Nanogap en El País

Nanogap es una empresa gallega peculiar. Con seis investigadores en plantilla, el año pasado su producción no llegó a pesar más que un kilo. Un kilo compuesto por nanopartículas. Por exótico que pueda parecer, se trata de una de las cinco pymes españolas que se dedican en exclusiva a la nanotecnología, un campo que controla y manipula la materia a una escala menor que un micrómetro, es decir, en el ámbito de átomos y moléculas.

La empresa nace en 2006 del trabajo de dos doctores de la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela: Arturo López Quintela, catedrático de Física y Química y José Rivas. Este último, además de catedrático de Física aplicada, es director del futuro Instituto de Nanotecnología Hispano-Luso en Braga. Ambos lograron la patente para producir clusters cuánticos atómicos, que son grupos de dos a 50 átomos.

"A efectos prácticos, se trata de partículas muy, muy pequeñas, que están por debajo del nanómetro" explica Luis Manuel Alonso, director comercial de Nanogap. Y se esfuerza en aclararlo: "Si la nanotecnología se entiende como todo lo que va de uno a 100 nanómetros, lo que hacemos aquí está a una escala menor". Añade que son los primeros que lo han logrado en el mundo: "El mérito no sólo está en hacer partículas pequeñas, sino que somos capaces de jugar bien con los tamaños". Y, ¿para qué? Las aplicaciones de la nanotecnología suenan muy bien: se espera que en el futuro sirva para crear fármacos que no tengan efectos secundarios o tratamientos contra el cáncer (nanopartículas que, combinadas con calor, quemen tumores). También se habla de catalizadores milagrosos para gasolinas e incluso de hormigones para construcción que se autorreparen cuando se abra una grieta.

La empresa se dedica a producir nanopartículas metálicas y dentro de ellas, principalmente las de plata, de oro y las magnéticas. Las primeras pueden utilizarse para aumentar la conductividad de los materiales y para dotarlos de propiedades antimicrobianas: por ejemplo, en una pintura que se aplique a un casco de un barco y que impida que se peguen algas. "Si hablamos de desarrollos curiosos pero factibles, podríamos llegar a pensar en imprimir el circuito de un reproductor MP3 en una camisa y escuchar música a través de ella".

Las nanopartículas de óxidos de hierro que producen en Nanogap también pueden aplicarse para obtener pigmentos de alto poder de cobertura (que permiten utilizar menos pintura para cubrir lo mismo) o lo que llaman absorbedor de radiación ultravioleta visible que, aplicado en forma de barniz, impide que un material se decolore por efecto del sol.

Sus clientes son empresas químicas enfocadas al sector de la construcción, sobre todo de Inglaterra y Alemania. "En España todavía estamos en la fase de la expectación que levanta la nanotecnología" asegura Luis Manuel. "Buscamos más un cliente de tipo industrial. Tenemos que ir a lugares donde la industria sea consciente de que puede utilizar nanotecnología". Ni la distancia ni su ubicación en Galicia les resultan un problema a la hora de exportar sus nanopartículas.

Su objetivo a corto plazo es producir muchos más kilos de nanopartículas, porque "la industria de materiales es una industria de miles de toneladas y tenemos que ser capaces de producir para ellos". A medio plazo, participan en un proyecto llamado fluoromag junto con el Instituto de Biofísica de Goettingen (Alemania), la Universidad de Twente (Holanda), la Universidad de Nottingham (Reino Unidos) y la compostelana. Su investigación, en la que se utiliza la nanotecnología, persigue detectar un virus dentro del cuerpo humano en tiempo real inyectado con unas partículas fluorescentes. El proyecto está financiado con 2,5 millones por la Unión Europea y se desarrollará a lo largo de tres años.

En sus previsiones a más largo plazo, en Nanogap esperan ser parte de la futura red de nanotecnología gallega, formada entre empresas y universidades interesadas en fomentar la colaboración en todos los puntos de la cadena de valor. Las sociedades de capital riesgo Unirisco y Uninvest forman parte del accionariado de esta pyme, que en breve ampliará sus instalaciones trasladándose a nuevas naves situadas en Milladoiro.

fuente: elPaís

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/Galicia/Nanoparticulas/ladrillo/elpepiautgal/20080715elpgal_13/Tes

Taiwan signs nanotechnology collaboration with Australia

Taipei, March 3 (CNA) The Taiwan Nanotechnology Industry development Association (TANIDA) recently established the country's first international collaboration on nanotechnology with Australia's Nano Business Forum (ANBF), as part of a national program to advance the nation's nanotechnology industries.
TANIDA Chairman Wu Maw-kuen signed the "Taiwanese and Australian Nanotechnology Collaboration Initiative" with ANBF CEO Tina Rankovic Feb. 26 at the International Conference on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICONN) in Melbourne.
"Taiwan's world-famous IC industry and its government-level National Science and Technology Program for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology are the key factors making the cooperation possible, " Song Tsing- Tang, the national program's CEO and secretary-general of TANIDA, who had just returned from Melbourne, said Monday.
The two countries will seek economic growth through the commercial application of nanotechnology, while working together on a range of activities, projects and information exchanges that will facilitate the uptake of nanotechnology businesses in both nations, according to the initiative's memorandum of understanding.
Song refused to divulge further details of the collaboration, citing commercial confidentiality.
Taiwan has amassed an estimated more-than NT$300 billion (US$9.68 billion) in nanotechnology production value since the national program started in 2003.
Song also said the collaboration will be mutually beneficial, noting that Australia's strong nanotechnology sector can help compensate Taiwan's weakness in areas such as nanobiotechnology.
Such national-level collaboration that boosts technology between neighboring countries is becoming increasingly common, with the ANBF signing a similar initiative with Japan's Nanotechnology Business Creation Initiative in 2007, showing Australia's determination to explore the Asia-Pacific market through nanotechnology alliances.
The ANBF was formed in 2006 as a national body representing and promoting Australian industries and companies involved in nanotechnology, with the aim of facilitating links between key stakeholders including government, funding, regulatory and research entities.
TANIDA, a brainchild of the national program, was launched in 2004 to coordinate academia-industry collaboration in developing value-added nanotechnology products.
The relationship between the two government- sponsored organizations was forged during Taiwan Nano 2007, one of the premier trade exhibitions in nanotechnology in Asia. (By Yeh Fang-hsun)

Una radio más pequeña que un grano de arena

Científicos estadounidenses han utilizado nanotubos para fabricar un diminuto receptor que es totalmente funcional, aunque sólo puede sintonizar una emisora
Ingenieros estadounidenses han fabricado una radio de transistores que es mucho más pequeña que un grano de arena, utilizando nanotubos. Así consta en el informe que han publicado en la revista Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Pese a que el aparato solo puede sintonizar una estación, su fabricación constituye un gran paso para la fabricación de otros aparatos minúsculos y mucho más avanzados. Los científicos, de la Universidad de Illinois, han montado su diminuto receptor radiofónico con nanotubos, átomos de carbono dispuestos en una diminuta fila.


Una tecnología con decenas de aplicaciones

Esas hileras de átomos son centenares de miles de veces más finas que un cabello humano y en conjunto constituyen un material semiconductor que puede aplicarse a aparatos y circuitos electrónicos.

Las radios están formadas por dos amplificadores de frecuencia radiofónica y un mezclador de frecuencia, todos ellos fabricados con materiales de nanotubos. Los cascos para escucharla, que son de tamaño normal, se aplican directamente al transistor (hecho también con nanotubos), y que utiliza una antena convencional.

En una de las pruebas los ingenieros de la Universidad de Illinois captaron un informe de tráfico de la ciudad de Baltimore (Maryland). Según indicó John Rogers, experto en ciencia de materiales y director del estudio, el objetivo no era en sí fabricar un receptor de radio, sino desarrollar esos nanotubos para que actúen como semiconductores.

Fuente: http://www.fys.es

High Efficiency Photovoltaic AOS Solar Technology Targets 90 Percent Silicon Reduction and 50 Percent Manufacturing Energy Reduc

Mark Rowe of the Telegraph UK, reports on the new technology hoping to improve safety and efficiency at our airports.

Trials are under way of new security screening measures that could dramatically enhance safety and reduce queues at airports.
A number of companies are developing "nanotechnology-based" scanners that improve the detection of explosives.
One of the new techniques, which is expected to become commercially available later this year, can screen one person per second, according to Erwan Normand, of Stirling-based Cascade Technologies, which has developed the technology.advertisement
Mr Normand said the technology works by using an infra-red laser light to seek out the chemical fingerprint of specific molecules of gases that are linked to explosives.
The screening equipment is easy to operate and has the support of the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence. It would sit alongside conventional security items, such as X-ray machines or metal detectors.
"It could be installed at the end of an X-ray machine, or by a portal that people walk through," said Mr Normand.
The use of nanotechnology in the laser makes the system far more selective and sensitive than traditional detection methods.
Richard Cooper, operations director of Cascade Technologies, compared its scanning capability to "detecting a drop of contaminated water in an Olympic swimming pool".
Traditional screening for explosives lacks the speed or sensitivity to screen all people and bags, and often gives rise to false alarms. After several false alarms, security officials have been known to bypass protocols to ease congestion.
A second screening system, being developed in Australia, uses electromagnetic waves to monitor molecules of chemicals, explosives and biological agents in the air.
"It will hopefully enable mass routine screening," said Dr Dmitri Gramotnev, of Queensland University of Technology.
Both companies are wary of declaring their inventions foolproof. "There are no bullet-proof technologies," said Dr Gramotnev. "It is always possible, in principle, to circumvent them - by developing new substances that may not be detectable by this new technology - but it would be very difficult to achieve in practice."Contact information :
Source....http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/main.jhtml?xml=/travel/2008/01/26/et-a...

British Group Bans Nanoparticles From Organic Certification

The use of man-made nanoparticles has been banned in British products that want a sometimes-valuable "organic" label from the Soil Association. The group laid out the first organic standard in the world back in 1967 and continues to certify organic products in Great Britain.
Cosmetics from Johnson & Johnson and L'Oreal could be impacted, but in our snooping around, we didn't find any companies that currently have an organic label that would be forced to remove it (neither could the Financial Times). One widely used product containing nanoparticles is sunscreen containing titanium dioxide, which normally is white, but at the nanoscale, becomes transparent, allowing for "clear" sunscreen.
Gundaleh Azziz, the group's policy manager explained to WiSci why they've added the ban to their organic standards:
Viewed in a precautionary framework, the Soil Association's move makes sense. Their fundamental position is that if we don't know the risks, the products shouldn't be available to the public. Or at least consumers should have the option to knowingly choose products that do not contain nanoparticles.
And it is true that the science and toxicology of materials at smaller-than-standard scales is still being worked out. As Andrew Maynard, science adviser to the Pew Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies put it, "What you have is a lot of confusion and speculation because the science is not exactly clear about what is safe."
There's a lot of nanoparticle risk information out there, but it's all over the map and truly rigorous evaluations of the health and safety impacts of different nanoparticles haven't been conducted.
Stephan Sterne of the National Institutes for Health lead authored a paper in the journal Toxicological Sciences that was published earlier this year. In its abstract, he wrote:
...any conclusions should clearly be tempered by the fact that nanomaterial safety data are limited. Until such time as the exposures, hazards, and environmental life cycle of nanomaterials have been more clearly defined, cautious development and implementation of nanotechnology is the most prudent course.
So I do give the Soil Association credit for drawing attention to the need for studies in nanotoxicity. What I question is whether or not the political moves they are making are actually productive. The Soil Association, and groups associated with it like the ETC Group, are extending out from this specific labeling maneuver to frame the debate around nanotechnology as similar to the genetic modification debate, even though the science, benefits, and risks of these technologies are vastly different.
Number one, genetically engineering living organisms, for good or ill, is fundamentally different from the creation of nanoparticles: most obviously, life can reproduce. Second, genetic engineering is a set of techniques for the creation of genetically modified organisms, while nanotechnology is a far broader science.

"Talking about nanotechnology is the same as talking about chemistry," said Maynard. "There are many different nanoparticles out there."
It seems that the Soil Association's reasoning would lead one to the unwanted position of banning chemistry itself, not just pesticides, because poisons can be created.

Source: Nanovip

Gold nanoparticles, radiation combo may slow Alzheimer's

Chemists in Chile and spain have identified a new approach for the possible treatment of Alzheimer's disease that they say has the potential to destroy beta-amyloid fibrils and plaque -- hypothesized to contribute to the mental decline of Alzheimer's patients. The researchers say the new technique, which they call a type of "molecular surgery," could halt or slow the disease's progress without harming healthy brain cells. The research is scheduled for publication in the Jan. 11 issue of the American Chemical Society's Nano Letters.

Using test tube studies, the scientists attached gold nanoparticles to a group of beta amyloid fibrils, incubated the resulting mixture for several days and then exposed it to weak microwave fields for several hours. The energy levels of the fields were six times smaller than that of conventional cell phones and unlikely to harm healthy cells, the researchers say. The fibrils subsequently dissolved and remained dissolved for at least one week after being irradiated, indicating that the treatment was not only effective at breaking up the fibrils but also resulted in a lower tendency of the proteins to re-aggregate, according to the researchers.

The same approach also holds promise for treating other neurodegenerative diseases that involve protein aggregation, including Parkinson's and Huntington's, says study leader Marcelo J. Kogan, of the University of Chile in Santiago. He says that the approach is similar to that of another experimental technique that uses metallic nanoparticles to label and destroy cancer cells. Animal studies are planned, Kogan says.

There's currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease and no one is sure of its exact causes. The disease affects an estimated 4.5 million people in the United States, according to the National Institute on Aging. That figure is expected to rise dramatically as the population ages, experts predict.

The science that makes the iPod wins Nobel in Physics

Fert and Grünberg, who maintain a cordial relationship and colleagues have together already received top awards working in the eighties in these investigations. They announced the results in 1988, and less than a decade later there was a genuine revolution in the miniaturization of electronics. The readers based on giant magnetoresistance came to the market in 1997 and since then has been manufactured and marketed millions of units.

The physical phenomenon of the giant magnetoresistence essentially means that some changes in the very weak magnetic field applied in certain special materials made of very thin layers can produce enormous changes in electrical resistance. This is the storage of data on a hard disk of an electronic device and sensor 'read heads'.

For the committee of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences designating the Nobel Prize in Physics, this combination of basic and applied research has launched a new generation of electronics and is one of the first major applications of nanotechnology. Its use has only just begun, with the hard drives of computers and compact storage devices massive files, such as music. New magnetic memory systems of computers, microcomputers for automobiles or appliances and the whole communications sector, will arrive soon to consumers in the hands of the technologies derived from the work of Fert and Grünberg.

Source: El País

TRANSPARANCY ON NANOCOMPOSITES: AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS

Just recently a review on “Functional inorganic nanofillers for transparent polymers” has been published (H. Althues, J. Henle, S. Kaskel, Chem. Soc. Rev., 2007, 36, 1454-1465). This tutorial review is a very interesting summarize of the functions associated with the integration of inorganic nanofillers in polymers with a focus on optical properties, where not only the latest scientific achievements, but also the main key challenges, are explained.

S. Kaskel et al explain the three key factors to consider in order to get transparent polymers with nanofillers:

· Particle requirements: small size (particle diameter below 40 nm) and/or index-matching between the matrix and the particles.

· Surface engineering: in order to minimize interface energies between particles and polymer matrix, several surface functionalization and stabilizing techniques have been developed.

· Manufacturing approaches: melt compounding; film casting; in situ polymerization; and in situ particle generation

Also the main functions and properties of these polymers are explained in this review: luminescence; UV absorption; conductivity and isolation; IR active fillers; high and low refractive index in polymer nanocomposites; and magnetic properties.

It is an interesting review from an industrial point of view which I recommend to all of you involved on the development of new transparency nanocomposite.

It is very difficult to go from the science to the industry because of the big gap there is in between. For instance when you study a nanofiller, the material will not change among the project development, so only at the end there is a definition of the possible applications; but in industry you look for a certain property, and the development will go on the opposite direction, until there may be finally a possible nanoparticle that could be useful for that certain property. This is, on my opinion, one of the key reasons for this gap in nanotechnology and nanoscience.
In order to take advantage to the scientific “Know How" it is important to understand not only the conclusion but also their approach. This review shows a very broad picture of the state of the art that can help to visualize the important aspects that should be considered in order to successfully convert the know how to an industrial product.

Commission takes stock of nano progress

The European Commission has become the world's largest public investor in nanotechnology, and has improved the standards, metrology and patenting environment for nanotechnology research. However, private investment remains low in comparison with that of Europe's competitors, and duplication is becoming a real risk now that more Member States are introducing national initiatives.

These revelations are made in a Commission communication detailing the progress made on implementing the EU's Action Plan on nanosciences and nanotechnologies (N&N). The Action Plan runs from 2005 to 2009, and this is the first report analysing how much momentum there has been since its inception. 'Nanotechnology is an area where Europe is an acknowledged world leader. This is an opportunity we must grasp with both hands,' said EU Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik. The implementation report notes that advancements have been made in all areas, from funding, infrastructure and training to the societal dimension, safety, international cooperation and the elaboration of a coherent European strategy. Highlights include the increase in EU funding for nanotechnology and nanosciences. Having allocated €1.4 billion to 550 research projects under the Sixth Framework Programme (2002 to 2006), the European Commission has become the world's largest public investor in nanotechnology, accounting for one-third of public funding in this area. Funding is set to increase still further under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The Commission supported N&N infrastructures in FP6 with €40 million, and will continue to do so under FP7. Of course the responsibility for any research infrastructure lies mainly with the EU Member States, but a roadmap produced by the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) identified a pan-European infrastructure for nanostructures and nanoelectronics as a priority facility. The Commission is also looking into the viability of an infrastructure for nanobiotechnology. Education and training in N&N has moved forward with the launch of Masters degrees in various aspects of the disciplines, and the awarding of Marie Curie Awards to researchers working in N&N. The Commission has also been very active in the related areas of societal acceptance and safety. Knowledge gaps remain in relation to the effects that nanoparticles could have on the environment and human health. Uncertainty here is fuelling public distrust of N&N, although the Commission report does state that surveys 'show that public confidence in European public authorities' ability to ensure good governance for nanotechnology is higher in Europe than elsewhere'. The Commission has funded or published a wide range of information, aimed at a variety of audiences, in order to inform the public about N&N, while simultaneously funding research to fill current knowledge gaps on health and safety implications. A review of current legislation is ongoing in order to establish whether current legislative frameworks offer sufficient protection, and a consultation is underway on attitudes towards a Code of Conduct on N&N. The Code of Conduct would comprise a set of basic principles on precaution, inclusiveness and integrity. The consultation is an attempt to gather feedback on the principles outlined in the Code, willingness to sign up to it and ideas for additional steps. Responses received thus far appear to be in favour of such a Code, and have provided new ideas on how to improve it, according to the Commission. The Commission has also issued a call for proposals for the establishment of an observatory to provide decision-makers with dynamic assessments of scientific and market developments. One proposal received has been recommended by the evaluating panel of external experts, which means that the observatory could be up and running next year, according to Renzo Tomellini, Head of Unit within the Commission for 'Nano science and technology - convergent science and technology'. The Commission recommends that in the coming years, particular attention be devoted to the development of interdisciplinary infrastructures, appropriate conditions for the safe and effective use of nanotechnology, and a shared understanding of the responsibility of researchers within an ethical framework. The next implementation report on the N&N Action Plan will be submitted before the end of 2009.
For further information, please visit: http://cordis.europa.eu/nanotechnology

3rd Chemistry Tecnological Platform General Meeting

Today Septmber the 18th is taking place in Barcelona the 3rd Chemistry Technological Platform General Meeting in the 'Palacio de Congresos de la Fira'. Colaborates with this event the spanish ministry of education and science.

The objective of the meeting is to inform about the activities done during this last year as well as future projects of the Platform. There'll also inform the audience about the improvement in the participation in the FP7 and the next spanish 'Plan Nacional 2008-2011'.

THE EUROPEAN COMMISION LOOKING FOR SCIENTIFIC ADVICE ON NANOSCIENCES AND NANOTECHNOLOGY

The European Commission is planning to adopt a voluntary “Code of Conduct for Responsible Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies Research” in order to promote safe and responsible nanotechnology research:

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/1140&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

There is a consultation process open up to 21 September 2007 from SINAPSE where all the experts can share all their concerns and knowledge implementing an assessment for the “Code of Conduct”:

http://ec.europa.eu/sinapse/sinapse/index.cfm?&fuseaction=ews.detail&EWS_ID=01BC259F-DC56-9446-A3728137F6351C68&backfuse=sinapse.lastupdate

This initiative arouse from the increasing strength of nanotechnology in science and industry and the wish of a responsible and sustainable growth.

SINAPSE (Scientific INformAtion for Policy Support in Europe) is an initiative form the European Commission for a better use of scientific knowledge in European Governance. The main general objective on SINAPSE e-network is to make a better use of expertise in policymaking.

Nano wheels developed for improved food packaging

With the use of nanoparticles, bottles and packaging can be made lighter and stronger, with better thermal performance and less gas absorption. These properties can extend the shelf life of products, as well as lower the transportation costs involved in shipping food.In a paper, Sigurd Högerof Universität Bonn in Germany said he and his research team managed to use nanotechnology to synthesise a molecule shaped like a wagon wheel. Scanning tunneling microscope images published with the article in the journal Angewandte Chemie depict giant molecules with a diameter of seven nm.

The molecule's "hub", "spokes", and "rim" of the highly symmetric structure are clearly recognisable in the images, they stated. Two-dimensional particles, such as inorganic alumina platelets, are used as fillers for plastics because they impart excellent mechanical properties to these materials, they stated.Nanocomposites made of alumina platelets and polymers are thus extraordinarily rigid, strong, and thermally stable materials, they stated. "The barrier properties of plastics with respect to liquids and gasses, such as oxygen, could be improved by the addition of nanoscopic platelets," the paper stated. "This would be useful for applications such as food packaging, and makes less expensive, more environmentally friendly plastics accessible."

To better understand the way in which the platelets work, several researchers have been working with synthetic alumina platelets. Some are interested in the use of large organic molecules in the form of rigid disks. Such disks can be produced with uniform shapes and sizes and their chemical properties can be adjusted as needed by the attachment of additional functional groups. "Until now, organic molecular disks could not be made as large as the inorganic originals they are intended to imitate," the researchers stated.Now Högerof's team from the universities of Bonn and Leuven claim to have jumped this hurdle by successfully synthesing very large wheel-shaped molecules.

In the next step, the researchers will attempt to grow these little wheels bit by bit by adding more building blocks onto the rim. The development should result in structures resembling a spider web, they stated.

Author: Sigurd Höger, Universität Bonn (Germany), http://www.chemie.uni-bonn.de/oc/ak_ho/

Title: Molecularly Defined Shape-Persistent 2D Oligomers: The Covalent-Template Approach to Molecular Spoked WheelsAngewandte Chemie International Edition, doi: 10.1002/anie.200701614.

IGAPE News

Nanogap is one of the most active companies of Spain in the nanomaterials field. IGAPE, the galician institute for economic promotion, dedicates them an article. You can read the article here

Nanotechnology & nanoscience in Euskadi

There is an extraordinary activity in Spain related to nanotechnology and nanoscience. There are lots of different initiaves focussed on new researchs and developments, like for instance the Iberian Nanotechnology Center (with Portugal) and the Nanogune.

One of the most important efforts is the 'Nanogune', a new institute created to integrate the different nanotechnological researchs in the Basque Country. The Spanish Government has granted 15 million € attending to the petition of the local basque government.

On the other hand, the Physics of Materials team at the UPV/EHU has completed the first comprehensive study of the properties of boron nitride on a nanometric scale as it can be read in the journal 'Physical Review Letters'. This shows the huge activity related to investigation in these fields in the Basque Country.

Nanotech Insight 2007

The second edition of NanoTech Insight took place in Luxor, Egypt, the 3rd week of March. Not only the great atmosphere that Egypt culture and Luxor beauty brought to the conference, but mainly because of the world's leading nanoscientists presenting their latest research and discoveries, made this conference a great success.

NanoTech Insight not only draw together nanoscientists of all stripes, but was also places strong emphasis on the applications of nanotechnology for sustainable development with special sessions on nano ethics, environmental applications, medical and pharmaceutical applications of nanotech research, and nanotechnology for industry. Nanogap, nanoparticles spanish company, was part of the nanotechnology industry representation, and one of the Nanogap´s founders, Prof. Manuel Arturo Lopez-Quintela, presented the latest research on the innovative applications on Atomic Quantum Cluster among other issues.

NanoTech Insight aims to stimulate a worldwide dialogue on the planned advancement of nanotechnology, particularly with respect to the power of this new technology to overcome the current gaps between scientific communities in the industrialized world and those in the developing world. Next edition will be held in Spain on 2009.

Iberian nanotechnology in Brazil

The President of Xunta de Galicia, Emilio Pérez Touriño, had yesterday a meeting with the president of Brazil, Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva. One of the key points of the meeting was the enterprise and scientific cooperation between Galicia and all the portuguese-speaker countries.


The International Nanotech. Center, directed by José Rivas Rey from the University of Santiago de Compostela, was one of the key points of the meeting. Touriño and Da Silva completely agreed about the importance of new tewchnologies and their repercussions in the economy of our countries. It means a new market to the nanotech. & nanoscience enterprises and research centres, institutes and universities from Portugal, Brazil and Spain.


Touriño also talked about the necessity to develop and use green energies and fuels. He proposed future collaborations between Brazil and Galicia in the same way that Lula decided last week with George W. Bush.

4th Nanospain in Seville

The fourth edition of Nanospain took place the last week in Seville. The great success of affluence in this 4th edition reinforces the meeting forum created by the Phatoms Foundation as one of the key events for nanotech. & nanoscience in the Iberian Peninsula.




The event has representation of almost all research centers and Spanish and Portuguese universities related, in addition to other researchers of first world-wide level, like for instance Paulo Freitas, Jos de Jongh and Gunter Reiss among others. They exposed the present situation of the applications and developments based on nanotecnology, besides to suggest new lines of development for the future in the short term.

It was also remarkable the presence of José Rivas, director of the Iberian Nanotech. Institute. Proff. Rivas talked about the prime directives of the institute and also emphasized the importance of the project as one of the first extremely promising collaborations between Spain and Portugal.

José Rivas and Paulo Freitas

A new laboratory specialized in nanotechnology will soon begin its activity in Spain

A new laboratory specialized in nanotechnology will soon begin its activity in Spain. Asturias will have one of the centers of these characteristics that already exist in our country with the Mixed Center of Nanotecnología, start up by the CSIC, the Government of the Principality and the University of Oviedo. The center will have about 50 specialists,part of them from the group directed by professor Jose Maria Alameda, who takes to some years exploring the possibilities opened by the physical nanomaterials and phenomena that take place on nanometric scale.

Auto traslated by Google.

Welcome to Nanowarp

Nanowarp is the first iberian blog entirely dedicated to nanoscience & nanotechnology. We want to be the website where you can post and discuss all the news, applications, events and all the things that you think could be interesting related to this nano-world.

We encourage you to post and colaborate with us! Enjoy the blog!