Public understanding of science and the perception of nanotechnology: the roles of interest in science,methodological knowledge,epistemological beliefs,and beliefs about science

In this article, we report data from an online questionnaire study with 587 respondents, representative for the adult U.S. population in terms of age, gender, and level of education. The aim of this study was to assess how interest in science and knowledge as well as beliefs about science are associated with risk and benefit perceptions of nanotechnology. The findings suggest that the U.S. public is still rather unfamiliar with nanotechnology. Those who have some knowledge mainly have gotten it from TV and the Internet. The content of current media reports is perceived as fairly positive. Knowledge of scientific methods is unrelated to benefit and risk perceptions, at least when other predictors are controlled. In contrast, positive beliefs about science (e.g., its impact on economy or health) and more sophisticated epistemological beliefs about the nature of scientific knowledge are moderately linked to more positive perceptions of nanotechnology. The only exception is the perception of scientific uncertainty: This is associated with less positive evaluations. Finally, higher engagement with science is associated with higher risk perceptions. These findings show that laypersons who are engaged with science and who are aware of the inherent uncertainty of scientific evidence might perceive nanotechnology in a somewhat more differentiated way, contrary to how it is portrayed in the media today.     

Measurement of the resonant d(mu)t molecular formation rate in solid HD

Measurements of muon-catalyzed dt fusion ( d(mu)t-->4He + n + mu(-)) in solid HD have been performed. The theory describing the energy dependent resonant molecular formation rate for the reaction (mu)t + HD-->[(d(mu)t)pee](*) is compared to experimental results in a pure solid HD target. Constraints on the rates are inferred through the use of a Monte Carlo model developed specifically for the experiment. From the time-of-flight analysis of fusion events in 16 and 37 microg x cm(-2) targets, an average formation rate consistent with 0.897+/-(0.046)(stat)+/-(0.166)(syst) times the theoretical prediction was obtained.     

Present status of the Technological Laboratory at the LMU Munich

The Technological Laboratory of LMU is undergoing major changes. Most important of them is raising a DLC-Factory’s for diamond-like-carbon (DLC) foils production and a shutdown of the Hot-Lab Facility. Current Laboratory status and development plans are presented in this paper.     

Physical boundaries within aggregates – differences between amorphous,para‐crystalline,and crystalline Structures

The structural properties of finely divided inorganic materials such as metal and metalloid oxides, silicates or carbonates of both synthetic and natural origin are compared by means of electron microscopy and tomography. The structure of the outer surfaces of various compact or compacted agglomerates may suggest some striking similarities between various amorphous silica on the one hand and crystalline titania and alumina on the other however the details of the interior fine structure are completely different. Inside of the crystalline aggregates of, for example, alumina and titania distinct grain boundaries between the inter‐grown primary crystallites exist. Also physical boundaries between different solid phases and crystalline/amorphous transitions in core/shell structures can occur. No physical grain or phase boundaries were found inside of synthetic amorphous silica or para‐crystalline carbon black thus, the aggregate is the constituent particle. Synthetic amorphous silica from different production technologies (fumed/pyrogenic, precipitated, aerogel, gel) may exhibit different macro‐morphology but distinct similarities of the amorphous silica networks. Computational studies on silica and titania underline the stability of constituent particles and aggregates as observed by means of TEM after dispersing the original materials by ultra‐sonication.     

Polymers with indan units

Cationic polymerisation of 1, 4-diisopropenyl benzene, 1, 4-(2-chloro-isopropyl)benzene and related compounds yields soluble polymers with repeating units of indan. High performance polymers with indan units are available via nucleophilic substitution of halogenated aromatic monomers containing a central indan element, which are synthesized from 1, 1, 3-trimethyl-3-phenylindan via Friedel-Crafts-reaction with corresponding halogenated acyl- and sulfonyl chlorides.     

Peltier cooled PbSe double-heterostructure lasers for IR-gas spectroscopy

PbS−PbSe−PbS double-heterostructure lasers have been pulse-operated at about 200 K mounted on 4 stage thermoelectric coolers. Emitting at a wavelength of about 5.5 μm they could be used for NO gas spectroscopy. Operation temperatures of up to 230 K have been achieved with structures consisting ofn-type PbS substrates and epitaxial layers ofn-type PbSe and Tl dopedp-type PbS. The temperature dependence of the threshold current density and the emission wavelength of these DH-lasers was compared with PbSe-homojunction lasers. The use of a germanium etalon for a quick evaluation of the spectral quality of the emitted radiation is described.     

A study of high spin states in the transitional nucleus90Mo

The reaction⁵⁸Ni(³⁶Ar, 4p)⁹⁰Mo has been studied at a beam energy of 149 MeV. A detector array consisting of the OSIRIS spectrometer (12 Compton-suppressed Ge detectors), four charged-particleδE detectors and seven NE-213 neutron detectors at the VICKSI accelerator in Berlin has been used to measure the gamma radiation inγγ- and particle-γγ-coincidence mode. An additional Ge detector was placed at 162? to the beam direction to provide information on DCO ratios. The level scheme of⁹⁰Mo has been extended up to an excitation energy of about 12 MeV and probable spin 23?. Some 70 transitions and 40 levels have been newly identified. Spin assignments have been proposed on the basis of measured DCO ratios. Shell model calculations in a model space consisting of the proton 1f _5/2, 2p _3/2, 2p _1/2, and 1g _9/2 orbits and the neutron 2p _1/2, 1g _9/2, 1g _7/2, 2d _5/2, 2d _3/2, and 3s _1/2 orbits with some truncation were made for states above 9? and the predicted structure of these states is discussed.