Homeland Defense & Security Information Analysis Center
Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter at an atomic level to produce new materials, referred to as engineered nanomaterials. Particles at this scale typically range in sizes from 1 to 100 nanometers (nm) in at least one dimension. A nm is one-billionth of a meter. To put this into perspective, DNA is 2 nm wide, and a human hair is approximately 50,000 Read More
A decades old electronics performance problem is re-emerging as the European Union enacted legislation removing the use of lead in electronics. In the 1940s, electronics were failing due to the formation of “tin whiskers,” which are filaments that can grow and cause interference and short-circuit failure. This report details the different methods researchers Read More
New technology, relying on the non-specific absorption of chemicals on the surface of nanoparticles, could enable efficient decontamination of both water and soils. The biodegradable nanoparticles exploit the high surface-to-volume ratio intrinsic to their small diameter, and can be easily removed after use through photoinduced precipitation. This Read More
Graphene is the thinnest substance capable of conducting electricity, but is also flexible and one of the strongest known materials. Because of these characteristics, scientists and engineers have dedicated years to adapting graphene to flexible electronics and other applications. Light weight, wearable electronics made from graphene are becoming more and Read More
Malaria is a devastating infectious mosquito-borne disease caused by single-celled parasites called Plasmodium that can live inside red blood cells. As the malaria parasite mutates, it is becoming resistant to even the most powerful antimalarial drugs, such as artemisinin. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis believe they may Read More
As new biological threats emerge around the world, deployed personnel risk encountering these agents both on the battlefield and during peacetime. The current outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) continues to cause unrest and confusion and thus remains a threat to U.S. forces. Read More
Japan has worked for years to create a pair of glasses that will shield the wearer from discovery on facial recognition software. The first iteration of the “privacy visor” used near-infrared lights, which are visible to cameras but not humans. The new rendition of the facial un-recognition glasses does not use infrared lights, but reflects overhead lights Read More
If the nuclear industry is to live up to its immense potential and thrive in a post-Fukushima, post 9/11 world in which public concerns about safety and security are high and the cost of alternative energies is either low (natural gas) or rapidly decreasing (renewables), new plants must satisfy certain requirements. A new concept for an Offshore Floating Read More
When soldiers depart on long patrols, the gear they carry weighs up to 100lbs. Deployable communication devices such as radios, GPS and night-vision goggles require the use of batteries in order to function. Batteries, along with water, contribute to 60-90 percent of the weight a soldier carries. [1] Because of this, the Department of Defense (DoD) has a Read More
The Advanced Materials Research Lab (AMRL) at North Carolina State University is creating a new class of metallic foam, known as composite metal foam (CMF), to combine the benefits of metal matrix composites and metallic foams. In the past decade, the focus has been on developing the technology to process the CMFs through both powder metallurgy and casting Read More
