Molecular Nanovalves- Nanotechnology for Storing Gas

Scientists in University of Calgary, have produced a novel approach to capture and store gases from the environment. It is said that this approach eliminates the use of special storage tanks and security concerns which are highly necessary in storing gases with high densities.

In this technique, a unique solid structure, made by modifying a chemical material called barium organotrisulfonate is used as a storage material. The material consists of a series of open channels which can be converted in to a collection of closed air tight chambers when filled with air. This conversion is done by heating the material—a quick process that encloses the nanovalves in the material. To release the trapped gases, water is added to the material to re-open the closed nanovalves.

"The process is highly controllable and because we're not breaking any strong chemical bonds, the material is completely recyclable and can be used indefinitely," says George Shimizu, a professor in Chemistry at University of Calgary.

According to the researchers, this new process would become a highly helpful tool in developing hydrogen fuel cells and to develop filters for trapping gases like CO2 or hydrogen sulfide that are generated from various industrial operations.

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‘ Antimicrobial Paints ’. –Low Cost and Environmental Friendly

A research, done with the collaboration between City College of New York (CCNY) and Rice University of Houston have resulted in a new, environmental friendly and low cost technique of developing ‘antimicrobial paints’. What the technique does is embedding antimicrobial silver nanoparticles into vegetable oil-based paints as it is said that silver nanoparticles are having remarkable antibacterial properties while being non toxic to organisms.

According to the researchers, the process is simple and economically significant. They are using the same natural lipid oxidization process that happens regularly within our body, to generate a variety of chemically active free radicals which subsequently act as a tool in synthesizing non-toxic, antibacterial silver nanoparticles in situ in the oil medium.

“The simplicity of the process and economics should allow us to commercialize these paints as a versatile coating material for health and environmental applications” says Dr. Pulickel M. Ajayan, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at Rice University in Houston, and the co-author of the article.

It is said that these antibacterial paints are more suitable for public buildings specially for hospitals as it have shown effective defense against germs like Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)—two of the main disease causing bacteria.

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