Researchers from North Carolina State University, Raleigh, developed a method for creating “nanovolcanoes” by shining various colors of light through a nanoscale “crystal ball” made of a synthetic polymer. These nanovolcanoes can store precise amounts of other materials and hold promise for new drug-delivery technologies.   The nanovolcanoes are created by placing spherical, transparent polymer nanoparticles directly onto the flat surface of a thin film.

Metallurgical High Vacuum, Fennville, Mich., displays its Survivor pumps in Booth #1639 at the ASM Heat Treating Expo. They incorporate multiple oil filters that extend the life of the pump by removing particles and acid that are harmful. This design extends pump life and increases the return on investment significantly. They use a proven oil-sealed rotary piston design for excellent reliability even in demanding operating conditions.

Solar Atmospheres of Western Pennsylvania, Hermitage, Pa., recently thermally processed in vacuum a 410 stainless steel fabrication 90 in. high by 75 in. wide and weighing 1060 lb. The finish-machined weldment is an exhaust duct used exclusively for testing jet engines. This intricate piece was vacuum hardened and tempered per AMS 2759/5D, Type 4 Class A to HRC 25-33.   In order to meet this stringent specification, the part was thermocoupled in both the thin and heavy sections of the weldment.

Fujifilm Corp., Tokyo,  and imec, Leuven, Belgium, developed a new photoresist technology for organic semiconductors that enables the realization of submicron patterns. Due to their lightness, flexibility, and ability to be manufactured in large area, research and development on organic semiconductors has intensified in recent years.

Leica Microsystems, Buffalo Grove, Ill., launches a high-precision scanning stage for stereo microscopes and macroscopes, the Leica LMT260 XY Scanning Stage. To ensure successful experiments, it offers a repeatability of 0.25 µm for samples weighing less than 0.5 kg, and of 1 µm for heavier loads of 1.5 kg. This repeatability is reached at a resolution of 5 nm. Such precision is especially interesting for users who perform time-lapse experiments such as mark and find, or multi-well screenings.

Anasys Instruments, Santa Barbara, Calif., announces the nanoIR2, a second generation AFM based IR spectroscopy (AFM-IR) platform. A key breakthrough is the ability of the nanoIR2 to operate with top-side illumination, eliminating the prior need to prepare samples on a ZnSe prism and enabling measurements on a much more diverse set of samples.

Solar Atmospheres of Western PA (SAWPA), Hermitage, announces that Michael Paponetti has accepted the position of Regional Sales Manager. Michael will be utilizing his 18 years of heat treating / brazing technical knowledge to maintain and promote sales throughout the country. Prior to accepting this position he served as President of Expert Brazing and Heat Treating which is located in Massillon, Ohio.

Pro-Tec Coating Co., Leipsic, Ohio, a joint venture between United States Steel Corp. and Kobe Steel Ltd., has begun hot commissioning of the continuous annealing line supplied by SMS Siemag and installed at the works in Leipsic, Ohio. The line has been designed to produce almost 500,000 tpy of ultra-high-strength steel strips for automotive structural components.

Allegheny Technologies Inc., Pittsburgh, has extended its long-term titanium products supply agreement with the Boeing Co. It covers value-added titanium mill products and provides opportunity for greater use of ATI’s next-generation and advanced titanium alloys in both long product and flat-rolled product forms. For example, ATI 425 titanium alloy is a continuously processed alpha+beta alloy with strength comparable to Ti 6-4 and improved formability.

Researchers at Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., have developed a transparent, bioinspired coating that makes ordinary glass tough, self-cleaning, and extremely slippery. Researchers produce the ultraslippery coating by building a glass honeycomb-like structure with craters (left in the diagram), coating it with a Teflon-like chemical (purple) that binds to the honeycomb cells to form a stable liquid film. That film repels droplets of both water and oily liquids (right).