World Materials Summits for Energy Investigate Economically Viable Materials Research Directions
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a number of applications in various fields, enabling this area of research with a rich future. Examples cited by Toma include supramolecular chemistry used to form very sensitive and powerful surfaceenhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) molecular probes. In one example, gold nanorods combined with antibodies with supramolecular chemistry yielded a way to identify cancer cells using SERS, wherein there was a clear difference in the Raman spectra of healthy and cancerous cells. This was also used in photothermal cancer therapy. In another example, silver nanoparticles were functionalized with imidazoles in poly-2-vinylpyridine electrospun hydrogels for use as bactericidal-fungicidal dressings for treating wounds. Some other examples mentioned by Toma included nanosensors for security, photoelectrochemical cells, superparamagnetic nanoparticles combined with supramolecular chemistry for biocatalysis and for capturing cells, and vanadium oxide-supramolecular porphyrin nanocomposites used as an ethanol fuel sensor.
Materials Education Needs to Address Global Challenges The Ouroborus, an ancient symbol depicting a serpent swallowing its own tail and thus forming a circle, can be used to represent the importance of uniting scientific work performed at the microand nanoscale with humankind and the universe as a whole, said S. Mascarenhas (Univ. of São Paulo, São Carlos) in his keynote address on the challenges facing materials education in the 21st century. As the global population is expected to double by the end of the century and as a result of global climate changes, he said there will be an increased demand for energy, water, food, health care, and sustainability. Mascarenhas emphasized the crucial role that nanotechnology, and specifically bionanotechnology, could play in overcoming these challenges through the development of nanomaterials such as catalysts, hydrogen and biomass systems, nano-agro materials, and bionano-pharmaceuticals. In order to tackle these global challenges, efforts are
needed to create a new educational structure in materials science and nanotechnology through the implementation of interdisciplinary curricula, continued education, distance learning, and network innovation projects. Likewise, to overcome scientific illiteracy and misconceptions among the general public, the big topics of today—including climate change, energy resources, nanotechnology, health, and water resources— should be used to capture the public’s interest, said J.E.E. Baglin (IBM Almaden Research Center, USA). In a society that relies heavily on the use of advanced technologies, a basic knowledge of science is needed to ensure the implementation of intelligent business, government, and legal decisions and to avoid the victimization of the non-technical community in these areas.
IUMRS/MRS NEWS
World Materials Summits for Energy Investigate Economically Viable Materials Research Directions Recognizing the strategic importance of materials research for the world’s energy future, the Materials Research Society (MRS), the Euro
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