Tuesday 26 January 2016

Scientists create graphene barrier to precisely control molecules for making nanoelectronics

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Gardeners often use sheets of plastic with strategically placed holes to allow their plants to grow but keep weeds from taking root. Scientists have found that the same basic approach is an effective way to place molecules in the specific patterns they need within tiny nanoelectronic devices.
via Science Daily

How to Get Five Planets Into a Single Photograph

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The trickiest aspect of capturing Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn in the same image is knowing where to look.










via New York Times

New method proposed to probe the beginning of the universe

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How did the universe begin? And what came before the Big Bang? Cosmologists have asked these questions ever since discovering that our universe is expanding. The answers aren't easy to determine. The beginning of the cosmos is cloaked and hidden from the view of our most powerful telescopes. Yet observations we make today can give clues to the universe's origin. New research suggests a novel way of probing the beginning of space and time to determine which of the competing theories is correct.
via Science Daily
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A Candidate for the Biggest Boom Yet Seen

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Zazzle Space Gifts for young and old

Integral X-rays Earth’s aurora

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Normally busy with observing high-energy black holes, supernovas and neutron stars, ESA’s Integral space observatory recently had the chance to look back at our own planet’s aurora.


via ESA Space Science
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Integral_X-rays_Earth_s_aurora

Graphenea increases capacity, reduces prices

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Graphenea announces reduced prices on products and increased production capacity in 2016. Improving the material quality of staple products remains a key strategy for Graphenea, alongside limited strategic expansion of the product offering.

Improvements in process productivity will lead to reduced graphene prices this year. In particular, the price of CVD graphene film will decrease in all categories by 23% on average this year, as the company intends to provide a very competitive offer on all substrates and sizes to support their customers’ research. The price of the popular 4-pack of Monolayer Graphene on SiO2/Si (10mm x 10mm) already went down to $149 (139€). Notably, prices of graphene on custom substrates will decrease by 27%, making it easier for researchers to work on their own substrate. The price of graphene oxide (GO) for research will decrease by 33% on average. GO suspension will now be available in a 5-liter package, for only 28.55 USD per gram.

The addition of select new products to fulfill the evolving graphene market was part of the strategy in 2015. Most notably, the company introduced suspended monolayer graphene on cavities as a standard catalog product. In 2016, the company plans to introduce monolayer graphene on copper coated with PMMA as a standard product.

Apart from constant improvement of material quality and sustainable expansion of the product offering, Graphenea has been working on increasing production capacity. By the end of the year, the company expects to raise capacity to 1 tn/year of GO for industrial applications. This capacity will allow Graphenea to seek customers that are looking forward to increase their demand and to advance commercialization of graphene higher up the value chain.

By progressive reduction of prices on staple products, new materials and expanded capacity, Graphenea remains a key provider for scientific researchers and industrial partners alike.

Key highlights:

  • Reduced prices
  • Introducing monolayer graphene on copper with PMMA coating as standard
  • Introducing 5-liter package of GO as standard
  • Increasing production capacity to match industrial needs

About Graphenea:

Graphenea, headquartered at the nanotechnology cluster CIC nanoGune in San Sebastian, Spain, was established in 2010, and has since grown to be one of the world's largest providers of graphene. Graphenea employs 12 people and exports graphene materials to more than 370 customers in 53 countries. The company has focused on constant improvement of graphene quality, becoming a supplier customers can rely on. Graphenea employs a team of skilled laboratory staff who have brought graphene film production techniques to a new level, offering the same high quality films on any substrate. Following the demands of the growing industry, Graphenea also produces graphene oxide in volumes up to 5 liters per package. Graphenea partners with large multinationals to develop custom graphene materials for their applications. Its research agility and ability to keep pace with the progress of graphene science and technology has allowed Graphenea to become the largest graphene supplier in the Graphene Flagship, a ten year project of the European Commission worth a billion euros. The company keeps a close relation with the world's leading scientists, regularly publishing scientific articles of the highest level.


via Graphenea

Fishing for answers on bone loss in space

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Crew members reared small freshwater fish aboard International Space Station for 56 days and examined the animals' jawbones and teeth for any potential effects from microgravity. Investigators report that they found increased volume and activity of osteoclasts and significant reduction of bone mineral density in the fish aboard the station.
via Science Daily
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