Articles in 2008

The diffusion of atoms on a metal surface can be controlled by using channels of confined electrons

The self-assembly properties of block copolymers are primitive when compared with natural examples such as protein folding but, as Richard Jones reports, promising new approaches and ideas are being explored.

Most materials expand when they are heated, but some contract instead. A record value of this effect — known as negative thermal expansion — has now been observed in magnetic nanocrystals.

Effective catalysts for the oxidative dehydrogenation of alkanes can be created by adding functional groups to carbon nanotubes.

Another panel of experts in the UK has published another report calling from more research into the effects of nanomaterials on health and the environment. Will anyone listen this time?

The interplay between angular momentum, electron spin and magnetism at the nanoscale could have applications in spintronics, transducers and actuators, as well as fundamental research.

Producing large quantities of designer DNA nanostructures at low cost has been a long-standing challenge in nanobiotechnology. It is now possible with the aid of bacteria.

The growth temperature and diameter of indium arsenide nanowires have been tuned to fabricate highly–reproducible polytypic and twin–plane superlattices within single nanowires. In addition to reducing defect densities, this level of control should also lead to band–gap engineering and novel electronic behaviour.

Nanoscale waveguides can be mechanically excited and probed by optical forces

The electric field from a scanning tunnelling microscope tip can be used to move individual molecules without touching them

Certain polymers can make nanocrystals instantly soluble in both polar and nonpolar solvents

The mechanical deposition of single molecules on a surface can be optically monitored with nanometre precision using a combination of total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and atomic force microscopy.

Adsorption of charged nanoparticles on to phospholipids can change the lipid's stiffness

Organic molecules have been self-assembled to form random, non-periodic tiling of a graphite surface

An automated method has been developed to place single carbon nanotubes in precise locations in devices

Carbon nanotubes are usually produced in samples that contain a mixture of different diameters and electronic properties; this is a problem for applications in nanoelectronics but is advantageous when generating ultrashort laser pulses.

Thin semiconducting nanorods have 'breathing' vibrational modes that can be excited via Raman spectroscopy in order to measure their size