Recent Patents on Nanotechnology - Volume 6, Issue 2, 2012

Graphene has been the subject of many scientific investigations since exfoliation methods facilitated isolation of the two-dimensional material. During this time, new synthesis methods have been developed which have opened technological opportunities previously hindered by synthetic constraints. An update on the recent advances in graphene-based technologies, including synthesis and applications into electrical, mechanical and thermal uses will be covered. A special focus on the patent space and commercial landscape will be given in an effort to identify current trends and future commercialization of graphene-related technologies.

This article reviews the latest developments in the synthesis of Graphene, Carbon nanotubes and graphene/CNT based devices based on patents, patent applications and articles published in the last two years. A brief introduction about CNT and Graphene is presented, followed by the latest techniques and advanced processing for the large scale synthesis of Graphene and CNTs. Furthermore, a brief account of emerging devices based on applications of CNTs and graphene not limited to sensors, high speed electronics, energy harvesting and storage applications are presented.

Fullerenes can be formed into many new materials and devices. They have a wide range of applications in medicine, electronics, biomaterials, and energy production. An overview of the nanostructure and the physical and chemical characteristics of fullerene-drug derivatives is given. The biological behavior of fullerene derivatives shows their potential to medical application fields because C60 is rapidly absorbed by tissues and is excreted through urinary tract and enterons, which reveals low toxicity in vitro and in vivo studies. Nanomedicine has become one of the most promising areas of nanotechnology, while many have claimed its therapeutic use against cancer, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and neurodegenerative disorders. Water-soluble C60 fullerene derivatives that come from chemical modification largely enhance the biological efficacy. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a physical barrier composed of endothelial tight junctions that restrict the paracellular permeability. A major challenge facing neuropharmacology is to find compounds that can be delivered into the brain through the bloodstream. Fullerene C60 was demonstratively able to cross the BBB by hybridizing a biologically active moiety dyad, which provides a promising clue as a pharmacological therapy of neural disorders.

Over the past two decades, scientists and researchers have successfully developed MEMS (Micro-Electro- Mechanical Systems) technology and its applications that provide a stepping stone for nanotechnology and nanostructure fabrication. Nanostructured devices, which have higher efficiency, less weight and lower power consumption, have been applied in the fields of electronics, chemistry, energy, environmental science and medicine. This patent review focuses on novel nanostructure fabrication methods and nanostructure devices applied in nanofluidics and nanomedicine. We can reasonably expect that the number of nanostructure patents will continue to grow, especially in the fields of biomedical science and energy.

Hydrothermal synthesis is of considerable interest due to its low cost, simplicity and relatively low growth temperature (typically below 200 °C). Since the synthesis is performed in aqueous solutions (no organic solvents), it can also be safe and environmentally friendly (depending on precursor chemicals). Consequently, it has been a subject of intense research in recent years. In this article, we review recent progress in hydrothermal synthesis of zinc oxide nanomaterials, with focus on practical relevance for a variety of applications.

The measurement of the physical and chemical (“physicochemical”) properties of nanomaterials used in industry and science including chemistry, pharmacy, medicine, toxicology, etc., is time-consuming, expensive and requires a lot of experience of a well trained lab staff. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR; 4.000-12.000 cm-1), working in the wavelength region with the highest IR energy, allows obtaining multifactorial information of the material under investigation due to the occurrence of a high number of combination and overtone vibrations. Coupling of an optimized and well-designed measurement technique with multivariate data analysis (MVA) leads to a non-destructive, fast, reliable and robust novel NIR technique for the fast and non-invasive physicochemical characterization, which is suitable for high-throughput quality control due to the short analyses times of only a few seconds. In the following chapters, the patented basic NIR techniques full-filling these aims are introduced, described, summarized and critically discussed.

In the last years, Nanoindentation or Instrumented Indentation Technique has become a powerful tool to study the mechanical properties at micro/nanometric scale (commonly known as hardness, elastic modulus and the stress-strain curve). In this review, the different contact mechanisms (elastic and elasto-plastic) are discussed, the recent patents for each mechanism (elastic and elasto-plastic) are summarized in detail, and the basic equations employed to know the mechanical behaviour for brittle and ductile materials are described.

Full text available.