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esearchers at The University
of Arizona College of
Engineering are going small
to find big results. Their
focus on nanotechnology
developments could help pave the way to
breakthroughs in new products in areas like
health care, manufacturing, energy and
environmental sustainability.
Nanotechnology research is finding ways
to control matter at atomic and molecular
levels. Researchers work to develop materials
or even functional devices that are 100
nanometers or smaller in size. A nanometer
is 1 billionth of a meter, or 1 millionth of a
millimeter. For comparison, a typical human
hair is about 50,000 nanometers thick.
the limits of existing electrical interconnects
by combining electronic switching with
optical communications. That would allow
optical communications to take place in two
different directions.
present cut by 100,000 to 1 million times
in a few hours. Commercial applications
include coatings that could make surfaces
self-disinfecting.
Among U of A research projects:
Improving computer chips
Using nanotechnology, Ahmed Louri with
the Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering is working to develop the next
generation of high-performance computers
by researching chips that will function more
efficiently. Such an advance could overcome
Disease-killing antimicrobial coatings
Hospitals, offices and other public places
teem with viral, bacterial and fungal pathogens that can cause illness or disease. If they
spread, widespread pandemics could occur.
Donald R. Uhlmann in the Department
of Materials Science and Engineering is
developing a way to make floors, walls,
desks and countertops deadly to disease-causing pathogens.
Silver-based nanoparticles two to 20
nanometers in diameter, are attached to
surfaces. The coating attracts targeted
pathogens, and the silver is toxic to them. In
collaboration with Charles Gerba and Kelly
Bright of the Department of Soil, Water and
Environmental Science, the effectiveness
of the antimicrobial nanoagents has been
proven against pathogens, including E. coli
and others. The results indicate bacteria
Studying heart function
Combining biotechnology and nanotechnology allows the modification, manipulation
and characterization of different biological
materials down to the single molecule level.
Pak Wong of the Department of Aerospace
and Mechanical Engineering is working with
colleagues in the Department of Molecular
and Cellular Biology to “tissue engineer”
the microscopic behavior of mammalian
cells. This technique allows researchers
to guide cardiomyocytes—a type of heart
cell—and understand their physiological
characteristics, which could help craft better
heart-care strategies.
Environmentally friendly techniques
Some concerns exist about potential
toxicity and environmental impacts of
materials developed and produced using
nanotechnology. Professor Anthony Muscat’s
