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Showing posts from March 24, 2006

Nanotechnology Aims to Cure Smelly Feet

by Michael Kanellos Researchers believe nanotechnology could someday help build tiny supercomputers or solve many of the world's energy problems. More immediately, a company in Pennsylvania hopes to use nanoparticles to create less-stinky socks. NanoHorizons, based in State College, Pa., has begun to sell a line of metallic nanoparticles that are compatible with standard polymer manufacturing processes. This means that silver, gold and other metals that kill bacteria and odor-causing microbes can be incorporated into shoes, athletic equipment and other plastic or nylon products. "We're working with a company that does socks right now," said Dan Hayes, director of operations for NanoHorizons. The socks should be out in about a year. Currently, manufacturers can incorporate these metals into products by mixing a bulk form of the material into a polymer or evaporating a layer of metal onto a surface. This method, however, requires that manufacturers mix quite a bit of m...