Latest news with #nanotechnology
Associated Press
7 days ago
- Health
- Associated Press
Precision in a shot: transforming gold nanocubes into diagnostic-grade spheres
GA, UNITED STATES, June 16, 2025 / / -- Gold nanospheres play a pivotal role in point-of-care diagnostics, but manufacturing them at scale with uniform size and shape has long posed a technical hurdle. A new study reports a simplified one-shot synthesis technique that overcomes this challenge by transforming gold nanocubes into consistently sized 35 nm nanospheres through heat-induced surface reactions. This approach bypasses the need for slow, dropwise precursor addition—long considered necessary for precision—using instead a high-temperature incubation process that triggers bromide ion desorption, oxidative etching, and atom migration. The result is a reproducible, scalable method that delivers high-quality nanospheres ideally suited for biomedical applications such as rapid pathogen detection. Lateral flow immunoassays (LFIAs), best known for their use in home COVID-19 tests, rely heavily on the optical properties of gold nanoparticles to produce fast, visible results. However, traditional synthesis methods often yield particles with inconsistent morphology, compromising test accuracy. Uniform gold nanospheres larger than 30 nm are particularly desirable, as their sharp optical signals and large surface areas enhance both sensitivity and binding efficiency. But achieving this uniformity typically requires time-consuming dropwise chemical dosing, which complicates scale-up. Because of these limitations, there is a pressing need for a more efficient, controllable synthesis route to produce diagnostic-grade nanospheres at industrial scale. In a study published March 29, 2025, in Precision Chemistry, researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology introduced a novel one-shot precursor injection method to synthesize uniform 35 nm gold nanospheres—eliminating the traditional need for stepwise precursor addition. By leveraging elevated temperature and bromide ion chemistry, the team achieved a cube-to-sphere transformation process that yields particles with exceptional uniformity. The synthesized nanospheres rival or surpass those produced by slower, less scalable techniques, signaling a major step forward in nanomaterial manufacturing for next-generation diagnostic tools. The synthesis strategy unfolds in three stages. First, small 10 nm gold spheres are formed via rapid one-shot precursor injection. These serve as seeds, which are then grown into 30 nm nanocubes using a single-step method involving potassium bromide to selectively cap certain crystal facets and control growth. In the final stage, the nanocubes undergo thermal incubation in a CTAC solution at 97°C. This triggers bromide desorption from the surface, setting off a dual mechanism of oxidative etching and surface atom migration, which reshapes the cubes into highly uniform spheres. Spectroscopic data confirmed a gradual blue-shift and narrowing of the plasmon resonance peak, signaling a successful transition to the desired spherical morphology. Comparative tests showed that these spheres exhibit better or equal uniformity, optical clarity, and colloidal stability than those produced by dropwise techniques. Moreover, the compatibility of this approach with continuous-flow systems highlights its potential for commercial-scale production without compromising quality or consistency. This research was to streamline gold nanosphere synthesis while maintaining top-tier quality. And results show by unlocking the role of bromide in the shape transformation process, it was able to design a method that's not only scientifically elegant but also commercially practical. This one-shot approach connects fundamental nanochemistry with scalable engineering, making it possible to manufacture high-performance nanoparticles that meet real-world diagnostic needs. The ability to mass-produce uniform gold nanospheres has wide-ranging implications, especially for medical diagnostics where speed, accuracy, and scalability are essential. These particles can be tailored with biomolecular coatings to detect specific pathogens with high precision, making them valuable in outbreak scenarios or remote healthcare settings. Beyond diagnostics, the method could also benefit fields like drug delivery, biosensing, and photothermal cancer therapy, where particle consistency directly influences effectiveness. As the demand for precision nanomaterials accelerates, this breakthrough offers a scalable, reproducible path to meet the growing needs of next-generation biomedical technologies. References DOI 10.1021/prechem.4c00105 Original Source URL Funding information This work was supported in part by a sponsored project from the Gemina Laboratories for the synthesis, a research grant from the NSF (CHE-2002653) for the SERS measurements, and start-up funds from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Lucy Wang BioDesign Research email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists create world's tiniest violin —and it's only visible with a microscope
British physicists claim they've created the 'world's smallest violin' — and, by the looks of it, they could take a bow for their masterpiece invention. The brainy bunch at Loughborough University used nanotechnology to build the teeny instrument, which is no bigger than a speck of dust and can only be seen with a microscope. Made of platinum, the mini-instrument measures 35 microns, one-millionth of a meter long, and 13 microns wide. Loughborough explained on its website that it's tiny enough to fit within the width of a human's hair. The scientists created the violin, which is just a microscopic image and isn't playable, as a test of the school's new nanolithography system, which allows them to build and study structures at the nanoscale. The project references the expression 'Can you hear the world's smallest violin playing just for you?' which pokes fun at people being overly dramatic. 'Though creating the world's smallest violin may seem like fun and games, a lot of what we've learned in the process has actually laid the groundwork for the research we're now undertaking,' Kelly Morrison, professor of experimental physics at the university, said on its website. 'Our nanolithography system allows us to design experiments that probe materials in different ways – using light, magnetism, or electricity – and observe their responses. Once we understand how materials behave, we can start applying that knowledge to develop new technologies.' The violin was made by a NanoFrazor, a nano-sculpting machine that uses a technique where a heated, needle-like tip writes patterns. First, a chip was coated with a gel-like material and then placed under the machine, effectively burning the violin pattern into the surface. After the pattern was etched, the underlayer of the gel dissolved, and a violin-shaped hole remained. A thin layer of platinum was then inserted into the chip, which was then rinsed with acetone to remove any remaining particles. The prototype took three hours to create. However, the team's final version took several months. 'Depending on how you engage with technology, there are people who are always looking to have something that runs faster, better, more efficient,' Morrison said in a YouTube video. 'That requires … finding a way to scale down.'
Malay Mail
12-06-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
DRT-Sand: The First Step of Civilization in the Desert, Powered by Nanotechnology
BANGKOK, THAILAND - Media OutReach Newswire - 12 June 2025 - As the construction industry faces material shortages and climate-driven infrastructure needs, an unexpected resource is gaining importance: desert and sea sand. Once considered unsuitable, this abundant material is now reimagined through advanced technology as a high-performance input with transformative response to this opportunity, Thailand's Doctor T Company Limited—a recognized leader in nanotechnology innovation across multiple industries—has announced a strategic expansion into advanced construction materials. The company's latest breakthrough,, is engineered for new growth opportunities across dry-sand regions worldwide, where harsh environmental conditions and infrastructure needs intersect. Designed for flexibility, DRT-Sand also works with ocean sand, expanding its relevance in coastal and dry a global shortage of high-quality river sand and rising construction demand,introduces a proprietary nanofilm-coated desert sand substrate. This breakthrough transforms previously unusable sand into a water-resistant, dust-proof, and weather-tolerant material ideal for cement mixes or use with alternative binders. It addresses the escalating "sand crisis" while aligning with Doctor T's commitment to a platform for scalable, sustainable infrastructure in desert regions. It enables the construction of roads, pathways, blocks, and water basins—without the environmental cost of river sand extraction or the logistical burden of imported cement. It can also be made into sand-colored paint for harsh environments. By leveraging local resources,reduces construction costs and opens pathways for desert economies to emerge as global suppliers of high-value building T is launching projects across MENA with local partners to demonstrate performance in water management, rural connectivity, and low-carbon civil our vision to turn overlooked resources into strategic assets," said Jirawatcharakorn, CEO of Doctor T. "We're proud to lead with sustainable solutions that meet real-world needs."For investors, this initiative blends ESG value with material innovation, creating a new revenue stream alongside Doctor T's TPoxy and synthetic-wood (VoidWood) segments, which generate over 85% of revenue. Doctor T targets pilot deployments in late 2025, rollout in 2026, and global scaling by 2027– T invites strategic investors, distributors, and partners to support deployment and commercialization. Interested parties should contact Doctor T to explore partnership opportunities and help shape the future of sustainable more: Hashtag: #DRTSand The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Zawya
12-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
DRT-Sand: The First Step of Civilization in the Desert, Powered by Nanotechnology
BANGKOK, THAILAND - Media OutReach Newswire - 12 June 2025 - As the construction industry faces material shortages and climate-driven infrastructure needs, an unexpected resource is gaining importance: desert and sea sand. Once considered unsuitable, this abundant material is now reimagined through advanced technology as a high-performance input with transformative potential. In response to this opportunity, Thailand's Doctor T Company Limited—a recognized leader in nanotechnology innovation across multiple industries—has announced a strategic expansion into advanced construction materials. The company's latest breakthrough, DRT-Sand, is engineered for new growth opportunities across dry-sand regions worldwide, where harsh environmental conditions and infrastructure needs intersect. Designed for flexibility, DRT-Sand also works with ocean sand, expanding its relevance in coastal and dry regions. Amid a global shortage of high-quality river sand and rising construction demand, DRT-Sand introduces a proprietary nanofilm-coated desert sand substrate. This breakthrough transforms previously unusable sand into a water-resistant, dust-proof, and weather-tolerant material ideal for cement mixes or use with alternative binders. It addresses the escalating "sand crisis" while aligning with Doctor T's commitment to sustainability. DRT-Sand offers a platform for scalable, sustainable infrastructure in desert regions. It enables the construction of roads, pathways, blocks, and water basins—without the environmental cost of river sand extraction or the logistical burden of imported cement. It can also be made into sand-colored paint for harsh environments. By leveraging local resources, DRT-Sand reduces construction costs and opens pathways for desert economies to emerge as global suppliers of high-value building materials. Doctor T is launching projects across MENA with local partners to demonstrate performance in water management, rural connectivity, and low-carbon civil works. " DRT-Sand exemplifies our vision to turn overlooked resources into strategic assets," said Jirawatcharakorn, CEO of Doctor T. "We're proud to lead with sustainable solutions that meet real-world needs." For investors, this initiative blends ESG value with material innovation, creating a new revenue stream alongside Doctor T's TPoxy and synthetic-wood (VoidWood) segments, which generate over 85% of revenue. Doctor T targets pilot deployments in late 2025, rollout in 2026, and global scaling by 2027–2028. Doctor T invites strategic investors, distributors, and partners to support deployment and commercialization. Interested parties should contact Doctor T to explore partnership opportunities and help shape the future of sustainable infrastructure. Learn more: Hashtag: #DRTSand The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Doctor T Company Limited
BBC News
06-06-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Scientists create the 'world's smallest violin'
A team of scientists have created the 'world's smallest violin' - which is tinier than a speck of dust and needs a microscope to see it!The micro-violin was created using nanotechnology by a team at Loughborough measures 35 microns long and 13 microns wide - a micron is one millionth of a metre - for comparison a human hair is around 17 to 180 microns the tiny violin is just an image and not a playable instrument, so it cannot be officially confirmed as the world's smallest violin, the university said. The tiny violin was created to test the abilities of the university's new nanolithography system, which allows researchers to build and study tiny structures."Though creating the world's smallest violin may seem like fun and games, a lot of what we've learned in the process has actually laid the groundwork for the research we're now undertaking," said Professor Kelly Morrison, Head of the Physics department at Loughborough University."Our nanolithography system allows us to design experiments that probe materials in different ways – using light, magnetism, or electricity – and observe their responses."Once we understand how materials behave, we can start applying that knowledge to develop new technologies, whether it's improving computing efficiency or finding new ways to harvest energy," she said. How did they make it? To create the violin the researchers coated a tiny chip with two layers of gel-like material called a resist, before placing it under a nano-sculpting the machine uses a heated, needle-like tip to "write" very precise patterns on the nanoscale - in this case a violin shape - in a process called thermal scanning probe that a thin layer of platinum was poured into the carved out pattern to leave behind the finished whole process takes around three hours, but the research team's final version took several months to make, as they tested different techniques to get the best result.
