Scientists from the Department of Organic and Biochemistry and Biotechnology at the Silesian University of Technology have made an extraordinary discovery. They made polymers, until recently, which are very expensive. This discovery pioneered many areas of science, including communications, microelectronics, and, most importantly, medicine. “We want it to be used for early detection of cardiovascular disease,” says Dr. Haap. M. David Janas, a. PŚ, leads the team conducting groundbreaking research.
Dr. Love. M. David Janas, a. PŚ shows that the breakthrough in single-walled carbon nanotube purification was achieved thanks to the combination of efficiencies in the field of polymer chemistry and nanomaterials.
– Single-walled carbon nanotubes are obtained in the form of mixtures containing several types of nanotubes with different properties. To enable their use in industry, this complex mixture must be separated into prime factors. In my group, we received a wide range of polymers, which we tested for the possibility of purifying such mixtures – says the scientist.
These nanotubes are extremely small, one billionth of a meter in diameter, so cleaning the mixture is very difficult. Professor team. Janasa discovered that one of the obtained polymers has a special tendency to wrap around one type of nanotube. Thanks to this, it was possible to isolate the smallest nanomaterial and to prove its high potential for application.
Polymers, carbon nanotubes – it all sounds very complicated, but each of us can benefit from the achievements of scientists of the Silesian University of Technology in the future. There are many possible applications. One of the most important is the early detection of diseases.
– We focus on medical applications. We want to use carbon nanotubes for early detection of diseases. By getting such substances into the cells, we can anticipate issues with body fat management. This will allow the detection of cardiovascular diseases that have a very high mortality rate – explains Professor D. David Janas.
The scientist confirms that the procedure using nanotubes is much safer than the highly toxic solutions currently used. He confirms that it is possible to place nanotubes in a semi-permeable membrane. Thanks to this, only signs that allow you to detect the disease will enter the body. The discovery could also have applications in telecommunications and electronics.
– Our phones in our pockets have more computing power than the computers that were recently located in our apartments. We need more and more possibilities, more and more computing power, and also for artificial intelligence – says the professor. O people.
As it turns out, we’re reaching the limits of the possibilities of using silicon in electronic devices. Downsizing the silicon-based architecture in order to further “package” the processor is slowly becoming impossible. For several years, a search has been underway for a replacement for the exploited element.
– Carbon nanotubes are a possible successor, and they are also semiconductors, and if they can be arranged correctly, they are able to perform better than silicon. Coal is very common, it is found almost everywhere – the scientist confirms.
Until now, the widespread use of microscopic coals has remained in the realm of dreams, mainly due to the prohibitive costs of procurement. The solution developed by researchers from the Silesian University of Technology allows you to obtain polymers relatively inexpensively – ten times cheaper than before. Will the unusual discovery lead to carbon microprocessors in our computers and phones? Can nanotubes eliminate some diseases? Fingers crossed.
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