a blog by the NSF Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology
In these days of social distancing, everyday electronic devices such as cell phones and laptops are more crucial than ever. But many of these devices, ubiquitous as they are, contain materials that are difficult to come by, called scarce rare earth and specialty elements (RESEs). For example, audio equipment such as speakers, headphones and microphones, …
Continue reading "Nano-enabled Recovery of Scarce Metals: From benchtop to startup"
These days we are all familiar with the concept of recycling, which for most of us involves the weekly ritual of placing waste materials such as bottles, cans, and cardboard into oversized, colored recycling bins and placing them outside the house. After pick up, these recyclables are transported to collection centers where they are sorted, …
Continue reading "Recycling: A Strategy for Sustainable Nanotechnology?"
According to the US National Fire Protection Association, nearly 20 percent of home fire deaths between 2006 and 2010 occurred in fires where upholstered furniture was the first item to ignite.1 In order to try to prevent this, many materials incorporate a flame retardant: a mixture of chemicals that is added to materials such as …
Continue reading "Carbon Nanotubes as Flame Retardants: Is the Cure worse than the Cold?"
Sustainable Nano 