Nanotechnology is the re-engineering of matter at the atomic and molecular levels. That kind of manipulation means researchers can create brand-new materials that have applications in many areas, including health care, auto-manufacturing, aeronautics, fashion, and cosmetics. For example, engineers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are working on materials that repair themselves if damaged. They could be used as skins for rockets and aircraft. Engineers at LeHigh University have created a material with iron nanoparticles that removes cancer-causing arsenic from groundwater. And Georgia Tech researchers have created fibers that harness electricity from body movement. Woven into clothing, the fibers generate electricity from nanowires attached to their surface. The electricity could then be used to power portable electronic devices – truly juicy couture.

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Filed under: Explore Engineering, Materials

Tags: Cosmetics, Engineering Is, Materials, Nanotechnology