The Czech Society for New Materials and Technologies

The international conference NANOCON took place in Brno on 17th - 19th October 2018 for the 10th time. More than three hundred attendees from 20 countries across the world listened over 70 lectures and could see 190 posters. Their common theme was nanomaterials and the latest advances in their research and application. The conference is the largest event of its kind organized in the Czech Republic. The Czech Society for New Materials and Technologies is its co-organizer.

Since the first year of the conference (2008), nanomaterial research has progressed dramatically. Over the last ten years, many breakthrough scientific discoveries have been achieved. We are witnesses of their continuing mass applications in industry, construction, IT technologies, medicine… Nanotechnology is facilitating so many diverse improvements like thinner and more durable flat panel displays, enhanced cathode materials for safer and longer life Li-ion batteries, sensors for medical testing or more humane and effective treatments for cancer patients.

This dynamic development of nanomaterial research has also been reflected in the NANOCON conference agenda, as well. Researchers in Brno presented results of their work relating the preparation, characterization of properties of nanomaterials and their applications in various sectors of the economy, including the environment. Monitoring and toxicity of nanomaterials as well as the influence of nanomaterials on health and environment have been also seriously discussed in the conference.

Amazing progress achieved particularly in research of antibacterial materials and products, targeted drug delivery, tissue engineering, magnetic resonance imaging, antitumor therapy, labelling and separation of cells motivated the Programme Committee to accentuate the topic of nanomedicine in the programme of NANOCON´18.  Prof. Dr. Paras N. Prasad from Buffalo University (USA) in his introductory plenary lecture presented the results of his research in optical technologies addressing global health problems.

Another plenary lecturer - prof. Castro Neto from the National University of Singapore, who is considered to be one of the main graphene theorists - outlined the urgency to adopt standards for this 2D material. He also described convincingly how the lack of standardization undermines the work of researchers. He stressed, that many companies worldwide offer graphite as a graphene. And its processors are surprised then that the use of this material does not produce the expected effect…

The prize for the best poster has been awarded to Hana Faitová from the Institute of Photonics and Electronics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic in Prague. This young scientist in her work demonstrated how highly ordered arrays of ZnO nanorods can be prepared with the help of a focused ion beam. This research result should be used for example in electronics, sensors or solar cells.

Anastasiia Garanina from the National University of Science and Technology MISIS in Moscow presented the Best Lecture for Young Scientist by 33 years old. The price named after Dr. Tasilo Prnka - a major nanotechnology promoter in the Czech Republic - she received for a lecture illustrating how intravital microscopy can reveal novel non-cancerous target cells for magnetic nanoparticles in tumor microenvironment.

The next NANOCON conference will be held on October 16-18, 2019. More information can be found at www.nanocon.eu.