Chemical technology news from across RSC Publishing.
Electrochemical information storage 02 November 2005 Scientists
in Israel have added a new dimension to information storage
systems by combining nanotechnology with electrochemistry,
surface modification and magnetism. Itamar Willner and Eugenii
Katz at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have come up with a
creative way around these problems by developing a novel
electrochemically activated write-read-erase technique, gated by
magnetic nanoparticles. Their system consists of an array of
gold electrodes, functionalised with quinone, in conjunction
with a two phase aqueous-toluene component. The electrode is
initially exposed to the aqueous electrolyte solution while the
magnetic nanoparticles are dispersed in the upper toluene layer.
When a magnet is placed below the electrode, the nanoparticles
are magnetically transported to the electrode surface. They can
then be retracted from the surface simply by placing the magnet
at the top of the electrochemical cel