Nanowires are very tiny wires with dimensions of the order of a nanometer (10^9 meters). They are composed of metals such as silver, gold, or iron, or semiconductors such as silicon, zinc oxide, and germanium. Nanowires are not found in nature, so to perform research on them, they must first be fabricated in the lab. Nanowires have the potential to aid in the next generation of electronic devices and computer components. Current research suggests that nanowires may soon be used to greatly enhance the capabilities of transistors, memory devices, and sensors.

 

 

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By Kara L. Gray, New Horizon Consulting

When the I-35W Bridge in Minneapolis collapsed during the evening rush hour on August 1, 2007 killing 13 people, millions were stunned by the tragic scene. Images of cars, semi-trucks, and even a school bus, teetering some 115 feet over the mighty Mississippi River left many wondering, “Could that happen here, where I live?” In the days that followed, motorists around the country gave more careful consideration to the bridges and overpasses that they travel every day, which before had never garnered a second thought. While the specific cause of the collapse remains undetermined, most experts agree that some mechanical failure is to blame.

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By Kara L. Gray, New Horizon Consulting

The ancient Greeks first coined the term “krystallos” to describe both quartz and ice, which they actually believed to be different forms of the same matter. Today, in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Minnesota (UMN), Ph.D. candidate David Gasperino and Senior Research Associate Andrew Yeckel, Ph.D., working under the supervision of Professor Jeffrey Derby, are incorporating EnSight extreme 3D visualization software from CEI, Inc. of Apex, NC into a project that, much like the crystals they study, is a building block for future research. Their work is supported by the National Science Foundation MRSEC Program and a Grant-in-Aid of Research, Artistry and Scholarship from UMN.

 

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