Today's Nanotech Pulse
Left‑handed DNA origami tubes double chemotherapy effectiveness
Researchers at the Cancer Center at Illinois demonstrated that left‑handed DNA origami tubes loaded with the chemotherapy drug Daunorubicin kill acute myeloid leukemia cells at more than twice the rate of right‑handed tubes. The tubes are functionalized with aptamers that target the CD117 protein, and their left‑handed geometry promotes rapid internalization.
This Crystal Doesn’t Melt Like Ice: Physicists Capture a Strange New Phase
Physicists at the University of Vienna directly observed the elusive hexatic phase in an atomically thin silver iodide crystal, confirming that covalent two‑dimensional materials can melt via an intermediate state. By sandwiching the crystal between graphene layers and heating it in a scanning transmission electron microscope, the team captured real‑time atomic‑scale melting. Neural‑network analysis identified a narrow temperature window where the hexatic phase appears before the crystal liquefies. The findings contradict classic theories that predict continuous transitions on both sides of the hexatic state.
The Sixth Element Teams up with Logitech, Corsair on Graphene-Enhanced Headphones
The Sixth Element (Changzhou) Materials Technology has entered supply agreements with Logitech and Corsair to provide graphene components for over‑ear headphones, building on Logitech’s existing graphene‑driver gaming headset. The company also signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korea’s Graphene...
Atomic-Scale Randomness in Graphene Enables Hardware-Level Security Keys
Researchers at UIC, Wayne State and Northwestern have turned random atomic defects in graphene transistors into a physical unclonable function (PUF) for hardware security. Each transistor emits a unique radio signature that encodes its microscopic irregularities, creating a one‑of‑a‑kind cryptographic...
Paragraf Announces Production of First 6-Inch Graphene Wafer at Huntingdon Facility
Paragraf announced the production of its first 6‑inch graphene wafer at the newly opened Huntingdon facility, using a proprietary process that grows graphene directly on silicon substrates. This marks the first demonstration of graphene field‑effect transistors (GFETs) on silicon at...
GMG Gains Key U.S EPA Approval for THERMAL-XR ENHANCE Graphene Coating
Graphene Manufacturing Group (GMG) announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued consent notice approval conditions for its THERMAL‑XR® ENHANCE graphene coating under the Pre‑Manufacture Notice process. This regulatory clearance removes a key barrier to selling the product in...
844: Applying Physics and Nanotechnology to Understand Mechanics and Shape in Biological Systems - Dr. Sonia Contera
In this episode, Dr. Sonia Contera discusses how physics and nanotechnology can illuminate the mechanics and shape of biological systems, from molecular assemblies to whole organs. She explains her interdisciplinary approaches—such as nanoscale imaging and mechanical probing—to study pancreatic tumors,...