Room at the BottomExploring Nanospace with Anti-

matterSuzanne V Smith

Node Director,

Centre of Excellence in Anti-matter Matter Studies, Australia

Senior Research FellowAustralian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation.

svs@ansto.gov.au

In his famous lecture, ‘There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom” in 1959 Richard Feynman considered the possibility of controlling individual atoms as a more powerful new form of chemistry.

In 1965 Richard Feynman received a Nobel Prize in Physics for his contributions to quantum

electrodynamics.

Particle size (2 to 10 nm) influences the

fluorescence of material

one nano-metre =one billionth of

metre

Quantum dots

Applications in lasers, amplifiers, and biological sensors

1.E+06

2.E+08

4.E+08

6.E+08

8.E+08

0 50 100

Surface Area of Particles per cm3

Diameter of Nanoparticle (nm)

Nanoparticles – more atoms on the surface of a particle

1 nm

10 nm

100 nm

1um

The cell

Biological systems can

• sense, • react, • regulate, • grow, • regenerate, and• heal.

The nucleus has nanopores that control the movement of molecules in an out.

The cell has molecules embedded in its wall which assist to trap molecules or trigger chemical process within the cell.

Sensors (functional surfaces or nano- and micro- particles)

Delivery Vehicles (controlled released particles and

surfaces)

Imaging agents (magnetic nanoparticles, quantum

dots)

Self cleaning surfaces (e.g Water-repellent fabrics)

Self heal surfaces (e.g anti-corrosion)Important questions

Porosity

Surface reactivity

Size, shape and chemical composition

Hip joints – biocompatible

materials

Intelligent clothing – pulse and respiration

Light bike frame- Carbon

nanotube

Fuel cells to power batteries

and cars

Self-healing materials –

corrosion resistant paint

Solar panels for heat and

light.

Smell

4000 - 10,000 compound

small molecules - 300 to 500 Mw

volatile

one drop in an olympic swimming pool

Working at up to 10-5 parts per billion

Or 1 drop of dye in up to 100 Olympic pools

O

OH

18F

OHOH

CH2OH

1010-8 -8 to 10to 10-10-10MM

SMITH SV: IDrugs (2005) 8(10):827-833.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positron

Positron Emission Tomography Positron Emission Tomography ImagingImaging

+

e-

γ

γ

Positronium

511KeV

Positron or Anti-matter binds to electrons

Positrons can tell us about pore or nanospaces Positrons can tell us about pore or nanospaces in materialsin materials

Detector Detector

+ +

Nanospaces or pores

larger the pore the longer the lifetime

Non-connected pores Connected pores

How do we know if our chemical is in our materials?

~10mg sample~10mg sample(x4)(x4)+ 1mL + 1mL

(radiotracers + (radiotracers + buffer)buffer)

3 x 203 x 20μμLL

RotateRotate CentrifugeCentrifuge

Activity countedActivity countedin in γγ counter counter10 sec counts10 sec counts

Radiotracers tells is the molecules absorbRadiotracers tells is the molecules absorb

• Eri silkEri silk

• Mulberry silkMulberry silk

Samia riciniSamia ricini

Bombyx moriBombyx mori

Different Different morphologymorphology AndAnd amino acid amino acid compositioncomposition

Effect of pH and time on metal bindingEffect of pH and time on metal binding

[M2+] = 10-4M; powder 10 mg; Temp.23oC; Total Vol: 1.0 mL; centrifuge; 5000 rpm

Cd(II)Cd(II)Selectivity dependent on species

SEM image of hollow silica shells

Hollow Silica Shells - Hollow Silica Shells - for drug delivery and for drug delivery and controlled releasecontrolled release

N

CH3

O-

O CH3

H

nPMPS

Daniel E. Lynch, Langmuir, Vol. 21, No. 14, 2005

Exilica Ltd UK

TEOS H+ C

Predict Absorption Behaviour

Type and size of molecules

Availability

Adsorption or absorption

0.0

0.4

0.8

1.2

1.6

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

[Co(DOTA)]2-

[Co(diamsar)]2+

[Co(SarAr)]2+

[Co(bis(p-aminobenzyl)diamsar)]2+

pH

Con

cen

trati

on

of

Co-L

igan

d a

bso

rbed

in

to s

ilica

sh

ells

(x1

0-8 m

ole

s p

er

mg

) [Co-(diamsar]2+

[Co-(dota)]2-

[Co-(sarar]2+

[Co-(bis-(p-aminobenzyl)diamsar]2+

N

N

N

N

OHHO

OHHO

OO

OO

H2NN

NN

NN

NNH2

H H

H H

H H

H2NN

NN

NN

N

HN

H H

H H

H2C NH2H H

HN

N

NN

NN

N

HN

H H

H H

H2C NH2H H

H2CH2N

Binding Properties of Hollow Silica Binding Properties of Hollow Silica ShellsShells

Natural Fibres – Merino WoolNatural Fibres – Merino Wool

1440

15

2580

15

1440 1440

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

W-1 W-4Sorbents

Tim

e (

min

)

Co(II)Cu(II)Cd(II)

Powders are selective and absorb in minutes at room

temperature !

Self Healing Material – Anti-corrosion Self Healing Material – Anti-corrosion MaterialsMaterials

Multifunctional Inhibitors, Delivery systems,

Self Repair/Regeneration

What happens when a space ship gets a

crack on its surface…

who goes to fix the surface?

Scientists put chemicals that

react on release to repair the defect.

crack healing agent Time

Self Healing MaterialsSelf Healing Materials