Nanocommunication design in graduate-level education and research training programs at Osaka University.

After more than ten years of strategic investment research and development supported by government policies on science and technology, nanotechnology in Japan is making a transition from the knowledge creation stage of exploratory research to the stage of making the outcomes available for the benefit of society as a whole. Osaka University has been proactive in discussions about the relationship between nanotechnology and society as part of graduate and continuing education programs. These programs are intended to fulfill the social accountability obligation of scientists and corporations involved in R&D, and to deepen their understanding of the relationship between science and society. To meet those aims, the program has covered themes relating to overall public engagement relating to nanotechnology governance, such as risk management of nanomaterials, international standardization for nanotechnology, nanomeasurement, intellectual property management in an open innovation environment, and interactive communication with society. Nanotechnology is an emerging field of science and technology. This paper reports and comments on initiatives for public engagement on nanotechnology at Osaka University's Institute for NanoScience Design, which aims to create new technologies based on nanotechnology that can help realize a sustainable society.

The effect of atomic nitrogen on the C(60) cage.

We herein report the investigation of N@C(60) exposed to laser flash excitation to exhibit the acceleration of the decay of (N@C(60))* by the encased N atom.

A comparison of the photochemical reactivity of N@C60 and C60: photolysis with disilirane.

N@C60 has a lower photochemical reactivity toward disilirane than C60, although N@C60 does not differ from C60 in its thermal reactivity; theoretical calculations reveal that N@C60 and C60 have the same orbital levels and that N@3C60* has a shorter lifetime than 3C60*.

Stable and controlled amphoteric doping by encapsulation of organic molecules inside carbon nanotubes.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have strong potential for molecular electronics, owing to their unique structural and electronic properties. However, various outstanding issues still need to be resolved before SWNT-based devices can be made. In particular, large-scale, air-stable and controlled doping is highly desirable. Here we present a method for integrating organic molecules into SWNTs that promises to push the performance limit of these materials for molecular electronics. Reaction of SWNTs with molecules having large electron affinity and small ionization energy achieved p- and n-type doping, respectively. Optical characterization revealed that charge transfer between SWNTs and molecules starts at certain critical energies. X-ray diffraction experiments revealed that molecules are predominantly encapsulated inside SWNTs, resulting in an improved stability in air. The simplicity of the synthetic process offers a viable route for the large-scale production of SWNTs with controlled doping states.

14N@C60 formation in a nitrogen rf-plasma.

Atomic nitrogen was encapsulated inside a vaporized C60 molecule in rf-plasma, which was confirmed by ESR.

Nuclear magnetic resonance of molecular hydrogen trapped in single-walled carbon nanotube bundles.

Molecular dynamics of hydrogen trapped in single-walled carbon nanotube bundles was analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance. The chemical shift of hydrogen was about 5.1 ppm at 293 K, which is similar to that of water. The relaxation time, T1, was about 0.1-0.2 s. Values in this work are comparable to those for hydrogen loaded in silica and a-Si.