REMOVING AIR POLLUTION WITH

NANOGENERATOR-ENHANCED AIR FILTERS

( ) A triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is a device that converts mechanical

energy into electricity using the coupling effects between triboelectrification and electrostatic
induction through the contact separation or relative sliding between two materials that have opposite
tribo-polarity.

TENGs utilize charges arising from friction similar to the static we experience on dry winter days.
Going back to the 18th century, Benjamin Franklin found that when a piece of glass and a piece of silk
cloth, neither of which exhibit any electrical properties, attract each other after rubbing against each
other due to the build up of charges.

In other words, a TENG is based on a physical process of converting mechanical agitation to an

electric signal through the triboelectrification (in the inner circuit) and electrostatic induction
processes (in the outer circuit).

Researchers have now utilized a rotating triboelectric nanogenerator (R-TENG) to enhance a

polyimide (PI) nanofiber air filter for particulate matter (PM) removal. The international research team
from Georgia Institute of Technology and the Chinese Academy of Sciences published their findings
in ("Triboelectric Nanogenerator Enhanced Nanofiber Air Filters for Efficient Particulate
Matter Removal").
As the team demonstrates, their PI nanofiber filter exhibited high removal efficiency for the PM
particles with diameter larger than 0.5 µm. When working with the R-TENG, the removal efficiency of
the filter is enhanced, especially in the region with the diameter of the particles in the PM smaller than
100 nm.

The highest enhancement is 207.8% at the diameter of 76.4 nm where the removal efficiency
enhances from 27.1% to 83.6% and the highest removal efficiency is 90.6% at the diameter of 33.4
nm. What is more, the pressure drop of the filter does not increase and there is no ozone produced.

The later is significant as nowadays, electrostatic precipitation and fibrous filter are widely utilized to
remove PM. The electrostatic precipitators capture PM through generating high electric field and
charging the particles electrically. One major drawback of the electrostatic precipitators is that they
inevitably ionize air, and hence produce ozone, which cause negative effects on human health with
the possibility of causing cancer.

As for fibrous filters, they use different types of fibrous filters, such as high efficiency particulate air
filter (HEPA), polymer nanofiber films, and so forth to remove the PM. The fibrous filters have the
advantage of high efficiency to remove the particles larger than the holes because of the multilayer
microfiber/nanofiber structure.

However, the pressure drop increases with the dust loading. Moreover, the removal efficiency for
ultrafine particles (UFPs), whose diameters are much smaller than the holes of the fibrous filter,
decreases significantly. The removal efficiency for UFPs can be improved through increasing the
thickness of the filter, but the pressure drop will increase dramatically.

The scientists conclude that their work may propose an approach of air cleaning and haze
management by introducing TENGs to the filters.

ADVANCEMENTS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY IN FOOD PACKAGING

Anu Keshwani, Bhanu Malhotra, Dr.Harsha Kharkwal*

HOI, Amity Institute of Phytomedicine & Phytochemistry and Coordinator for Amity Center for Carbohydrate Research Amity
University, Noida.

ABSTRACT

From an era the over-exploitation of petrochemical based nonbiodegradable packaging materials have led to threat
our environment in a serious way, which necessitates the need for the use of natural polymer based packaging materials in
food packaging & wrapping which not only maintains the quality and safety but also extends the she shelf life of food product.
Nanotechnology referred to as the science of very small materials, is researched to have a powerful impact on food production
and packaging. Today, R&D of food packaging and the monitoring of the use of nanotechnology food packaging is a major
focus in the food industry to prevent food spoilage, increase its shelf life, and provide quality and safety to the consumers as
well as to ensure food reaches them in a wholesome form. A considerably low level of a nanoparticle is required and thought to
be sufficient to change the properties of packaging materials without many changes in their density, transparency and
packaging, processing characteristics due to their large aspect ratios. Nanotechnology solutions focus on food safety by
controlling pathogenic microbial growth, improving tamper visibility, delaying oxidation, and convenience. Though the use of
nano-based packaging materials in food packaging films has also raised a number of environmental, ethical, safety, and
regulatory issues. But nanotechnology is expected to play a keen role, taking into consideration all additional safety measures
and reach present packaging needs in the food industry. Near one billionth of a meter, is a much too small for the human eye
to see is a nanometer a miniscule. For humans, a substance measuring 100 nm or less is impossible to comprehend. For the
same reason, structures measuring 1 - 100 nm are not seen by a naked eye but exist and have applications that could be
essential to humankind. [1]

Unfortunately, the use of natural polymer based biodegradable films for food packaging has been strongly limited
due to the limitations of poor barrier properties and weak mechanical properties exhibited by natural polymers. However, the
application of nanocomposites as additives in food packaging film formulations promises to expand the use of edible natural
polymer based films. [2] Nanocomposites tend to reduce the packaging waste associated with processed food products and
serve to accomplish preservation requirements of fresh foods by extension their shelf life. [3] Nanotechnology enables the
researchers to alter the structure of packaging materials at the molecular level. For example, the manufacture of certain
packaging plastics which fit the requirements of food products such as fruits, beverages and wine, vegetables molecularly with
different nanostructures to develop various gas and water vapour/ moisture permeabilities to flavour, color, pathogen
preservation, shelf life of the food products can be improved and achieved using natural polymer-based formulations
containing these nanoparticles. Use of nanosensors in food packages will help the determination of the nutrient content of food
along with its quality. By adding certain nanoparticles into packaging material and bottles, food Packages of food can be made
lighter, with stronger mechanical and thermal properties, as well as fire resistant. But the achievements and in nanotechnology
are still challenging and beginning to impact the food safety because of the molecular synthesis of new food products and
ingredients. [4] The term nanofood is used for the food product which has been produced, cultivated, processed, and
packaged using nanotechnology tools, or to which nanomaterials have been added. [5] Nano-Coatings are the waxy coatings
used widely for food products like cheese and apples. Recently the scientists across the globe have managed to develop
nanoscale edible film coatings as thin as 5 nm, invisible to the human eye. These edible coatings and films are used on a wide
variety of foods, like fruits, meats, vegetables, cheese, chocolates, candies, bakery products. These coatings are a barrier to
moisture and gas. [6] Clay nanoparticles and nanocrystals improve the water vapour barrier properties of dairy and food
packaging materials are enhanced by incorporating nano clays and nanocrystals. One of the advantages of clay
nanocomposite seen in the food packaging films offers improved shelf life, light in weight, and heat resistant. [7] Silver is
known for its antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria including some of the
antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, fungi, and many viruses.
 The application of silver has led to its incorporation into materials like polymers, forming nano-silver composites. This
study on nano-silver antimicrobial packaging applications is found to be a novel approach towards preservation of food and its
shelf life extension. Two types of silver nanomaterial are used as antimicrobial agents- Ag and TiO2 nanoparticles. The
structural analysis explained the intercalation of Ag and TiO2 nanoparticles of silver in the 20-70nm range which was found to
be within the nanoparticles 20 bulk polymer, which explained its antimicrobial activity. The further investigation showed Ag and
TiO2 nanoparticles used in these composites are distinctly layered and incorporated into the bulk polymer instead of a coating
on the polymer surface. The work performed includes data pertain to insignificance levels of Ag and TiO2 nanoparticles in the
selected food matrices which are a far lower than the acceptable levels at 0.01mgL-1. [8] Food safety is a growing concern for
all food products for their protection from biological, chemical, physical, and radiation contamination which can occur through
processing, cultivating, handling, and distribution of the nanomaterial. Since nanotechnology has brought revolution in food
packaging research is going on to develop cling films from natural polymers incorporating these nanoparticles to enhance their
various properties to reach at par with the synthetic packaging films available in the market. However, the additives universally
accepted as GRAS will have to be re-evaluated examined when used at the nanoscale level to comply safety regulations. The
use of nanoparticles must undergo a full safety assessment by the relevant scientific advisory association before their use is
permitted and allowed in food packaging. Research is going across the globe to revolutionize the food packaging industry
using nanotechnology as a powerful emerging tool for enhancing the flavour, texture, processing functionalities, shelf-life, and
transportability of foods at feasible costs to thereby meet the contemporary demands for both health and convenience

REFERENCES

5. Morris V. (Nanotechnology and food). IUFoST Scientific

Information Bulletin, 2007. Available:
1. Ravichandran R. Nanotechnology based drug delivery
http://www.iufost.org/reports_
systems. NanoBiotechnology 2009 doi:10.1007/
resources/bulletins/documents/IUF.SIB.
12030-009-9028-2, published online in October 2009.
Nanotechnology.pdf.
2. Lagaron JM, Cabedo L, Cava D, Feijoo JL, Gavara R,
6. Rhim JW. (Increase in water vapor barrier property of
Gimenez E et al. (Improving packaged food quality and
biopolymer-based edible films and coatings by
safety). Part 2: nanocomposites. Food Addit Contam,
compositing with lipid materials). J Food Sci Biotechnol,
2005; 22 (10): 994-8.
2004; 13:528 - 35.
3. Vermeiren L, Devlieghere F, Van Beest M, De Kruijf N,
7. Ravichandran R. (Nanoparticles in drug delivery:
Debevere J. (Developments in the active packaging of
potential greennanobiomedicine applications). Int J
foods). Trends Food Sci Technol, 1999; 10: 77-86.
Nanotechnol Biomed, 2010; 1:108-30.
4. Chen H, Weiss J, Shahidi F. (Nanotechnology in
8. Metak AM, Ajaal TT. (Investigation on Polymer Based
nutraceuticals and functional foods). Food Tech, 2006;
Nano-Silver as Food Packaging Materials). International
60(3): 30-6.
Journal of Biological, Food, Veterinary and Agricultural
Engineering, 2013; 7(12): 772-7.

COLOR MIXING FOR NANOPLASMONIC PAINTERS

Conventional pigments produce colors by selectively absorbing light of different wavelengths.
Red ink, for example, appears red because it absorbs strongly in the blue and green spectral
regions.

The reliance on dyes and chemicals for colorants is fraught with problems such as the fading of
dyes due to chemical reactions; the need for different dyes for different colors; and the effect of
dye-related chemical waste on the environment.

Colors arising from plasmonic nanostructures – so-called structural colors – circumvent these
issues. This mechanism of color generation takes advantage of the intense scattering of light by
nanoscopic metal particles that are smaller than the wavelength of light.

As a result of a resonant interaction of the illuminating light and the electrons in the particles –
the so-called localized surface plasmon resonance – these nanoparticles generate distinct
intense colors. Coloring with plasmonic nanostructures is typically more resistant to color fading
and allows the realization of color images with much higher resolution than conventional color
printing methods.

Unlike color pigments, which can be overlaid to generate new secondary colors, discrete metal
nanostructures rely on size, shape and relative positioning to generate new colors.

Researchers already have developed techniques to achieve photorealistic plasmonic printing

with nanostructures. Although these approaches extend the nanoplasmonic color palette, they
introduce spatial non-uniformities and are limited to specific mixing ratios, which limits the total
number of colors that can be represented.

So far, though, it has not been possible to mix different colors in a single pixel, which is
necessary to create fine transitions in color hues and tones and approach the broad palette
available with well-established color systems.

In new work published in ACS Nano ("A Plasmonic Painter’s Method of Color Mixing for a
Continuous Red-Green-Blue Palette"), researchers at ETH Zurich have demonstrated a
plasmonic color pixel and color-mixing approach with a high level of control over color
luminance and chromaticity.

What differentiates this work from previous studies is the ability to create very fine variations in
colors and more accurate image representations with a continuous variation in color hues and
brightness.
"Similar to the way painters mix different hues and tones of colors on their palette, we
demonstrated a method for continuous mixing of different colors at the nanoscale," Dr. Hadi
Eghlidi tells Nanowerk.

Eghlidi, who together with Prof. Dimos Poulikakos from the Laboratory of Thermodynamics in
Emerging Technologies at ETH Zürich led this work, explains that this novel method for
structurally generating and mixing vivid colors additively is based on interleaved rectangular
lattices of metallic nanoparticles.

A zoomed-in optical image of the printed Parrots (right) and the Scanning Electron Micrograph
of the nanostructures (left) illustrates the approach in this work. (Image: Claudio Hail, ETH
Zurich)

"This coloring approach offers a large individual control over the chromaticity and luminance of
the generated colors," he points out.

"We demonstrate this by mixing the three colors red, green and blue, generated by three
interwoven arrays of metal nanoparticles on a single pixel," adds Claudio Hail, the paper's first
author. "We also illustrate how this can be used to create high quality images such as a
photograph of a pair of colorful parrots with a pixel size as small as 1.28 µm x 1.28 µm."

The researchers generated their colors by

arranging silver nanoparticles in a rectangular
array on a glass piece. The color hue is set by the
size of the nanoparticles and their separation in
the horizontal direction and the color brightness
is varied by changing the vertical separation
between the particles. The space in the array
between the particles is utilized to interleave
another array of a different color, allowing the
smooth mixing of colors.

As a result of their color mixing method, the team

can create fine variations in color hues and
brightness, which then allows to continuously
span a color palette, as opposed to previous
works where only distinct color hues were reproduced. As a result, this enables a more
photorealistic representation of illustrations with high resolution at the nanoscale.

Photorealistic color printing with plasmonic RGB (pRGB) coloring. (a) Digital image of two
colorful parrots and its corresponding measured optical bright-field image generated using
pRGB color mixing acquired with linearly polarized light along the nanorod long axis (middle) and
along short axis (bottom). The image shows smooth transitions between the different color hues
and tones as enabled by our color-mixing method. The fabricated image is 240 × 312 µm in size
with pixels of 1.28 × 1.28 µm. (b) Digital grayscale portrait of Marie Sklodowska Curie and its
measured optical bright-field image. The fabricated image is 318 × 233 µm in size with pixels of 1.
28 × 1.28 µm. The nanorod lengths and widths in (a) and (b) are L = 143, 102, and 63 nm and W
= 54, 54, and 57 nm for the red, green, and blue rods, respectively. (Reprinted with permission
by American Chemical Society)

"Although showing smooth transitions in color with very high resolution and within ultrathin layers,
the vividness of the colors of our engineered surfaces is still less than what most modern
displays are able to represent," Hail notes. "A next stage in our work will therefore be to find
ways to further increase the vividness of the mixed colors in order to surpass the range of colors
that can be currently displayed on most available displays."

At a later stage, the team will try to find ways to dynamically mix colors together, meaning a color
pixel that over time can independently change the content of red, green or blue in a pixel.

Potential applications for this work could be new types of security tags, anti-counterfeiting, or
transparent and high-resolution displays.
FLEXIBLE ELECTRONICS MADE WITH WOOD-BASED
NANOTECHNOLOGY

( ) Wood has been traditionally used as lumber or has been deconstructed into elemental
fibrils before being reconstructed into various material such as paper, cardboard and artificial wood-based
products.

More recently, nanocellulose from wood – a nanomaterial derived from breaking wood fibers down to the
nanoscale – has found additional applications such as strength enhancers in paper and biocomposites, barriers
for packaging, emulsifiers, in oil separation, substrates for printing electronics, filtration, and biomedicine.

"Wood nanotechnologies are not only associated with extraction and use of nanocellulose or lignin but also with
tailoring and functionalizing the hierarchical nanostructure of bulk wood for functional materials," Qiliang Fu, a
Wood and Fiber Scientist at Scion, a New Zealand government research institute, tells Nanowerk. "In our latest
research we use a top-down approach with a mild chemical treatment that allows the preservation of the
complex structure and the original orientation of the cellulose fibres. By conserving the wood structures, a highly
aligned cellulosic material with excellent strength is achieved."

A recent report in , ("Wood-Based Flexible Electronics") first-authored by Fu, details a method to

produce a wood-derived, fully bio-based, and environmentally friendly flexible electronic circuit.

In this work, the Scion team tailored the wood nanostructure to create a wood film with high transparency,
flexibility, and strong mechanical properties. According to the researchers, this material compares favorably with
previously published two-dimensional cellulose-based materials developed for electronics or structural
applications.

Processing of flexible and transparent wood film (TWF) for flexible electronics application. (a) Illustration of the
process. Lignin and half the of hemicellulose are removed from the wood tissue. The treated wood is then
pressed and dried under ambient conditions. The collapsed cell walls are bound together via hydrogen bonding.
The hierarchical structure of TWF consists of cellulose microfiber bundles, nanofibrils, and cellulose chains,
which include crystalline and amorphous regions. The bio-based amyloid/lignin-derived carbon fibers (LCF) ink
is printed in a tree-shaped circuit on the TWF substrate. (b) Photograph of original wood, treated wood, and TWF.
(Reprinted with permission by American Chemical Society) (click on image to enlarge)

This flexible circuit highlights the fact that wood can be used as a feedstock, with the potential to
displace petroleum-based material for high-value products.
The main difference between this circuit and other nanocellulose-based circuits resides in the fact
that substrate and conductive elements are both obtained via wood nanotechnologies.

The researchers electrospun lignin, an abundant byproduct from wood processing with high carbon
content and then carbonized it into conductive carbon fibers.

Taking advantage of the strong adhesive properties of amyloid fibrils, the team then formulated a fully
bio-based and renewable amyloid/lignin-derived carbon fiber conductive ink and printed it on the
transparent wood film substrate to produce an electronic circuit.

"Our work demonstrates the possibility of producing a wood-derived circuit with the synergistic
combination between a transparent, flexible wood film substrate and a conductive lignin-derived
carbon fibres ink," Fu points out.

Transparent wood is a new research area that is mainly advanced by Lars Berglund’s lab at (see for
instance: "Wood windows? Swedes develop transparent wood material for buildings and solar cells")
and Liangbing Hu’s lab at the University of Maryland (see for instance: "Transparent wood could
create new windows, cars and solar panels").

However, most transparent wood requires an impregnation of petroleum-based polymer (epoxy or

PMMA) after delignification. This treatment makes the whole product non-biodegradable and
mechanically brittle.

Dr. Fu did his PhD in Prof. Berglund’s group, during which time he pioneered the research on
transparent wood. One day, he noticed that a thin delignified wood veneer sample that was stored in
a beaker and dried in ambient conditions had become transparent and flexible.

Due to other commitments, this finding was put aside. However, it was always very clear in his mind
that this observation had great potential. Therefore, upon starting his new position as a scientist at
Scion, he built up the lab facilities to produce high-quality, highly transparent and flexible strong wood
films. He quickly improved the delignification and compression methods to obtain samples with high
tensile strength and very smooth surface.

In fabricating the first fully wood-based flexible electronics, Fu and his team demonstrated a
prototype circuit and a strain sensor for bending tests as proof-of-concept. However, wood-based
flexible electronics could be used in many other areas such as wearable devices, smart packaging
and sensors. It also has great potential applications in designing energy storage devices, such as
flexible batteries and supercapacitors.

Due to their mechanical flexibility and full biocompatibility, this type of electronics is perfectly
adapted to be integrated into food packaging to track environmental conditions. Another
application could be for single-use circuits. More and more medical applications and event
organizations use small electronic circuits for a definite time use (for instance as short-term
monitoring device or entry ticket).

"Currently, the water sensitivity of the substrate and the susceptibility to shear forces applied
perpendicular to the fibre direction are our main concerns," notes Fu. "However, we are now
solving the film sensitivity to moisture. We are also exploring the production of environmentally
friendly (biobased/biodegradable) wood composite with high hydrophobicity."

He adds that the electrical performance of wood based flexible electronics also need
improvements compared with graphene-based conductive inks. The team are looking for
post-treatment options to improve the electrical properties.

They are now mainly focusing on developing new applications by improving the
above-mentioned weak points and adding new functionalities, such as luminescence and
hydrophobicity to the transparent wood film substrate.

Furthermore, the ink formulation's rheology is being adapted to various printers, through
improvments to its adhesiveness, strengthening its mechanical robustness and increasing the
electrical conductivity of lignin-derived carbon ink itself.

"We are already exploring the possibilities to scale up our process and have a continuous
method to produce the substrate by using a roll-to-roll system, for example," Fu concludes.
"There is great interest in developing this technology for the production of transparent wood film
substrate using a diverse range of wood species. Scion is exploring the possibility to
commercialize this bio-based ink."
NANOTECHNOLOGY IN HEALTHCARE (PART 1: FITNESS
MONITORING, DIAGNOSTICS AND PREVENTION)

(Nanowerk Spotlight) Healthcare is concerned with the maintenance or restoration of the health
of the body or mind via the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and
other physical and mental impairments.

Nanotechnology is becoming a crucial driving force behind innovation in medicine and

healthcare, with a range of advances including nanoscale therapeutics, biosensors, implantable
devices, drug delivery systems, and imaging technologies.

Universities also have begun to offer dedicated nanomedicine degree programs (example: MSc
program in Nanotechnology for Medicine and Health Care).

A nanotechnology-based system, for instance to eradicate cancer, needs four elements:

• 1) Molecular imaging at the cellular level so that even the slightest overexpressions can be
monitored;

• 2) effective molecular targeting after identifying specific surface or nucleic acid markers;

• 3) a technique to kill the cells, that are identified as cancerous based on molecular imaging,
simultaneously by photodynamic therapy or drug delivery, and

• 4) a post molecular imaging technique to monitor the therapeutic efficacy.

In the following, we'll cover these four areas and provide a comprehensive overview of
healthcare advances that may be possible through nanotechnology, ranging from fitness
monitoring, prevention, diagnosis to therapy, and everything in between.

Fitness Monitoring

When you hear 'fitness monitoring' you probably think of the plethora of smartphone apps and
the bracelets and wristbands that are on the market. Nanomaterials are going to open new
 realms of possibility for these monitoring gadgets.

Especially graphene could be crucial to wearable electronic applications because it is

highly-conductive and ultra-flexible. Possible applications could include

In a hospital, a patient wears a printed graphene RFID tag on his or her arm. The tag, integrated
with other 2D materials, can sense the patient’s body temperature and heartbeat and sends
them back to the reader. The medical staff can monitor the patient’s conditions wirelessly,
greatly simplifying the patient’s care.

In a care home, battery-free printed graphene sensors can be printed on elderly peoples'
clothes. These sensors could detect and collect elderly people’s health conditions and send
them back to the monitoring access points when they are interrogated, enabling remote
healthcare and improving quality of life.

More examples of these futuristic biofunction monitors include temporary tattoos or electronic
stickers:

· – that both extracts and measures the level of glucose in the fluid in between skin cells;

· – revolutionize clinical monitoring such as EKG and EEG testing;

· – monitor stamina and fitness and warns when athletes are about to 'hit the wall';

· – even stick to your teeth to monitor bacteria in your mouth.

Diagnostics and Prevention

Accurate and early diagnosis of disease remains one of the greatest challenges of modern medicine.
As with any advance in diagnostics, the ultimate goal is to enable physicians to identify a disease as
early as possible. Nanotechnology is expected to make diagnosis possible at the cellular and even the
sub-cellular level with enhanced imaging techniques and high-performance sensors.

Cancer diagnostics

More lives could be saved by early detection of cancer than by any form of treatment at advanced
stages. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which are viable cells derived from tumors, are hypothesized
to represent the origin of metastatic disease.

Nanotechnology can be used to develop devices that indicate when those markers appear in the
body and that deliver agents to reverse premalignant changes or to kill those cells that have the
potential to become malignant.

With increasing accuracy, liquid biopsies – where CTCs are isolated from blood samples – are
becoming a viable complement or even alternative to invasive biopsies of metastatic tumors.

CTCs are of great interest for evaluating cancer dissemination, predicting patient prognosis, and also
for the evaluation of therapeutic treatments, representing a reliable potential alternative to invasive
biopsies and subsequent proteomic and functional genetic analysis.

Two examples of nanotechnology in this area: rather than using magnetic and microfluidic methods
for the isolation of CTCs, researchers have demonstrated a carbon nanotube chip that captures and
analyzes circulating tumor cells in blood. Others have used a nanosilicon platform to capture and
release circulating tumor cells.

Quantum dots in particular have finally taken the step from pure demonstration experiments to real
applications in imaging. In recent years, scientists have discovered that these nanocrystals can
enable researchers to study cell processes at the level of a single molecule. This may significantly
improve nanotechnology cancer diagnostics and treatment. Fluorescent semiconductor quantum
dots are proving to be extremely beneficial for medical applications, such as high-resolution cellular
imaging.

Point-of-care diagnostics

Another major challenge of modern medicine is the detection of pathogens at the point-of-care
(POC), particularly in underprivileged areas. Especially the early detection of foodborne pathogenic
bacteria is critical for preventing disease outbreaks and preserving public health. Unfortunately,
current detection techniques such as ISO method 6579, fluorescent-antibody (FA), enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA), or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are time-consuming,
cumbersome, and have limited sensitivity. They are inadequate as they lack the ability to detect
bacteria in real time.

Possible nanotechnology solutions include a graphene-based wireless sensor that could make
24-hour healthcare easier to achieve by enabling wireless monitoring of various biomedical events in
order to gain a more comprehensive assessment of the wearer's healthcare status. Other solutions
include nanoparticles that can then selectively attach themselves to any number of food pathogens.
Handheld sensors employing either infrared light or magnetic materials, could then note the presence
of even minuscule traces of harmful pathogens.

The advantage of such a system is that literally hundreds and potentially thousands of nanoparticles
can be placed on a single nanosensor to rapidly, accurately and affordably detect the presence of
any number of different bacteria and pathogens. A second advantage of nanosensors is that, given
their small size, they can gain access into the tiny crevices where the pathogens often hide.
In a clinical environment, recent achievements with nanosensor platforms demonstrate the enormous
potential of fluorescent nanosensors for clinical applications requiring continuous monitoring of
important biomarkers. Such diagnostics and sensing can be accomplished, for instance, by
utilizing a biocompatible hydrogel to encapsulate the fluorescent nanosensors and then implanting
the encapsulated material subcutaneously to detect analyte concentrations in its vicinity (see:
"Quantitative Tissue Spectroscopy of near Infrared Fluorescent Nanosensor Implants").

The optical nature of this kind of detection scheme can provide real-time readout with high spatial
and temporal resolution. These platforms hold great promise as alternatives to conventional natural
recognitions elements, both for diagnostics and for treatment purposes, to improve patient care.

Nanotechnology in healthcare (Part 2:

Nanomedicine therapy)

In
ter
ms
of
ther
apy,
the
mo
st
sign
ificant impact of nanomedicine is expected to be realized in drug delivery and regenerative medicine.
Nanoparticles enable physicians to target drugs at the source of the disease, which increases
efficiency and minimizes side effects. They also offer new possibilities for the controlled release of
therapeutic substances. Nanoparticles are also used to stimulate the body’s innate repair
mechanisms. A major focus of this research is artificial activation and control of adult stem cells.

The diagram below indicate what has already been achieved and what are the future prospects for nanomedicine:

Let's take a look at examples of nanomedicine approaches in select areas:

Cancer nanomedicine

Nanotechnology in cancer treatments is already a reality providing a wide range of new tools and
possibilities, from earlier diagnostics and improved imaging to better, more efficient, and more
targeted therapies. We mentioned cancer diagnosis and imaging in the above sections.

In therapy, nanotechnology is at the forefront of both targeted drug delivery and intrinsic therapies.
For instance, nanoparticles can be used as tumor-destroying hyperthermia agents that are injected
into the tumor and then be activated to produce heat and destroy cancer cells locally either by
magnetic fields, X-Rays or light.

Sneaking existing chemotherapy drugs or genes into tumor cells via nanomaterials allows much more
localized delivery both reducing significantly the quantity of drugs absorbed by the patient for equal
impact and the side effects on healthy tissues in the body.

Coupling both modes of action has also been achieved with gold nanorods carrying chemotherapy
drugs and locally excited in the tumor by infrared light. The induced heat both releases the
encapsulated drug and helps destroying the cancer cells, resulting in a combined effect of enhanced
delivery and intrinsic therapy.

Smart cancer theranostics – a combination of the words peutics and diag – describes a
treatment platform that combines a diagnostic test with targeted therapy based on the test results, i.e.
a step towards personalized medicine.

Nanomedicine targeting atherosclerosis

Although current treatments have reduced the number of deaths from atherosclerosis-related
disease, atherosclerosis remains a dangerous health problem: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
causes 56 million deaths annually worldwide.

In one recent study, targeted biodegradable nano 'drones' delivered a special type of drug that
promotes healing successfully restructured atherosclerotic plaques in mice to make them more stable.
This remodeling of the plaque environment would be predicted in humans to block plaque rupture
and thrombosis and thereby prevent heart attacks and strokes.

In another study, researchers developed a new therapy to treat atherosclerosis and prevent heart
failure with a new biomedical nanopolymer that reduces arterial plaque and inflammation in the
cardiovascular system.
Nanomedicine to combat diabetes

Painful insulin injections could become a thing of the past for diabetes sufferers when smart insulin
patches start replacing injections for diabetes.

Other ongoing research projects study the delivery of insulin in the form of nanoparticles into the nose,
or into lungs as a spray, or through the gastrointestinal tract as a pill. In each case, non-invasive and
painless application routes have been opened by the use of nanoparticles. Furthermore, tests are
currently being conducted on nanomaterials engineered with a glucose responsive coating; these can
act as an insulin depot once injected under the skin.

Scientists even are working on a Type 1 diabetes vaccine by using liposomes that imitate cells in the
process of natural death.

Nanotechnology and Alzheimer disease

We have posted a detailed on fighting Alzheimer's disease with nanotechnology,

so no need to repeat that here.

Nanomedicine tools for ophthalmology

Most ophthalmic diseases are usually treated with topically administered drug formulations (e.g. eye
drops). Their main disadvantage is the short time of contact with the eye, which leads to a low degree
of absorption of the active substance (less than 5% of the drug administered).

Nano- and microcarriers of drug substances can solve the problems with the drug delivery in the
ocular tissues and nanoparticle drug delivery systems show great promise for related applications.

There are even contact lens sensors for diabetic and glaucoma diagnosis under development that
some day could include (for instance glaucoma) drug reservoirs that could be released by a smart
system whenever needed.
Tissue engineering

Tissue engineering is a difficult task where living cells must be organized into tissues with structural
and physiological features resembling actual structures in the body.

Tissue engineering involves seeding of cells on bio-compatible scaffolds – that were fabricated
through techniques like electrospinning and self-assembly – providing adhesive surfaces.
Researchers though face a range of problems in generating tissue which can be circumvented by
employing nanotechnology. It provides substrates for cell adhesion and proliferation and agents for
cell growth and can be used to create nanostructures and nanoparticles to aid the engineering of
different types of tissue.

Already, researchers have developed bioactive nanoengineered hydrogels for bone tissue
engineering; designed 3D nanofiber scaffolding constructs for neural tissue engineering using stem
cells; or demonstrated the fabrication of precise, biocompatible micro- and nanoscale architectures
of silk proteins. And just recently, graphene foam has been demonstrated as a scaffold for growing
functional muscle tissue.

Nanotechnology's role in HIV AIDS treatment

We have posted a detailed discussion of nanomedicine research efforts that deal developing HIV
AIDS treatments, i.e. diagnosing and fighting the Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes
AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). Nanotechnology offers a unique opportunity to
combine and improve different pharmacological profiles of antiretroviral drugs, with more convenient
drug administration and potentially better patient adherence to HIV therapy.

Nanotechnology solutions to combat superbugs and antimicrobial resistance

Since their introduction about 70 yers ago, antibiotics have dramatically reduced deaths from
infectious diseases. However, through overuse and misuse, many microorganisms have developed
antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Antibiotic-resistance strains of tuberculosis (TB) are emerging and
Methicillin-rsistant (MRSA) infections are a growing problem in hospitals.
Today we are facing a global crisis in antibiotics caused by rapidly evolving resistance among
microbes responsible for common infections that threaten to turn them into untreatable diseases.
Every antibiotic ever developed was at risk of becoming useless.

The emergence of superbugs has made it imperative to search for novel methods, which can combat
the microbial resistance. For this reason, the application of nanotechnology in pharmaceuticals and
microbiology is gaining importance to prevent the catastrophic consequences of antibiotic resistance.

Nanotechnology based approaches to combat superbugs are advantageous to improve various

preventive measures such as coatings and filtration. Similarly, diagnosis using efficient nanosensors
or probes can speed up the treatment process at an early stage of disease. Nano-based drug
carriers for existing antibiotics enhance their bioavailability and make them more targets specific. Also
the combination of nanoparticles along with antibiotics makes them more lethal for micro-organisms.
Going one step further, there are efforts to replace antibiotics altogether with rapidly adaptable
nanotherapeutics. They argue that recent advances in nanomaterials, genome sequencing,
nucleotide synthesis, and bioinformatics could converge in nanotherapeutics with tailored sequence,
specificity, and function that can overcome earlier challenges with small molecule-based approaches.

Nanosurgery

Nanosurgery tools hold the promise of studying or manipulating and repairing individual cells without
damaging the cell. For instance, nanosurgery could remove or replace certain sections of a damaged
gene inside a chromosome; sever axons to study the growth of nerve cells; or destroying an individual
cell without affecting the neighboring cells.

Nanosurgical methods have been developed to target the cell’s internal organelles, the cell
membrane, and the structural protein filaments within the cell (known as the “cytoskeleton”).
Among the nanomanipulation techniques which exist, the atomic force microscope (AFM) is capable
of imaging and working with extremely small structures with very high precision.

References

Check here for a discussion of ethical aspects of nanotechnology in medicine

"Emerging Trends in Micro- and Nanoscale Technologies in Medicine: From Basic Discoveries to
Translation", , 2017

ETPN – The European PLatform for Nanomedicine

National Cancer Institute: Cancer Nanotechnology Plan

Return to Part 1: Nanotechnology in healthcare – Fitness monitoring, diagnostics and prevention

NANOTECHNOLOGY IS GETTING CLOSER TO 3D

NANOPRINTING

( ) Fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) objects through direct deposition of

functional materials – also called additive manufacturing – has been a subject of intense study in
the area of macroscale manufacturing for several decades. These 3D printing techniques are
reaching a stage where desired products and structures can be made independent of the complexity
of their shapes – even bioprinting tissue is now in the realm of the possible.

Applying 3D printing concepts to nanotechnology could bring similar advantages to nanofabrication

– speed, less waste, economic viability – than it is expected to bring to manufacturing technologies.

In addition, pre-patterned micro- or nanostructures could be used as substrates, allowing

researchers to realize unprecedented manufacturing flexibility, functionality and complexity at the
nanoscale.

Researchers in Korea have now shown that nanoscale 3D objects such as free-standing nanowalls
can be constructed by an additive manufacturing scheme. Even without the motion of the substrate,
nanojets are spontaneously laid down and piled to yield nanowalls.

The team, led by Ho-Young Kim, a professor at Seoul National University, has published their findings
in the January 28, 2014 online edition of ("Toward Nanoscale Three-Dimensional Printing:
Nanowalls Built of Electrospun Nanofibers").
"Electrospinning that produces polymer nanojets is a relatively simple and inexpensive method to
yield nanoscale fibers, but the fiber streams are so chaotic that control of individual fibers has been
considered almost impossible," Kim explains to Nanowerk. "In our recent work, we have shown that
an electrospun polymer solution jet, which tends to become unstable as traveling in the air due to
Coulombic repulsion, can be stably focused onto a thin metal electrode line."

Kim and his team also elucidated the fundamental electromechanical mechanism that enables the
spontaneous stacking of a nanofiber onto itself to provide a physical basis behind this novel
nanofabrication process.

In this novel method, a thin metal line on an insulating plate strongly focuses the electrical field, thus
the whipping instability of the electrical nanojets is suppressed.

To stack the fibers in a controlled fashion, the researchers manipulate the fiber deposit into attracting
the incoming nanojets rather than repelling them by draining the electrical charge quickly. Then they
get a nanowall that lines the ground, implying that various free-standing structures can be created by
patterning the microscale ground lines in a desired shape.

The construction of a free-standing nanowall is the most fundamental step to achieve 3D

nanoprinting.

This process is so attractive because it needs only a power supply and a linear stage to build
free-standing nanowalls after drawing metal microlines, all of which can be conducted under normal
laboratory conditions.

Kim points out that this technique has a significant economic advantage as compared to conventional
nanomanufacturing processes used to build nanowalls such as DRIE (deep reactive ion etching).
The current scheme of repeatedly stacking nanofibers onto a conducting line is suited for fabricating
nanoelectrodes consisting of straight walls and nanochannel field effect transistors (FETs) utilizing
insulating nanowalls as gaps of metal patterns.

Further sophisticated methods to control the nanojets have the potential to realize rapid 3D printing of
complicated shapes, which can be used for bio scaffolds, nanofilters and even nanorobots.

However, further developments, such as lowering the nanojet speed and positioning the target place
with high precision, are necessary to make the current focused electrojetting process fully capable of
3D printing of complicated shapes.

"Full 3D control of an electrospun nanojet would possibly revolutionize the current nanofabrication
technology, which we aim to achieve in the long run," says Kim. "However, we believe that such great
achievement cannot be made with a single step. Further development for the precise control of the
nanojet could realize full 3D nanofabrication."
Smart soft robotic grippers enabled by self-powered tribo-skins

Grippers or end effectors are an essential tool integrated with robotic arms for implementing grasping
and manipulating functions in a variety of tasks, ranging from picking up and holding objects, to
digging and sorting, to locomotion and scratching.

Although traditional rigid grippers are able to operate accurately and provide a wide range of forces in
different kinds of tasks, they face challenges in achieving high flexibility and dexterity like human
hands, safe interactions with humans and environments, and grasping and manipulating soft or
fragile objects.

Spartan engineers from Michigan State University (MSU) have developed a new kind of smart soft
actuator, based on the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), to fabricate intelligent grippers for
robotics, aiming at potential applications in the areas of agriculture, engineering and healthcare and
beyond.

The prototype is reported in the journal Advanced Materials Technologies ("Smart Soft Actuators and
Grippers Enabled by Self-Powered Tribo-Skins") in a paper by Dr. Changyong Cao, Assistant
Professor at MSU School of Packaging, Mechanical Engineering (ME) and Electrical and Computer
Engineering (ECE) Departments (by courtesy), with graduate student Shoue Chen, Dr. Yaokun Pang,
Prof. Hongyan Yuan (SUSTech), and Prof. Xiaobo Tan from ECE Department.
The proposed finger-like soft actuator is designed based on a cable-driven mechanism by DC
motors, that is capable of fast response and accurate control. The soft actuator is designed to have
three segments of elastomers separated by two triangular cuts to facilitate bending and conformal
contact with target objects of complex geometries.

Two types of compliant TENG sensors are integrated into the soft actuator: rubber-based tribo-skin
patches (single-electrode mode) attached to the surfaces of phalanges to measure contact pressure,
and an inner TENG comprised of two strips (contact-separation mode) located on the backside of
the finger to detect bending degrees.

The tribo-skin patches are patterned with a micro-pyramid structure to improve their sensing and
harvesting performance. Grippers assembled with three fingers has been demonstrated for grasping,
sensing and energy-harvesting performance evaluation.

“Currently, most soft grippers are based on the pneumatic pressure actuation which generally
requires additional equipment for supplying air or hydraulic pressure, hindering the dexterity and
miniaturization of the whole system. Other methods like grippers based on soft active materials like
shape memory polymers are suffering the slow response and limited force/strain.” said Dr. Cao, the
PI of the MSU’s Laboratory of Soft Machines and Electronics (SME), “Cable-driven approach could
overcome the limits and achieve an accurate but simple control in manipulations.”

The researchers utilized the TENG technology and invented a noel sensor of simple structure to
detect the bending angle, grasping force/pressure and to generate electricity for powering other
kinds of sensors. They have investigated the influence of the key factors for the sensing and energy
harvesting, and finally demonstrated its potential applications in grasping different geometry objects
and harvesting tree fruits and vegetables in agriculture.

“There are still some challenges to be solved for deploying this technology in field testing and
large-scale applications.” Said Dr. Xiaobo Tan, the MSU Foundation Professor at ECE department,
“With further effort in manufacturing and optimization, I believe that the smart soft gripper will be
able to be used for agriculture harvesting, automation packaging, elderly care and beyond for safer
and intelligent human-robotics interactions in the future.”

Provided Source: Provided by Michigan State University

3D-PRINTING METAL-ORGANIC FRAMEWORK SOLIDS FOR
HIGH-PRESSURE GAS STORAGE AND SEPARATION

(Nanowerk Spotlight) Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) rank among the best materials for catalysis,
gas storage and gas storage and processing. So far, more than 20 000 different MOFs have been
fabricated and characterized.

"While MOFs are produced as loose powders and tested as such at the laboratory scale, applications
generally require easy-to-handle solids with a specific shape and sufficient mechanical robustness to
withstand long-term damaging stresses, such as attrition and hydrostatic pressure," Jérémy Dhainaut,
a researcher at the Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide (UCCS), Université de Lille (he was a
post-doctoral researcher at the Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS) at Kyoto
University at the time of this work). "In our recent work, we focused on the preparation of MOF-based
solids by robocasting with a controlled macroscale morphology and superior textural properties."

A crucial issue for designing MOF-based solids is about finding the best comprise between the
material's porosity and its mechanical resistance in relation to a specific application.

As the team reports in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces ("Formulation of Metal-Organic Framework
Inks for the 3D Printing of Robust Microporous Solids toward High-Pressure Gas Storage and
Separation"), they used a modified 3D printer for the controlled deposition of inks, formulated from
four different MOF powders (HKUST-1, CPL-1, ZIF-8, and UiO-66-NH2) and in the presence of low
proportions of a binder and a plasticizer.

"This type of robocasting – a microextrusion technique based on the controlled, layer-by-layer

deposition of a paste – presents the advantages of giving us perfect control on the size and
morphology of the final solid, as well as having a very limited effect on the materials porosity,"
explains Dhainaut. "In the presence of a small amount of a cellulose-derived binder, the solids are not
only self-standing after drying but they also display a consequent robustness."

He points out that very few techniques can meet all of these conditions at once, making it particularly
appropriate for a wide range of applications.
Typical process workflow based on the methodology developed herein: (1) identification of the need,
(2) computer-assisted modeling of the fitting solids, (3) MOF-based ink deposition using a 3D printer,
and (4) evaluation of the performance of the solid. (Reprinted with permission by American Chemical
Society)

Promising for future applications is the fact that all characterization techniques indicate that the
3D-printing process only slightly impacts the MOFs' textural and structural properties, and that they
show a comparable performance to the powders for gas storage (carbon dioxide, methane) and
separation (ethylene/ethane).

Indeed, the solids displayed a permanent microporosity that is comparable to that of the initial
powders. They also present a high compressive strength that is only 1-2 orders of magnitude lower
than that of the dense binderless pellets.

Usually, when porous powders are shaped, there is a loss of performance related to the presence of
binders in excess – blocking the pores accessibility or/and to the densification process – partially
collapsing the pore network. Especially MOFs are composed of elements (metallic clusters and
organic compounds) which are weakly bounded to each others.

"Previous studies have shown that densification techniques used at the industrial scale, when applied
to MOFs, lead to an irreversible loss of performance," says Dhainaut. "This is not the case when using
our robocasting technique."
Photographs of CPL-1-based objects printed under the same conditions with inks formulated with 35
wt % (a) and 51 wt % (b) of CPL-1. (Reprinted with permission by American Chemical Society) (click
on image to enlarge)

The team's results are still preliminary and there are several improvements that need to be achieved
prior to developing practical applications.

For instance, they are planning to print more viscous pastes, in order to increase the loading of MOF
powders and therefore to improve the final robustness as well as the volumetric uptake (the volume
of gas a material of a specific volume can adsorb) of the 3D-printed materials.

Moreover, they will start printing more porous powders soon, which are more fragile but would
significantly increase the gravimetric uptake (the weight of gas a material of a specific weight can
adsorb) of the final materials.

High volumetric and gravimetric uptakes have been set by the U.S. Department of Energy as a
prerequisite for hydrogen and natural gas vehicles, and both have rarely been met by the same
material.

"We believe that our study paves the way to the preparation of highly porous MOF-based solids with
designs completely adaptable to their applications: microreactors, adsorbent beds, or separation
membranes with specific morphologies, to name a few," Dhainaut concludes.

'CYBORG' MICROFILTER ACTIVELY CLEANS DECONTAMINATED

WATER

(Nanowerk Spotlight) Researchers often use living systems as inspiration for the design and
engineering of micro- and nanoscale propulsion systems, actuators, sensors, and robots. With regard
to propulsion, a lot of attention has been devoted to self-propelled chemically-powered
micro/nanoscale motors, such as catalytic nanowires (read more: "Another nanotechnology step
towards 'Fantastic Voyage'"), microtube engines (read more: "Microbots transport, assemble and
deliver micro- and nanoscale objects") or spherical Janus microparticles (read more: "Novel motor
system powered by polymerization").

One application area for micromotors is water decontamination, for instance the active degradation
of organic pollutants in solution (see for instance: "Microscale garbage truck cleans polluted water").

"Although microrobots have recently proved successful for remediating decontaminated water at the
laboratory scale, the major challenge in the field is to scale up these applications to actual
environmental settings," Professor Joseph Wang, Chair of Nanoengineering and Director, Center of
Wearable Sensors at the University California San Diego, tells Nanowerk. "In order to do this, we need
to overcome the toxicity of their chemical fuels, the short time span of biocompatible
magnesium-based micromotors and the small domain operation of externally actuated microrobots."

In their recent work on self-propelled biohybrid microrobots, Wang and his team were inspired by
recent developments of biohybrid cyborgs that integrate self-propelling bacteria with functionalized
synthetic nanostructures to transport materials.

"These tiny cyborgs are incredibly efficient for transporting materials, but the limitation that we
observed is that they do not provide large-scale fluid mixing," notes Wang. " We wanted to combine
the best properties of both worlds. So, we searched for the best candidate to create a more robust
biohybrid for mixing and we decided on using rotifers (Brachionus) as the engine of the cyborg."
These marine microorganisms, which measure between 100 and 300 micrometers, are amazing
creatures as they already possess sensing ability, energetic autonomy, and provide large-scale fluid
mixing capability. They are also are very resilient and can survive in very harsh environments and
even are one of the few organisms that have survived via asexual reproduction.

"Taking inspiration from the science fiction concept of a cybernetic organism, or cyborg – where an
organism has enhanced abilities due to the integration of some artificial component – we developed
a self-propelled biohybrid microrobot, that we named rotibot, employing rotifers as their engine," says
Fernando Soto, first author of a paper on this work (Advanced Functional Materials, "Rotibot: Use of
Rotifers as Self-Propelling Biohybrid Microcleaners").

This is the first demonstration of a biohybrid cyborg used for the removal and degradation of
pollutants from solution. The technical breakthrough that allowed the team to achieve this task is
based on a novel fabrication mechanism based on the selective accumulation of functionalized
microbeads in the microorganism's mouth: The rotifer serves not only as a transport vessel for active
material or cargo but also acting as a powerful biological pump, as it creates fluid flows directed
towards its mouth to feed.

Mechanism for the formation of the rotibot: A) scheme, B) microscopy images, and C) scanning
electron microscopy images, illustrating the steps toward rotifer (blue) uptake of the functionalized
microbeads (yellow). i) Microbeads approaching the rotifer?s mouth due to a strong directional flow,
ii) upon contact with the cilia the beads adhere in their tips, and iii) the cilia within the inner lips of the
rotifer accumulate the particles in that location and frees up the cilia for subsequent adhesion.
(Reprinted with permission by Wiley-VCH Verlag) (click on image to enlarge)

The specific active sites of the functionalized microbeads on the rotifer's mouth are subjected to high
flow rate, generated by the rotifers' coordinated strokes of cilia bands, which induce a flow field
toward the mouth.

The researchers use this flow, without an external force, to get the pollutants towards their 'cyborg
microfilter'. The team exploited the negative charge on the rotifers' cilia surface for confining
positively-charged functional particles – plastic microbeads with enzymes that are used to degrade
or capture pollutants in water.

"For example, we demonstrated the accelerated decontamination of bacteria (E. coli), nerve agents
(methyl paraoxon) and heavy metal ions (Cd and Pb) from aqueous solutions turning the cyborg into
a kind of micro-Roomba," says Soto.

Going forward, the team is looking to push the limits of what their new platform can do. Initially, they
aim at making this platform fully degradable by replacing the plastic (latex and polystyrene)
microbeads, utilized in this proof-of-concept study, with biodegradable functional microparticles.

They also hope that this method can be expanded to other decontamination applications by changing
the functionalization of the attached microbeads.

Forming swarms of microcyborgs by inducing collective behavior, taking advantage of their group
response to specific stimuli, is another item on their list.

"A main challenge for us is the creation of a universal platform that can be translated into diverse
applications," Wang concludes. "This will require the fine-tuning of the cyborg cleaners' operation
and the synchronization between the microorganism engine and the desired task."
ELECTRONIC SKIN SENSOR DETECTS HEATSTROKE DANGER

(Nanowerk Spotlight) Heat strokes – a severe heat-related illness that occurs when the body can't
cope with heat anymore – are medical emergencies that will become a growing problem as the
occurrence of extreme heat waves increases around the globe. When therapy is delayed, the
mortality rate may be as high as 80%; however, with early diagnosis and immediate cooling, the
mortality rate can be reduced to 10%. Mortality is highest among the elderly population, patients with
preexisting disease, those confined to a bed, and those who are socially isolated.

A simple solution for this problem is to make sure the body is sufficiently hydrated. However, people
may not know that they lack in hydration. In these cases, during hot temperatures, the water level in
the body can decrease to a level where sweating stops. The body temperature then quickly rises over
40 °C, ultimately leading to a heatstroke.

A research team in Japan, lead by Prof.Kazuyoshi Tsuchiya, now has developed a tattoo-like sensor
system that sticks to the skin and can indirectly tell the body's hydration level.

Reporting their findings in ACS Sensors ("Advanced Artificial Electronic Skin Based pH Sensing
System for Heatstroke Detection"), a team from Tokai University demonstrated a completely new,
versatile strategy to integrate pH sensing elements with high quality, physically transferable PDMS
freestanding nanosheets.

"The secret behind this sensor integration onto a nanosheet is that we discovered that Ag/AgIO3
(silver iodate) can work as reference electrode without any electrolyte solution," Dr. Ganesh Kumar
Mani, a JSPS Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Micro/Nano Technology Center at Tokai University, tells
Nanowerk. "Ag/AgCl is the most used reference electrode for potentiometric studies, however it is
bulky and always contains KCl electrolyte solution. For a miniaturized system, we wanted to get rid of
the electrolyte solution and we discovered Ag/AgIO3 as the solution."

The researchers prepared their ultra flexible, freestanding nanosheets (∼ 100nm thick) combined with
pH sensing elements by spin coating and sputtering techniques These sensor stickers can adhere to
the skin – or even internal organs – without any glue.
(a) Schematic of the e-skin pH sensor fabrication procedure; (b) photograph of the pristine PDMS
nanosheet; (c) freestanding pH sensor nanosheet on clean wipes, and (d) pH sensing nanosheet
sensors transferred on artificial arm. (Reprinted with permission by American Chemical Society) (click
on image to enlarge)

"We tested the nanosheet pH sensing response with various pH solutions and achieved a sensitivity
of 43 mV/pH," Ganesh points out. "The simple structure of our sensor combined with a thin film pH
sensor offers a unique advantage in testing in situ heatstroke detection."

He notes that it is also possible to functionalize the freestanding nanosheets with other materials that
could open vast opportunities in biomedical fields.

The next stages of the team's investigation are to test with longer testing times, sensitivity analysis
with real sweat from humans, and integration with a WiFi module. With the help of Tokai University
Medical School they also hope to be able to soon start clinical testing.

"To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the preparation of such a structure for in situ
pH monitoring," he concludes. "Investigation on detailed animal studies and improving the adhesion
for long-term usage are now in progress."