http://www.utilisegold.com/news/ Directory of global suppliers across science, technology, industrial, medical and dental uses en info@gold.org Copyright 2008 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/05/01/story/9231/nano_gold_used_in_new_drug_delivery_pyramids http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/05/01/story/9231/nano_gold_used_in_new_drug_delivery_pyramids
Researchers at the University of Southern California's Information Sciences Institute (ISI) described the new technique in a paper published in the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering.

The two-stage process includes the creation of a flat pattern similar to an origami pattern, which shows where the folds of the pyramid will go. The sides of the pattern measure as little as 30 micrometres - one inch is equal to around 25,400 micrometres.

Patterns are laid out in polysilicon, which sits on top of the gold layer. Magnetic force is then used to bend the hinges of the pattern, before the tiny pyramids are submerged in water and dried, which brings the folds together.

The paper concludes that the technique has "extremely promising" potential for the mass production of the drug delivery pyramids.

ISI is a technology research centre that specialises in the field of robotics, artificial intelligence and computer architecture.
]]> Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/04/24/story/9172/scientists_aim_to_use_gold_nanoparticles_as_cancer_smart_bomb http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/04/24/story/9172/scientists_aim_to_use_gold_nanoparticles_as_cancer_smart_bomb
The Washington Post says CytImmune Sciences "audacious" work could provide doctors with a "powerful new weapon" in the fight against cancer.

The company has been working on developing gold nanoparticles to deliver drugs for around 12 years.

Its founder Lawrence Tamarkin - who set up the firm with his own money - wanted to develop a cancer treatment that targets only the diseased cells, rather than all the cells in an affected area.

As a result, his team developed the "fighter jet" gold nanoparticles, which deliver a protein called tumour necrosis factor (TNF) to cancerous cells.

TNF is, however, extremely toxic and can be very dangerous if it is not targeted precisely. To try to get around this, Mr Tamarkin's scientists have since modified the nanoparticles with a molecule that makes them "invisible" to the immune system, thereby protecting healthy tissue.

The company is now working with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to develop trials of the gold nanoparticles in conjunction with tradition chemotherapy.

CytImmune Sciences is based in Rockville, Maryland.
]]> Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/04/23/story/9158/gold_nanoparticles_help_to_throw_light_on_brain_activity http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/04/23/story/9158/gold_nanoparticles_help_to_throw_light_on_brain_activity
Eurekaalert.com states that a team from Brown University in the United States used nanogold embedded in tissue culture to prove they can measure the electrical activity of live neurons.

Taking advantage of a phenomenon known as surface plasmon polariton resonance, the nanoparticles are used to sense the electric fields generated when neurons fire. In turn, this generates an observable spectral shift that scientists can monitor and log.

The site says there are tens of billions of neurons in the brain - and "trillions" of connections between them. The ultimate aim of modern neuroscience is to map and understand how these connections work.

Findings from the Brown study were recently presented to around 6,000 international researchers at the 2008 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics/Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference in San Jose, California.

Brown University is an Ivy League school that was founded in Rhode Island in 1764.
]]> Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/04/21/story/9133/gold_nanoparticles_provide_detailed_view_inside_animals http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/04/21/story/9133/gold_nanoparticles_provide_detailed_view_inside_animals
News site physorg.com said that according to the National Cancer Institute, a team from the Centre for Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence Focused on Therapy Response - also known as Stanford CCNE - successfully mapped the bodies of mice using nanoparticles, including commercially-available silica-coated nanogold known as Nanoplex biotags.

The trials were the first to use surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to create the images. SERS involves using a modified Raman microscope to track the unique signal of each nanoparticle from deep within the body.

In one experiment, two Nanoplex biotags were injected into mice and tracked through the animals. Another test successfully tracked four of the gold particles.

The findings could be helpful in advancing gold nanoparticles to identify and pinpoint the location of cancerous tumours in the body, the site says.

Stanford CCNE is based at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, on the San Francisco peninsula.
]]> Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/04/15/story/9095/laser_gold_provides_ultimate_thermal_barrier_for_race_cars http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/04/15/story/9095/laser_gold_provides_ultimate_thermal_barrier_for_race_cars
Laser gold is a pure form of the precious metal is applied electrochemically to reflect infrared light. It is used for a number of scientific and military applications, such as coating satellite parts.

Now it is being used to coat 0.025mm-thick copper foil to provide protection from the "blistering heat" generate by the engines of racing cars.

As weight is crucial in racing vehicles, Epner has also developed the coating to weigh less than half the weight of the copper it covers.

The company says the gold offers reflectivity and stability that makes it the "ultimate thermal control barrier", adding that the material can also be cleaned without being damaged.

Epner Technology was originally founded in 1910 to plate and repair jewellery. It now specialises in electroplating technology, providing products to the aerospace, defence, medical and semiconductor industries.
]]> Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/04/02/story/9000/gold_helps_to_move_greener_energy_source_a_step_closer http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/04/02/story/9000/gold_helps_to_move_greener_energy_source_a_step_closer
The catalyst uses a gold and platinum nanoparticle measuring two to three nanometres to accelerate oxygen reduction reaction in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC).

According to the company, adding gold to the catalyst means its oxygen reduction reaction current per unit area is around 4.8 times higher than previously used catalysts, which employed platinum.

The creation of the new catalyst represents an achievement in nanotechnology for Hitachi Maxwell, as the company had to apply its in-house particle synthetic technology in order to synthesize gold particles smaller than five nanometres. The result is a catalyst with a "highly-active" structure, yet its gold and platinum components are not fully alloyed.

According to the company, the successful development of the catalyst represents a "large step" towards developing PEFC for practical applications and large-scale power supply, such as fuelling homes and cars.

Hitachi Maxwell was founded in 1961 in Japan. It specialises in electronics, batteries and storage media.
]]> Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/04/02/story/9001/gold_nanoparticles_could_create_cleaner_water http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/04/02/story/9001/gold_nanoparticles_could_create_cleaner_water
Science website Ivanhoe says the particles, which mix gold and palladium, are the creation of engineer Dr Michael Wong from Rice University in Houston, Texas. Dr Wong was recently named among Smithsonian magazine's America's Young Innovators.

His particles are used alongside hydrogen to break down harmful solvents and other chemicals in groundwater, making it safer for both humans and animals.

Dr Wong commented that the gold nanoparticles are more efficient than the carbon ones currently used to decontaminate water - and they are also cheaper to produce.

Reducing pollution in drinking water is a key health and environmental concern in the United States. According to the site, Dr Wong says groundwater in 30 out of the union's 50 states has been designated as being "highly contaminated" by the Environmental Protection Agency.

He now plans to test his nanoparticles at military sites before moving on to industrial and commercial businesses.

Contaminants commonly found in US drinking water include micro-organisms, naturally occurring chemicals and disinfection byproducts.
]]> Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/03/20/story/8919/gold_playing_part_in_nanoparticle_development http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/03/20/story/8919/gold_playing_part_in_nanoparticle_development
According to Nanowerk, there has been "tremendous progress" in the techniques for developing nanoparticles, with a move in recent years away from single component to hybrid, multi-function nanoparticles.

These objects integrate different materials for different applications, such as biomedicine, nanoelectronics and optoelectronics.

Dr Hao Zeng, assistant professor of physics at the University of Buffalo in New York, said the coupling of different components - such as gold and lead sulfide - enhanced the properties of nanoparticles, making them "superior" to their single-component counterparts in a number of areas.

However, he added the study of multicomponent nanoparticles is still in its infancy, compared to single-component and alloy systems.

Nevertheless, Dr Zeng told the site that this early research will be essential in developing a better understanding of the physics and chemistry of multicomponent nanoparticles.

He believes multicomponent systems will be able to demonstrate novel concepts and applications in the "not-so-distant future".

Collodial gold, or nanogold, has been used in scientific applications since English chemist and physicist Michael Farraday began working with the material in the 1850s.
]]> Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/03/17/story/8880/gold_nanorods_used_in_new_bacteria_detection_method http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/03/17/story/8880/gold_nanorods_used_in_new_bacteria_detection_method
Scientists at the University of Georgia and the Korea Food Research Institute have developed a way of identifying the pathogens salmonella, listeria and toxoplasma, responsible for millions of cases of food-borne illness each year, reports Nanowerk.

Bosoon Park, an agricultural engineer at the US department of agriculture, told the publication that early detection is crucial to preventing disease outbreaks caused by such pathogens.

"Current detection techniques such as ISO method 6579, fluorescent-antibody, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, or polymerase chain reaction are time-consuming, cumbersome and have limited sensitivity," he added.

The new method involves the fabrication of a hetero-structured silicon/gold nanorod array by the glancing angle deposition thin film method, which is then functionalised with organic dye molecules and anti-salmonella molecules.

An enhanced fluorescence when salmonella is captured and detected is produced due to the high aspect ration nature of the nanorods.

NetDoctor.co.uk notes that salmonella tends to be found in poultry, unprocessed milk, eggs, meat and water.
]]> Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/03/07/story/8819/gold_nanoparticle_method_targets_disease_without_damaging_tissue http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/03/07/story/8819/gold_nanoparticle_method_targets_disease_without_damaging_tissue
Scientists at the University of Technology Sydney have demonstrated how functionalised gold nanoparticles can be used to target the parasitic organism toxoplasma gondiim, infection by which can cause mental retardation, blindness, seizures and death.

A team of researchers from the university's faculty of science are working on a way of using nanoparticles to target the organism while avoiding the tissue damage associated with common medical treatments such as antibiotics and chemotherapy.

PhD student Dakrong Pissuwan and her colleagues believe they are the first to successfully coat gold nanoparticles with antibodies to deal with invasive pathogens.

"We coated gold nanoparticles with an antibody specific to the toxoplasmosis gondii organism in the tachyzoite phase, its fastest growing stage," explained Ms Pissuwan.

In related nanoparticle news, a presentation on the implications of gold nanoparticle research for breast cancer detection is to take place at the 28th Annual Scientific Conference of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, held in Florida in April.
]]> Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/03/07/story/8820/conference_to_explore_golds_potential_for_breast_cancer_detection http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/03/07/story/8820/conference_to_explore_golds_potential_for_breast_cancer_detection
Top laser experts are to meet in Kissimmee for the 28th Annual Scientific Conference of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery in the first week of April.

Between April 2nd and 6th, the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Centre will play host to a number of presentations on the most cutting-edge fields of laser research - among them gold nanoparticle-related cancer breakthroughs.

A new technology, based on data from studies of a novel photoacoustic system combining laser energy with gold nanotechnology, will be presented at the conference, where delegates will hear how the science could improve therapies for patients fighting cancer at the single-cell level.

In related news, new research from the Georgia Institute of Technology has discovered that oxygenating gold nanowires can magnetise the precious metal on the nanoscale.
]]> Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/03/04/story/8779/magnetic_gold_possible_on_nanoscale http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/03/04/story/8779/magnetic_gold_possible_on_nanoscale
Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have discovered that oxygenating gold nanowires can make gold magnetic on the nanoscale.

The finding is just one of a number of new discoveries made at the institute regarding the properties of the precious metal on the nanoscale.

Physicists from Georgia found that the application of an electrical field on a surface supported gold nanocluster results in its three-dimensional structure being changed to a planar flat structure.

And while oxygenated gold nanowires act as conducting metals up to a certain length, beyond this they behave as insulators, the research found.

"Finding materials that have magnetic properties when their bulk form doesn't have those properties is very interesting from a fundamental point of view and may have certain future technological applications," said Uzi Landman, Regents' and Institute Professor, holder of the FE Callaway Chair and director of the Centre for Computational Materials Science.

Based in the US city of Atlanta, the Georgia Institute of Technology asserts that it is committed to improving the human condition through scientific and technological advancement.
]]> Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/02/25/story/8711/gold_nanoparticles_enhance_solar_cells http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/02/25/story/8711/gold_nanoparticles_enhance_solar_cells
According to Juraforum, researchers at the Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg found that specially-designed gold nanoparticles optimise the amount of sunlight absorbed by a solar panel and efficiently convert it into electricity.

This is because they oscillate back and forth at the same frequency as the sunlight - which means more is absorbed - and the energy captured is passed on electricity rather than heat. The more sunlight that is taken in by a solar panel, the better its electricity output will be.

Dr Carl Hagglund, who led the project, also discovered that a layer of particles only a few nanometres thick is required to improve the efficiency of a cell. Thinner cells would cut production costs, meaning panels would be cheaper to manufacture.

Dr Hagglund and his team now plan to investigate how nanoparticles can be used to further reduce the cost of solar panels to help make the sustainable energy source more competitive in the commercial market.
]]> Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/02/07/story/8591/new_deal_could_see_gold_nanoparticles_fight_cancer http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/02/07/story/8591/new_deal_could_see_gold_nanoparticles_fight_cancer
The worldwide license has been granted to the Spanish arm of UK biological nanoparticles specialist Midatech Group by the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and the Materials Science Institute of Seville.

It will allow Midatech to look how noble metal nanoparticles can be used with radiofrequency heating technology for treatments such as localised drug release and heat therapy to target drug-resistant bacteria and cancerous cells.

Noble metal nanoparticles are less than ten nanometres across and can be used to target specific tissues, cells or intracellular areas.

Midatech is currently carrying out toxicology studies on its new products and may take them to clinical trials later this year.

Tom Rademacher, Midetech Group's chairman, said: "This radiofrequency heating technology, when applied to our unique nanoparticle design, has exceptionally wide-ranging applications, a particular example being the use of localised heat to kill cancerous cells and drug-resistant bacteria."

Midatech Group designs and manufactures nanoparticles and nanocells for therapeutics, diagnostics and coating for microchips.
]]> Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/02/07/story/8596/gold_nanoparticles_used_in_hiv_fight http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/02/07/story/8596/gold_nanoparticles_used_in_hiv_fight
According to HIV charity NAM, the technique could be used to create large gold-drug complex molecules that act like and interact with large viral proteins.

Eventually, the team hopes to design a mechanism that will allow them to introduce the agents into cell spaces that had previously been difficult to target with small-molecule drugs. These include the viral infectivity factor, an HIV accessory protein that has been a target for drug delivery for years but has so far dodged inhibition.

Gold nanoparticles were originally used to stain glass until chemist and physicist Michael Faraday began to research their scientific uses in the 1850s.

Nanogold has since been successfully used for a number of medical applications, including treatments for cancer, Alzheimer's disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
]]> Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/02/04/story/8568/laser_discovery_could_lead_to_gold_rings_that_match_lovers_eyes http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/02/04/story/8568/laser_discovery_could_lead_to_gold_rings_that_match_lovers_eyes
In a new paper, Professor Chunlei Guo of the University of Rochester in New York says the laser technology, which works by altering the metal so that it reflects only one colour and absorbs the rest, could soon be used to change any metal to any colour, Nanotechwire reports.

Tabletop lasers have already been used to turn aluminium gold, blue, gray and other colours. In addition, metals including gold, platinum, titanium and tungsten have been given a new hue.

And, according to Professor Guo, because the laser process changes the properties of the metal itself, rather than coating it, the new colour will not chip or fade.

He says the technique could have multiple applications, from using a single laser to colour products made of metal, such as gold jewellery or cars, to etching full-colour pictures on metal surfaces.

Professor Guo joined the University of Rochester in 2001 and is now associate professor at its Institute of Optics.
]]> Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/01/29/story/8525/grant_for_gold_nanoparticle_research http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/01/29/story/8525/grant_for_gold_nanoparticle_research
The team, which comprises scientists from Cardiff University's school of chemistry, Imperial College London and Lehigh University, were one of two winners from over 100 international applications for the grant. They will share the fund with a US team from Northwestern University in Illinois and Virginia University.

Dow Chemical is funding the research to investigate ways that methane, which is in abundance in many parts of the world, can be converted into ethylene and propylene, which are used in a number of rubbers and plastics.

Professor Graham Hutchings, whose Cardiff team will design the gold nanoparticle catalysts, said oxidizing methane in a stable way is the "most important remaining challenge" in the field of catalysis, which deals with designing elements to speed up chemical reactions.

Gold nanoparticle catalysts could, however, provide the answer, he added.

Dow Chemicals is a producer of plastics, chemical and agricultural products that operates in 175 countries around the world.
]]> Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/01/15/story/8428/gold_nanoparticle_tests_developed_in_south_africa http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/01/15/story/8428/gold_nanoparticle_tests_developed_in_south_africa
The country's first two nanotechnology innovation centres - Mintek and the National Centre for Nano-structured Materials at the council for scientific and industrial research - opened in November 2007 and are currently using gold nanoparticles to develop a range of new medical products.

According to Mintek nanotechnology scientist Robert Tshikhudo, nanotechnology is currently being applied to the development of inexpensive point-of-care diagnostic tests that can be used by ordinary people.

"This is being done by using gold nanoparticles to develop a product that looks like an off-the-shelf pregnancy test," he explained.

He added that this test may be used to detect a number of conditions, including the presence of viruses, bacteria or hormones.

Last week, Chemical Technology reported that a team of scientists in Japan have developed a new sputter disposition technique, which can be applied to the mass production of gold nanoparticles.]]> Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/01/11/story/8401/gold_catalyst_in_sustainable_chemistry_development http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/01/11/story/8401/gold_catalyst_in_sustainable_chemistry_development
Scientists at the Technical University of Denmark in Lyngby have developed a sustainable chemistry procedure for selective oxidation of biomass-derived platform chemicals furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural to form their methyl esters, reports Chemical & Engineering News.

A team led by Claus H Christensen deposited gold on titania nanoparticles and sodium methoxide in methanol solvent and an oxygen atmosphere to perform the conversion of the hydroxyl and aldehyde groups of furfurals into methyl esters.

"There is a great future for producing value-added chemicals from biomass, and it will most likely require intimate integration of biocatalytic and heterogeneous catalytic processes in order to achieve cost-competitive processes that are also environmentally friendly," Mr Christensen told the publication.

George W Huber, a University of Massachusetts chemical engineer, added that the sustainability potential of plant biomass would depend on the conversion of biomass-derived molecules into a variety of chemicals and fuels.

In related news, it has emerged that BBInternational's gold nanoparticles are to be the source for a series of certified reference materials for biomedical research at the pre-clinical level, the National Institute of Standards and Technology has revealed.]]> Fri, 11 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/01/11/story/8406/gold_nanoparticles_formed_from_sputter_disposition http://www.utilisegold.com/news/2008/01/11/story/8406/gold_nanoparticles_formed_from_sputter_disposition
Japanese scientists working from Nagoya University and Susumu University crafted the particles through a process known as "sputter disposition", where particles are formed when atoms are ejected from a metal foil into an ionic liquid.

According to Tsukasa Torimoto of Nagoya University, ionic liquids are particularly useful in this technique because they contain low-vapour pressures that can be maintained in high-vacuum conditions.

The technique could be a good way for scientists to create uniform gold nanoparticles of varying sizes, which can then be utilised in a number of scientific and biomedical applications.

Frank Endres, of Germany's Clausthal University of Technology, told the magazine that the sputter disposition method could be expanded further by using a form of plasmaelectrochemical disposition developed in Europe.

Gold nanoparticles have been used in cancer treatment research, as catalysts for drug delivery and in treatments for rheumatoid arthritis. ]]> Fri, 11 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000