The Future of printing?
 

Interesting article on the New Scientist site about printing with a new type of ink where the colour properties of nanoparticle chains in a fluid are controlled by a magnetic field. Bit of a far cry from developing tanks, or hooking up the printer.

More info at [URL="http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17674-magic-ink-offers-fullcolour-printing-in-an-instant.html"]http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17674-magic-ink-offers-fullcolour-printing-in-an-instant.html[/URL]

I bet the cartridges are expensive!

[QUOTE=Anthony Grimley;2498]Interesting article on the New Scientist site about printing with a new types of ink where the colour properties of nanoparticle chains in a fluid are controlled by a magnetic field. Bit of a far cry from developing tanks, or hooking up the printer.

More info at [URL="http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17674-magic-ink-offers-fullcolour-printing-in-an-instant.html"]http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17674-magic-ink-offers-fullcolour-printing-in-an-instant.html[/URL]

I bet the cartridges are expensive![/QUOTE]

Yes read that the other day, but there is concern about nanoparticles and health, so not sure if it will be launched. :confused:

[QUOTE=OldBoy;2646]Yes read that the other day, but there is concern about nanoparticles and health, so not sure if it will be launched. :confused:[/QUOTE]

Give me 5 minutes to put my science hat on...

There are all sorts of random and, frankly, spurious "reports" of theoretical health problems associated with nanoparticles. They are, of course, all nonsense (at least every single one I've seen - if you think there's a real one out there let me know!).

Nanoparticles have been around for years it's just that it's suddenly become trendy to call them "nano" and they're in the press now. It's like "forensics" which is just fancy language for "analytical chemistry".

Depending on the material that the nanoparticle is made from they pose no significant threat to health. Additionally, no-one is going to be manufacturing nanoparticles from anything potentially hazardous as they'd never get the product licensed.