apoiar projetos de pesquisa, desenvolvimento e inovação (PD&I). Os integrantes se reuniram pela primeira vez em 31 de outubro.

Texto: Denise Coelho – Ascom do MCTI

Fonte: Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e  Inovação

Nano sunscreen update

In September, Friends of the Earth selected several Australia sunscreens which we hoped were free from untested and unsafe nano-ingredients. We submitted these sunscreens for testing by the Government's National Measurement Institute, with the hope of being able to offer some non-nano sunscreen options to stay sun-safe, while avoiding participating in the nano-experiment. Sadly, all the tested sunscreen products were found to contain a high proportion of nanoparticles. Therefore, we are in the difficult situation of not being able to recommend any non-nano sunscreen products at the moment.

This is not to say we believe all zinc oxide or titanium dioxide based sunscreens are using nano-ingredients.

Unfortunately many sunscreen products that don’t use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide instead rely on endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as 4-methylbenzylidene camphor and octyl methoxycinnamate which we would not recommend using either.

Be Sun Smart

Given the uncertainty over what to slop on your skin, we strongly advise people to closely follow the SunSmart guidelines:

• Slip on sun-protective clothing that covers as much skin as possible
• Slop on SPF30+ sunscreen – make sure it is broad spectrum and water resistant.
• Slap on a hat that protects your face, head, neck and ears
• Seek shade
• Slide on sunglasses – make sure they meet Australian Standards.

Who's Regulating the Regulators?

For the last 5 years, Friends of the Earth surveyed sunscreen brands to determine whether or not they use nano-ingredients. However, following the revelations in July that certain sunscreen manufacturers were making misleading claims about certain sunscreen ingredients we feel we can no longer trust the sunscreen and cosmetic industry to either:

1. know what's in the ingredients they are using, or
2. be honest with the information they have about these ingredients.

Ultimately, the safety and labelling of our sunscreens are the responsibility of the Parliamentary Secretary for Health Catherine King.

What you can do to help

We are asking concerned Australians such as yourself to write to your friends, families and work mates to call Catherine King to sort out this mess. Please send her a short message through our online petition.

Friends of the Earth will continue to research potential options and are hopeful that we will have some brands that we can recommend in the near future.

Fonte: Friends of the Earth-Nanotechnology Project

Tres sarmientinas descubrieron los secretos de un universo tecnológico en miniatura

Agustina Ganami, Lucía Castro y María de la Paz Madariaga fueron las ganadoras de un concurso nacional. Una visita para el asombro.

FELICES EN LA GACETA. Lucía, María de la Paz y Agustina se sienten orgullosas de lo que consiguieron. LA GACETA / FOTO DE FRANCO VERA

Un universo sin límites. Así definieron a la nanotecnología tres adolescentes tucumanas que fueron premiadas precisamente por un trabajo sobre esta ciencia aplicada a la medicina.Agustina Ganami, Lucía Castro y María de la Paz Madariaga, alumnas de quinto año de la Escuela y Liceo Vocacional Sarmiento, resultaron ganadoras del concurso "Nanotecnólogos por un día". Organizado por la Fundación Argentina de Nanotecnología, congregó a estudiantes de todo el país. "Nos enganchamos después de que un experto de la fundación nos dio una charla en el colegio. Ese mundo invisible pero extremadamente dinámico nos subyugó. Y a pesar de que cursamos la orientación en Humanidades decidimos participar con una monografía que titulamos 'Nanotecnología, un mundo en miniatura'. Nunca imaginamos que iba a resultar ganadoras", reveló Agustina. 

Las estudiantes fueron asesoradas por la profesora de Física del colegio, Claudia Sandoval, quien además fue la tutora del trabajo. 

Simpáticas y verborrágicas, las tres sarmientinas confesaron que la experiencia de trabajar en este tema les cambió la vida. "Nunca hicimos nada vinculado con la ciencia o la tecnología. Nuestro ámbito de estudio son las letras y el pensamiento. Pero cuando escuchamos la charla sobre nanotecnología se nos abrió un nuevo universo", subrayó María de la Paz. Según explicaron, esta tecnología que basa sus estudios en nanopartículas que son mil millones de veces más chicas que un metro, producirá pronto un cambio en la forma de vida equivalente a la aparición de la electricidad. 

"La característica principal es que se trata de objetos tan pequeños, que cambian sus propiedades y permiten desarrollar diferentes nanomateriales para usos industriales, medicinales o alimenticios. Estas nanopartículas se están aplicando en varias disciplinas, desde la medicina hasta la construcción", sostuvo Lucía. 

Ciencia que no es ficción 

De hecho, cuando se habla de la nanotecnología, muchos piensan que se trata de ciencia ficción. "Nosotras pudimos comprobar que se están haciendo investigaciones concretas que no son para nada ciencia ficción. Ver y experimentar esos trabajos nos cambió la visión del mundo", reconoció María de la Paz. 

Y es que el premio que ganaron fue una visita al Instituto de Física "Enrique Gaviola" (Córdoba) en donde se realizan investigaciones especializadas en el tema. Allí pudieron ser nanotecnólogas por un día: participaron de diversas charlas, asistieron a un par de encuentros con investigadores y trabajaron en el laboratorio. 

"Fue una experiencia inolvidable. Es increíble el grado de complejidad de ese laboratorio. Allí trabajan en distintos temas. De no creer, realmente", declaró Lucía. 

Para tener una idea de hasta qué punto esta tecnología invisible está cambiando nuestra vida basta considerar, por ejemplo, que los teléfonos celulares tienen componentes de nanotecnología que permiten un mejor rendimiento en tamaños más pequeños gracias al desarrollo de nanochips y nanocircuitos. "Ya se está hablando de que, en un futuro muy cercano, habrá nanochips que podrán viajar libremente por nuestra sangre y avisarnos cuando alguna parte de nuestro cuerpo comienza a funcionar mal", graficó Agustina. Hasta en el mundo de la moda se están haciendo investigaciones con nanotecnología. "Dentro de poco se producirán ropas con telas que cambiarán de color según la intensidad del sol", agregó. 

Para las chicas, la visita al laboratorio cordobés fue realmente reveladora. "Fue como estar en otro mundo. Un mundo que no alcanzábamos a entender del todo pero que nos asombró por completo", declaró Lucía. 

Trabajo arduo 

Claro que para poder la monografía que resultó ganadora las tucumanas tuvieron que investigar y hacer algunos experimentos. "Con la ayuda de la profesora Claudia pudimos definir el tema y comenzar a trabajar para desarrollarlo. Nos volcamos al área de la medicina y pudimos realizar prácticas en el Laboratorio de Nanomateriales de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología de la UNT. Allí aprendimos a fabricar nanohilos que pueden ayudar a realizar diagnósticos más precisos", declaró María de la Paz. 

Las sarmientinas se sienten orgullosas de lo que consiguieron. Y aunque sólo una de ellas (Lucía) ya tiene decidido desde hace tiempo que estudiará Medicina, la experiencia vivida en Córdoba les amplió el horizonte a todas. 

"Aún seguimos amando las disciplinas humanísticas, pero no descartamos un futuro también en el área de las ciencias -deslizaron-. Porque si algo hemos aprendido durante estos últimos meses es que nada está aislado. Tal vez, quien sabe, algún día podremos ver cómo las nanopartículas también nos ayudarán a disfrutar del arte, la lectura y el pensamiento de otra manera".

Dos días intensos

Agustina, María de la Paz y Lucía viajaron a Córdoba el 6 de diciembre. Estuvieron dos días y visitaron el Instituto de Física "Enrique Gaviola", y también el Centro de Metrología. "Tuvimos la posibilidad de conocer no solo los laboratorios, sino también la gente que trabaja en ellos y los proyectos que llevan adelante", destacó Lucía.

Fonte: La Gaceta

Technology takes its turn to feed the world

Tony Glover

As global demand for water grows, technologies are being used to detoxify
rinking water and make it safe to drink.
Ryan Carter / The National

Demand for fresh water and food is growing but good farming soil could run short in 50 to 70 years. Nanotechnology and the internet are tackling the problem. 

Twenty-first century technologies are now starting to be used to satisfy the growing global demand for food and water.

The average person consumes about 30 kilograms of soil and two tonnes of fresh water a day, with some scientists now predicting that the world could run short of good farming soil within 50 to 70 years.

Not only are complex new sciences such as nanotechnology, engineering on a molecular level, now being applied to the problem but also new social networking technologies such as crowd funding.

"Certainly technology can and is helping a great deal to provide food for those that most need it," says Rob Enderle, the principal analyst at the Enderle Group in the United States.

Technology already patented in Europe involves a nanotechnology sieve allowing the filtering of small particles or biomolecules and organisms, such as viruses, out of water. Besides its application in water filtration, the nano sieve shows great potential as a solar absorber. The technology has been developed and patented by scientists from the Institute of Material Science at Kiel University and the Institute of Polymer Research at Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht in Germany.

New technology start-ups in the US are now starting to shift attention away from consumer devices towards sciences such as nanotechnology. Puralytics, for example, produces products that use sunlight or LED light to break down and destroy contaminants in water for human consumption. Its SolarBag product, for instance, uses sunlight to detoxify water and make it safe to drink.

Puralytics is, however, a new company which began as a problem-solving exercise between its founder Mark Owen and two other inventors. The problem was how to find a business opportunity in the air or water purification space that would "have a high impact on the world".

But not all new water purification technologies rely on purely 21st-century technologies. Omani scientists at the Sultan Qaboos University claim that wasted date palm leaves treated with sulphuric acid at high temperatures can purify highly polluted water so effectively that it can be thereafter used to irrigate crops. A pilot plant is scheduled to be inaugurated in Oman next year.

However, although its creators hope that this simple process could be adopted across the Middle East, there are fears that a lack of funding for commercially unproven technologies in the region could hinder its widespread adoption. The lack of available funding to apply the latest technology to those areas of the globe most in need of irrigation and clean water is a common problem throughout the world.

This is one reason why biologically and genetically engineered food has been seen as the most practical solution to feeding people in the developing world.

"The reality is that the environment is very hard on technology solutions and, often when implemented, the equipment can't be protected," says Mr Enderle. "The best solutions remain engineered foods which the indigenous population can plant, harvest and consume because this not only feeds them, it helps make them self-sufficient."

But with increasing concern now emerging about the long-term health dangers of genetically modified meat and biologically enhanced crops, the IT industry is now turning towards internet-based technologies to raise funding that goes directly to help people in the developing world.

A new non-profit organisation, charity: water, is already harnessing the power of social networking to try to help solve the problem. Using photos, GPS satellite co-ordinates and videos, the organisation is able to use the internet to show individual online investors the impact their money is having.

Charity: water made an online film called Water Changes Everything explaining the areas of life affected by the water crisis, such as health, education and economy. It has so far been viewed nearly 300,000 times and translated into nine languages.

The charity's fundraisers use social networking tools to inform potential contributors not only of the nature of the work needing to be done but on specific projects urgently needing help.

As the online charity started to grow, it sent hundreds of cameras and GPS devices to the field and trained local partners to use them to develop more comprehensive reports to send back to contributors.

This process of combining local need with the power of the internet to harness public attention across the world is known as "crowd funding".

But what the world's arid deserts and hungry populations need is a combination of funding of new sciences such as nanotechnology together combined with the full immediacy of the internet to solve a tragic problem.

The IT industry, which is now starting to wake up to the scale of the potential global market for new water and irrigation technologies, is hoping that the rapidly worsening global food and water crisis will soon leave the world's governments no alternative but to open their wallets.

Fonte: The National

A Twist On Water Splitting

By Mitch Jacoby

Photocatalysts: Nanosized crystal patchwork generates hydrogen, raising alternative-energy hopes

TINY JUNCTION

The interfaces between nanosized domains of α- (brown) and β- (blue)
Ga₂O₃ mediate photocatalytic charge separation and water splitting.

Credit: Adapted from Angew. Chem. Int. Ed

If water could be separated economically into oxygen and hydrogen, a clean-burning fuel, the world’s oceans would represent a free and virtually limitless feedstock for producing energy. A new strategy for designing light-activated catalysts that split water may help bring that alternative-energy goal a step closer to reality.

Researchers in China have found that crystals of the semiconductor Ga₂O₃that are composed of a patchwork of structurally distinct nanosized domains can split water photocatalytically (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., DOI:10.1002/anie.201207554). The study demonstrates that the interface between polymorphic crystal phases can play a key role in light-stimulated water splitting. The work may lead to photocatalysts that are more active than the relatively inefficient ones available today.

Photocatalysts split water by directing energy absorbed from light—often sunlight—to break water’s chemical bonds. The heart of the process is the light absorption event, which generates pairs of negatively charged electrons and positively charged holes (electron vacancies). The key to capitalizing on the energy absorbed from light is keeping the charges separated. Charge recombination can dissipate the absorbed energy before bonds are broken.

The standard strategy for maximizing charge separation in semiconductors calls for selectively doping the material to juxtapose positively (p-type) and negatively (n-type) charged regions. Researchers also make these types of interfaces, known as p-n junctions, by depositing two types of semiconductors side by side.

The new study, which was conducted by Xiang Wang, Can Li, and coworkers of the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, demonstrates an alternative way to keep charges separated. Rather than relying on p-n junctions to do the job, the Dalian team exploits the interfaces between structurally dissimilar nanosized domains of Ga₂O₃, which is known to crystallize in five polymorphic phases.

The researchers show that a simple heat treatment can be used to tailor the distribution of nanosized domains of Ga₂O₃’s so-called α and β phases. They further show that mixed α-β samples prepared by heating the starting material to roughly 600 °C are up to seven times more catalytically active in splitting water than samples composed of either phase alone.

The University of Tokyo’s Kazunari Domen comments that although in this proof-of-concept study the overall activity of the Ga₂O₃ photocatalysts is not especially high, the strategy described here represents a new approach to boosting catalytic water-splitting efficiency. He adds that the method’s applicability may be limited, however, as a result of the relatively small number of materials known to exhibit similar kinds of polymorphs.

Fonte: Chemical & Engineering News

"Si può ricavare acqua dalla nebbia prendendo esempio da un coleottero"

La ricerca è stata condotta da scienziati britannici. È stato riprodotto il tessuto con cui l'insetto è in grado di bere acqua che il proprio corpo produce raccogliendo l'umidità e la condensa. La bottiglia hi-tech, che imita la forma del dorso della Stenocara gracilipes, è in grado di produrre quasi tre litri d'acqua ogni ora

Stenocara gracilipes

OTTENERE dell'acqua potabile in climi estremi dove di acqua non ce n'è. Un desiderio apparentemente banale che renderebbe possibile, o comunque meno disagevole, la vita dell'essere umano nelle realtà desertiche del pianeta. Alcuni ricercatori hanno scoperto che in fondo ci aveva già pensato la natura a rispondere a questa esigenza. 

Imitando il meccanismo con il quale un insetto della Namibia riesce a bere e conservare l'acqua prodotta dall'evaporazione della condensa, alcuni scienziati hanno sintetizzato un tessuto artificiale che consente di raccogliere l'acqua prodotta dall'umidità e dalla nebbia. 

La Stenocara gracilipes è un coleottero del Naib, dove l'aria fredda e umida dell'Oceano portata verso il continente incontra l'aria calda del deserto formando una coltre di nebbia. L'umidità che si genera quando il sole va a dissipare questa nebbia si condensa sull'estremità dell'addome della Stenocara formando delle piccole gocce, che scivolando sul suo dorso altamente idrorepellente giungono per gravità alla bocca del coleottero dissetandolo. Questo stratagemma consente all'animale di arrivare a vivere anche otto o nove anni in zone del deserto dove cadono meno di 40 millimetri di pioggia ogni anno.

Ed è proprio il complicato tessuto del dorso della Stenocara, dove si alterna una striatura di microaree idrorepellenti e non idrorepellenti, che ha ispirato diversi studi e ricerche scentifiche per produrre tessuti artificiali che ottimizzino la rapidità di condensazione del vapore acqueo. 

La ricerca. Ma come può questo tessuto essere insieme impermeabile e non impermeabile? Nel novembre 2001, due ricercatori - Chris Lawrence, scienziato della società QinetiQ, e Andrew Parker, zoologo dell'università di Oxford - hanno chiarito il mistero: con un microscopio elettronico hanno ottenuto un'immagine dettagliata del tessuto che è risultato rivestito da uno strato super-idrofobico, fatto da lamelle di cera appiattite disposti come tegole di un tetto. La QinetiQ, azienda privata che fa ricerca per conto della Difesa britannica, ha brevettato il tessuto artificiale di una "Stenocara hi-tech", così da ricreare con polimeri che imitano la superficie del coleottero, una varietà di dispositivi per raccogliere vapore, condensabile in acqua potabile o per l'irrigazione agricola in regioni inospitali. 

Oggi, più di dieci anni dopo, questo meccanismo è stato sfruttato da un team della Nbd Nano, una società britannica che crea tessuti sperimentali, che ha creato il prototipo di una bottiglia che si auto-riempie d'acqua, riuscendo a immagazzinare fino a tre litri di acqua ogni ora. La speciale bottiglia è un prodotto della cosiddetta Bio-imitazione e si ispira nella forma al guscio della Stenocara gracilipes. 

La bottiglia è in grado di accumulare acqua senza sosta, utilizzando una superficie su nano-scala che aumenta lo sfruttamento della condensazione dell'acqua. La superficie della bottiglia è coperta da materiali idrofili che attraggono l'acqua e materiali idrofobi e idrorepellenti.

Fonte: la Repubblica

From nanotechnology to nano-defense

Will nanotechnology impact future global security? According to Jayshree Pandya, such technology is indeed about to change large-scale security dynamics, defense policies and possibly even the global balance of power.

The global age has heralded both beginnings and ends. The end of states living in isolation has been accompanied by the beginning of an interconnected world and interdependent global economy. In addition to changing global fundamentals, the emerging potential of science to engineer matter at nano-scale levels is decisively paving the way for a revolution in the way states fight wars. Accordingly, as nano-science, engineering and technology begin to transform the global defense industry, it is vital to redefine security and war and evaluate the current and future state of militaries and international security.

All states are eager to benefit from nanoscience, nano-engineering and nanotechnology initiatives – either directly or indirectly. While most states do not yet have dedicated nano-defense initiatives, rapid advances within the aforementioned fields are exciting many and becoming a cause of concern for the rest. In short, nanotechnology has the potential to be revolutionary. Yet, its ongoing development is accompanied by critical risks that need to be addressed and effectively managed. It is a great cause for concern that there is no credible initiative for integrated research on emerging nano-defense risks.

The Emergence of Nano-Defense

In addition to the fundamentals of basic science, the advanced ability to engineer matter to nano-scale continues to make nanotechnology possible today. As states move away from basic nanoscience research towards application development, it is expected to bring revolutionary changes for not only defense, but also other industries and society in general. This unique possibility to integrate science disciplines is likely to bring states “nano” everything . Moreover, possible nano integrations are expected to not only change the fundamentals of basic industries, but also the way a nation fight wars.

It is this nano integration possibility – integration and convergence of nanotechnology and basic industries – that provides states with opportunities to develop technologies with huge unique potential. From revolutions in materials, communication technology, genetics, medicine, and security, the integration is expected to roll out innovative visualization and measurement tools, materials, transistors and energy sources, to name but a few.

Military Applications

Nanoscience, nanoengineering and nanotechnology are expected to play a significant role in the changing nature of security and defense across states. While the fundamentals of nano-scale engineering are in the process of optimization, how we fight wars and safeguard society are also expected to go through fundamental transformation in the coming years [ editor's note: also see our, now somewhat outdated, Nanowerk Spotlight from 2006 "Military nanotechnology - how worried should we be?"].

The on-going integration of nanotechnology and defense into nano-defense is expected to bring innovations in broad, ranging areas that will revolutionize militaries and play a critical role in maintaining national security. While some are already using nanotechnology applications in the military – in the form of nano-particles used as surface coatings, nano-materials and structures, nano- fabrication, and more – that give them much-needed abilities, the coming years will bring transforming abilities that will go beyond current capabilities and human imagination.

For instance, modern armed and security forces will eventually be able to:

Detoxify an area exposed to toxins;

Detect the onset of disease in an area exposed to biological agents, toxins or radioactive material;

Secure electronic, information, and communication networks;

Protect human lives and troops through nano-fabrics and related materials;

Spy and gather intelligence;

In the coming years, nanoscience, nano-engineering and nanotechnology will also bring to reality:

Fundamental improvements in human performance;

Lighter, efficient, and effective military gear;

Nano-robots and micro-robots for nano-scale devices and systems;

Novel biological weapons, ranging from nano-bombs and nano-engineered self-multiplying deadly viruses to bombs that use nano-metals and next generation bioweapons;

Smart weapons for miniaturized robotic weapons;

Intelligent ammunition for intelligent nano bugs;

Meta-materials based invisibility suits for nanostructure-based lighter and tougher armor;

Adaptive sensors, built-in sensors, and micro-sensors for body and brain sensing to nano-sensors;

Virtual tracking systems for nano-information hardware

Accordingly, nanotechnology offers a number of wide-ranging possibilities, thereby making it an appealing investment for developed and developing states alike. This is expected to be of great concern across traditional industries that may see nanotechnology compromise their investment appeal and potential. Overall, greater interest in nanotechnology investment will create shifting investments and may lead to job losses across traditional industries.

Impact on International Security

Conversely, emerging nano-defense capabilities place the fundamental ability of governments to protect its citizens, resources, and infrastructure at risk. While nano-defense applications are currently in limited use, the expected advances in the coming years will likely provide military and defense organizations better protection. For the war fighter, nano-defense capabilities may provide greater endurance and, crucially, information dominance.

Nano-defense will, therefore, have a profound impact upon international security. Increased public spending and investment in nanotechnology is likely to result defense establishments and actors experiencing a fundamental transformation in the coming years. Consequently, it is now time to evaluate how nanotechnology will shape and transform a nation’s defense systems, and ask whether traditional militaries are prepared to face the impact of nano-military and nano-defense. 
The questions every nation needs to evaluate are:

How rapidly will nanotechnology displace the traditional defense systems?

What will be the trigger points of a nano-defense crisis?

What is the strategy to communicate critical nano-defense risks?

Is a nation prepared for the possible collapse of traditional defense systems due to nano-defense?

Is there a possibility of collapse of social order due to sudden shift in economic and military status?

How will the emerging nano-defense and possible collapse of traditional defense systems impact upon a state’s relationship with the global community?

The abovementioned questions necessitate an evaluation of the complex problems, obstacles and challenges that nano-science, engineering and technology may bring not only to defense and security establishments, but also to states. This is also required to determine what a state already knows about nanotechnology and, indeed, what they need to know in order to address the potential threat posed by emerging nano-defense capabilities.

Emerging Risks
Billions of dollars are being invested for research and development within nanoscience and nanotechnology. As a result, intense competition will emerge in the coming years as states are bound to see an increase in products and applications for military and defense. Across states, this is a cause for critical concern. As a result, states will need to evaluate some (if not all) of these and other emerging risks:

Nano-Manufacturing Risks: there is a growing concern that nano-manufacturing may prove to be disruptive for an already weak global economic system and fragile global peace.

Nano-Environment Risks: whereby the large-scale use of nano products may trigger potential environmental challenges.

Nano-Terrorism Risks: potential nanotechnology-based military weapons carry the risk of being illegally acquired and used by terrorists, bringing serious threats to not only individual states, but to global peace.

Nano-Military Risks: for example, one future scenario sketches self-replicating robots that may trigger a global arms race with nano-weapons.

Economic Risks: these consider the impact of sudden, rapid and destabilizing changes due to nanotechnology.

Regulatory Risks: as nanotechnologies develop, problems may emerge as a result of the lack of a global nano-defense regulatory framework.

=Resource Risks: nano-computers and nano-electronics may eliminate the role of humans from the battlefield, bringing a dramatic shift to military needs and resources.

Accordingly, as the world moves ever closer to nano-defense, this shift is causing a great source of concern on the basis that fundamental risks surrounding nanoparticles are yet to be fully understood. While there is an ongoing effort to understand human health and the environmental risks of nanoparticles and nanotechnology, its silo approach to risk assessment is a cause of critical concern to the risk initiative itself.
Rather, we need an integrated risk initiative to evaluate nanoparticles: mode of entry, interaction with human body organs, impact on vital human organs, evaluation of current tools, techniques and procedures, ecological degradability, impact on the global food supply chain, litter waste disposal, metabolism and elimination from human body, and role in the non-communicable disease epidemic.

In addition, a vital question that is critical for nations to evaluate is whether nanotechnology may potentially reverse globalization. The potential to bring abrupt and sudden changes across traditional industries, national and international boundaries and global trends could trigger socio-economic disruption and the decline of the state.

Amidst a global race of acquiring novel warfare solutions, the most powerful states are likely to have military, defense, war and security solutions based on emerging technologies like nanotechnology. It is likely that nano-defense may end up becoming one of the key determining factors for a state’s success, abundance, and global power.

By Jayshree Pandya. She is the founder of Risk Group LLC, a risk research think tank organization that focuses on risk centric critical thinking and objective evaluation of nations, their governments, industries, organizations, and academia (NGIOA). She is the author of The Global Age: NGIOA @ Risk (Topics in Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality, Vol. 17), published by Springer in 2012.

Fonte: NanoWerk Spotlight

Wie Nanotechnologie unseren Alltag dominiert

Von Helge Berlinke

Sie macht Computer schnell und Autos sauber: Nanotechnik nutzt die Macht der kleinsten Teilchen. Forscher arbeiten unermüdlich an der Weiterentwicklung der Technologie. Doch die ist umstritten. 

Foto: picture-alliance/ dpaKlein, kleiner, nano: die sogenannte Nanotechnologie
ist auf dem Vormarsch

WEITERFÜHRENDE LINKS

• Nanotechnologie: Winzige Partikel werden die Welt verändern
• Partikel: Nanoteilchen schädigen die nächste Generation
• Informationstechnik: Neuer Prozessor rechnet mit Chemie-Suppe
• Innovation und Technik: Wie DNA und Gold die Nanoforschung revolutionieren

THEMEN

• Computer Bild

Damit ein aktueller Sandy-Bridge-Prozessor von Intel zügig Videos umrechnen oder Fotos bearbeiten kann, braucht er Transistoren. Und zwar jede Menge: 2.270.000.000 dieser Schaltungsbauteile stecken in einem Chip, das sind 2,27 Milliarden.

Ein herkömmlicher Transistor hat etwa die Größe eines Fingernagels – 2,27 Milliarden dieser Bauteile würden eine Fläche von mehr als 16 Fußballfeldern beanspruchen. Doch derIntel-Chip ist selbst nur so groß wie ein Fingernagel. Wie lässt sich eine derart gigantische Menge an Bauteilen in einen winzigen Chip packen? Die Antwort heißt Nanotechnik.

Nanotechnik spielt nicht nur in Computern eine immer größere Rolle, sondern auch in unserem Alltag – in vielen Fällen, ohne dass wir davon wissen: Die winzigen Teilchen finden sich inzwischen in Handys, Windkraftanlagen, Fahrzeugen, Kleidung, Sportgeräten, Kosmetikartikeln und sogar in Lebensmitteln. Welche Möglichkeiten, aber auch Risiken die Nanotechnik bringt, lesen Sie hier.

Bauen unterm Mikroskop

Das Wort "Nano" kommt aus dem Griechischen und bedeutet "Zwerg". Doch während man sich unter einem Zwerg noch etwas vorstellen kann, lässt sich die Nanotechnik mit den menschlichen Sinnen nicht erfassen: 1 Nanometer entspricht 1 Milliardstel Meter.

Wer mit so kleinen Teilen arbeiten will, kommt mit Lupe und Lötkolben nicht weit. Stattdessen sind spezielle Mikroskope erforderlich, die ins Reich der Moleküle vordringen. Im Bereich der Mikroelektronik greifen Ingenieure deshalb auf drucktechnische Verfahren zurück.

Technologie

Nano-Drucker spuckt winzig kleine Teile aus

Details

Intels Ivy-Bridge-Prozessoren im Test

Foto: Computer BildQuelle: Computer Bild 25/2012

In der Chipfertigung etwa bringen die Intel-Techniker auf eine Silizium-Scheibe einen hauchdünnen Fotolack auf. Darüber legen sie eine lichtdurchlässige Schablone mit dem Layout der elektrischen Leiterbahnen. Anschließend wird die Scheibe belichtet, und die belichteten Stellen werden aufgebrochen.

Zurück bleiben winzige Leiterbahnen. Mit diesem Verfahren werden auch die Transistoren auf die Silizium-Scheibe aufgebracht. Die kniffligen Prozesse dauern aber lang: Bis aus der Siliziumscheibe fertige Mikrochips entstehen, vergeht rund ein Monat.

Immer kleiner, immer mehr

Damit immer kleinere Geräte und Bauteile immer mehr Leistung bringen, arbeiten Forscher unermüdlich an der Weiterentwicklung der Nanotechnik. So hat ein deutsch-amerikanisches Wissenschaftsteam einen sogenannten Nano-Magnetspeicher entwickelt.

Seine Speicherfähigkeit entspricht der des menschlichen Erbmaterials, das heißt: Er benötigt für 1 Bit nur 12 Atome. Aktuelle Festplatten benötigen Zigtausende Atome pro Bit. Wenn diese Technik serienreif ist, steht also der nächste Quantensprung in der Speichertechnik bevor.

Irgendwann ist Schluss mit immer kleiner

Doch die bahnbrechenden Erfindungen in der Nano-Elektronik bedeuten auch, dass sich die Ingenieure den Grenzen der Physik nähern. Irgendwann ist Schluss mit immer kleiner: Intel beispielsweise hat einen dreidimensionalen, 20 Nanometer großen Transistor entwickelt. Davon würden 100 Millionen Stück auf eine Nadelspitze passen.

Viele Forscher bezweifeln, dass es da noch viel "Luft" nach oben gibt – Atome lassen sich nicht verkleinern. Bei der Herstellung von Bildern zum Beispiel haben Forscher nach der Grenze des Machbaren auch die des Sinnvollen überschritten: Sie haben ein Verfahren entwickelt, das eine Auflösung von 100.000 dpi ermöglicht.

Damit können sie Fotos mit Details erstellen, die kleiner als 2 Millimeter sind. Mit bloßem Auge sind die Unterschiede zu einem herkömmlichen Druck aber gar nicht zu erkennen. Deshalb eignet sich das Verfahren nicht für Bildbände, sondern allenfalls für die Datenspeicherung oder für die Gestaltung von Wasserzeichen.

Nano fährt mit

Handfeste Vorteile bringt die Nanotechnik dagegen im Auto. Die winzigen Teilchen sitzen im Lack der Karosserie, in Reifen, Sitzpolstern oder in den Batterien von Hybrid- und Elektroautos. In Luftfiltern etwa spielen Nanoteilchen ihre besondere Stärke aus.

Denn je kleiner die Teilchen sind, um so mehr Oberfläche haben sie im Verhältnis zum Volumen. Deshalb haben Nanofasern in der Klimaanlage eine relativ große Fläche zum Filtern der Luft, sie erzeugen aber kaum Strömungswiderstand. Das spart Energie.

Und wenn die Windschutzscheibe eine Antireflexbeschichtung im Nanometerbereich hat, bricht sie das einfallende Licht weniger stark und verschont so den Fahrer vor allzu unangenehmen Spiegelungen.

Tropfen springen wie Gummibälle

Den perfekten Durchblick haben Wissenschaftler am Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Sie haben ein Glas entwickelt, das Reflexionen verhindert. Wasser perlt daran ab und säubert es zugleich. Der Grund sind kleine Nanozapfen, die nach oben spitz zulaufen.

An diesen prallen Wassertropfen ab wie Gummibälle. Anwendungsmöglichkeiten für diese Technik sind neben Windschutzscheiben Bildschirme, Displays, Mikroskope und Kameras. Solarzellen sollen mit dieser Technik mehr Licht aufnehmen und nutzen.

Noch müssen wir allerdings Auto, Brille, Bildschirme und andere Gerätschaften selber putzen. Aber auch dabei hilft die Nanotechnik: Viele Reinigungsmittel enthalten kleinste Partikel, die die Wirkung erhöhen sollen. Werbewirksam steht oft "Nano" auf der Packung.

Nach Genfood jetzt Nanofood?

Doch die Nanotechnik ist umstritten. Laut einer Allensbach-Umfrage finden 37 Prozent der Deutschen die Technologie sogar "unsympathisch" und wollen sie auf keinen Fall im Essen haben.

Dabei landet Nano-Essen auf fast jedem Teller: In Salzen und Salatsoßen sorgen Nanoteilchen als Trennmittel dafür, dass Kristalle und Kräuter locker herausrieseln. Und für die sogenannte H-Milch werden die Fettpartikel so stark zerkleinert, dass sie sich mit dem Wasser verbinden und sich besser verdauen lassen. Diese "Homogenisierung" ist im Grunde auch eine Nanotechnik.

Ansonsten halten sich deutsche Lebensmittelhersteller mit der Entwicklung von Nano-Essen jedoch zurück. Anders als in den USA, wo solche Produkte so selbstverständlich wie Gen-Mais längst in den Regalen der Supermärkte stehen.

Vorsicht, Nanosilber!

Genährt wird die Skepsis der Verbraucher von Verbraucherschützern, Umweltverbänden und sogar vom Bundesumweltamt. Einhellig warnen sie, dass Nanopartikel in bestimmten Fällen die Erbsubstanz der Zellen schädigen können.

Wie und in welcher Form muss jedoch von Fall zu Fall geprüft werden. Denn über die Giftigkeit von Partikeln entscheidet nicht nur die Größe. Auch Form, Menge oder die elektrische Ladung an der Oberfläche spielen eine Rolle.

In die Kritik geraten sind Nanosilberpartikel in Kleidungsstücken. Sie wirken antibakteriell und verhindern unangenehme Gerüche. Auch in Zahnpasten wird Nanosilber verwendet. Experten wie Jürgen Thier-Kundke vom Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR) empfehlen, auf solche Produkte zu verzichten, weil die kleinen Metallteilchen Lunge und Leber schädigen könnten.

Das Problem: Die Hersteller bezeichneten ihr Produkt bislang gerne als "antibakteriell". Der Begriff "Nanosilber" stand nur selten auf der Packung. Doch ab dem 1. Januar 2013 ist vorgeschrieben, dass in Kosmetikartikeln enthaltene Nanoteilchen gekennzeichnet werden.

Eisenteilchen gegen Krebs

Dass Nano aber auch heilen kann, beweist die Berliner Firma MagForce mit ihren klitzekleinen, in einer Flüssigkeit enthaltenen Eisenteilchen zur Bekämpfung von Gehirntumoren. Die werden direkt in das kranke Gewebe gespritzt. Anschließend kommt der Patient in eine Röhre, in der sein Kopf mit Magnetstrahlen behandelt wird. Die Eisenteilchen werden dort so stark erhitzt, dass Tumorzellen absterben.

Noch geforscht wird an sogenannten Carrier-Transport-Systemen für den gezielteren Einsatz von Medikamenten. Heilende Stoffe sollen in eine Art Nano-Taxi verfrachtet werden, das genau weiß, an welchem Ziel es seine "Passagiere" absetzt.

Das Fahrzeug von Ben Faringa werden sie dazu aber wohl nicht nutzen: Der niederländische Wissenschaftler präsentierte 2011 das "kleinste Auto der Welt" – ein elektrisches Mobil von 1 Nanometer Länge mit Allradantrieb und vier molekularen Motoren.

Fonte: Die Welt