Chemical technology news from across RSC Publishing.
Issue 2
Green ionic liquids?
Although there is a lot of interest in the use of ionic liquids as green solvents relatively little is known about their biodegradibility and toxicity, basic properties for the environmental risk assessment of an organic solvent. In this paper Peter Scammells and colleagues at Monash University, Australia, discuss the influence of the ionic liquid's anion on these properties. It turns out many ionic liquids show similar levels of toxicity and degradability as conventional solvents.
Seeing is not believing
Quantum physicists have long believed that observation affects reality. American researchers have found that this is also true for analytical measurement of biological samples. Jonathan Sweedler and colleagues at the University of Illinois, US, detected an unexpected serotonin dimer while measuring the serotonin content of individual neurons. The dimers formed when electrokinetic injections were used in the measurement process, but were not seen when using hydrodynamic injections.
Chip-based biofuel cell
A biofuel cell has been integrated into a microchip by Shelley Minteer and co-workers at Saint Louis University in the US. Containing a micromolded carbon ink anode, the cell showed open circuit potentials of 0.34 V and current densities of 53.0 ± 9.1 µA cm-2 when used with a platinum cathode. The device has potential applications in sensors and transducers and lays the foundation for the creation of serially stacked miniature biofuel cells.
Nanotube thin films
Ning Pan and colleagues at the University of California at Davis, US, have discovered a simple but effective way of preparing carbon nanotube (NT) thin films from concentrated colloidal suspensions. The films are flexible in nature and have highly ordered structures. Carbon NT thin films are advantageous in that no binder is needed and therefore they may form excellent electrode material for supercapacitors with high power density.
Essential Elements
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And finally....
Application Highlights
Synthetic nanorotors provide the first step in creating complex nanomachines
Silicon in nanocrystalline materials could play a role in the nuclear industry
Decontaminating abandoned mines
Spanish chemists are helping to clean up disused industrial sites.
European researchers have developed two methods for separating and transporting tiny amounts of dry powders in microfluidic chips
In a useful application of nanotechnology Spanish researchers have developed a sensitive toxic-cyanide sensor.
Downloadable Files
Chemical Technology 2005 issue 2
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