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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 6, 2004)
An independent newspaper http://www.dailyemerald.com Foolscap sets the slam standard Page 12 Thursday, May 6,2004 Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon Volume 105, Issue 149 UO researcher helps advance nanotechnology Chemistry Professor Jim Hutchison was issued a patent for a process removing environmentally harmful effects from nanoparticle production By Steven Neuman News Reporter Nanotechnology, or the manipulation of materials at the atomic level, has been heralded as the technology of the future. Nanoparti des, just a few thousandths the width of a human hair, may make computer chips run faster, sunscreen block out more sun, metals better conduct electridty and cosmetics cover more evenly. University chemistry Professor Jim Hutchison was issued a U.S. . patent on Tuesday for a process his lab created that manufactures a gold atom nanoparticle without the environmentally harmful effects usually assodated with its creation. The patent comes just two weeks after an announcement that * the University will construct a new nanotechnology center to ex plore the science further. "There's a real reason they're expecting this to be a $ 1 trillion business and the next industrial revolution," Hutchison said. Hutchison runs HutchLab, which researches "green chemistry" at the University. Traditionally, the 20-year-old manufacturing process involved the use of diborane, a colorless, odorless and highly toxic gas that half the human population is unable to detect, according to Hutchison. It also auto-ignites near room temperature. The sec ond component of the old process was the toxic solvent benzene. "People have already been looking at uses for these partides," Hutchison said. "We've just found a way to make them better and cleaner." Changing the process to become more environmentally friend ly means the molecules, which have already been proposed for use in products such as computer components, can be produced in greater numbers with less energy and less impart. Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies Richard Lin ton praised Hutchison's work. "UO is a recognized leader in the emerging field of green chem istry that has eliminated the use of many toxic materials in chem istry labs throughout the nation," Unton said in a press release. "This innovation demonstrates the UO's capabilities in green nanotechnology and is an enabling step toward making produc tion of nanoscale materials more practical." Hutchison said when materials are broken down to the molecu lar level the larger-scale properties that control their behavior, such as the melting point or electrical conductivity change completely. "It just expands the tool kit we have to create new inventions — this has the potential to impart every part of our lives," he said. Hutchison said there is great potential in nanotechnology. "There are 34 million transistors on a Pentium computer chip, that's at the microscopic level," Hutchison said. "There are some people who would like to put one billion transistors on a chip on a molecular level. This will make that possible." The $18 million nanotechnology center, which the University plans to construct in the next two years and would be as large as 60,000 square feet, will be "a key part of the state's effort to be come a major player in the emerging field," according to a Uni versity press release. The new building will be part of the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute, a consortium of nanotech researchers that includes the University, Oregon State University, Portland State University, the Pacific Northwest Na tional Laboratory and business partners. ONAMI focuses on research at the micro and nano scale, with the goal to "position Oregon as a national leader in nanotechnolo gy research and development," according to http://www.onami.us. "This new ONAMI-UO facility will be both a collaborative cen ter of excellence for nanoscience and a catalyst for growth in Turn to RESEARCH, page 3 The shot heard around the world More than 200 people take tequila shots at Taylor's to break a world record on Cinco de Mayo Lauren Wimer Senior Photographer Senior sociology and business major Susan Michaels hugs music student Tate Peterson at Taylor’s Bar and Grill on Wednesday. Peterson, who was celebrating his birthday, performed with his band Savitri and took part in the bar’s Cinco de Mayo attempt to break the world record for the largest tequila smash. More than 200 people participated. By Brian Burke Freelance Reporter |he problem with records is they are bound to be broken. Roger X Maris' record 61 home runs stood for 37 seasons before Mark McGwire came along and upped the ante. Takeru Kobayashi beat his own hot dog-eating record the year after it was set. Wednesday night, a crowd of energetic revelers con verged on Taylor's Bar and Grill with the hope of breaking a "Guinness Book" record of their own on Cinco de Mayo: The world's largest tequila smash. According to the July 2001 issue of Cheers magazine, Cinco de Mayo partygo ers at Lulu's Club Mardi Gras in Washing ton D.C. slammed a record 191 shots of tequila, setting the standard for record breakers worldwide. In preparation forWednesday's record-set ting attempt, Taylor's manager Justin Walker had close to 100 botdes of tequila and a sur plus of shot glasses on hand for the event. "Trust me; we're not running out of tequila tonight," Walker said. Savitri, a self-described "Freak-out funk jazz" quartet, drew the crowd within inches of the stage as the band plowed through everything from Paul Simon's "Kodchrome" to the requisite Cinco de Mayo anthem, The Champ's 1958 instru mental "Tequila." "I got my feet stepped on 18 times and 1 just walked in the door," 22-year-old art major Jordan Domont said. For one night, Taylor's resembled a can tina, with neon beer lights and the emer gency exit sign providing a discreet pink glow. No fewer than three sombreros were spotted in the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd, and by set break, it was impossible to find a surface spared from the sticky remnants of spilled Tortilla Gold. More than 200 celebrants prepared for the record-breaking moment, with Savitri gui tarist Tate Peterson returning to the microphone for a quick history lesson. Turn to CINCO, page 3 Bush supporters unite on campus Students for Bush has registered 431 University students so far for the nationwide campaign, the most of any Oregon chapter By Jared Paben Senior News Reporter The campus that some characterize as a bastion of liberal ideology actually houses a sizable population of devoted Republicans — at least 431 of them. The local chapter of Students for Bush managed to register that many University students for the nationwide campaign, making this campus 12th in the country for registrants and No. 1 in the state, with Oregon State University trailing in sec ond place with 147 registrants. But University Students for Bush Chairman Jarrett White said he wasn't surprised that the group was able to get that many registrants with only six or sev en days of tabling. "I think it just shows that, as President Nixon once said, there's a silent majority," said White, who is also chairman of the University College Republicans. "I'm not going to go as far as saying that Republi cans are a majority on this campus, but I think there's a huge amount of Republi cans on this campus and a lot of people are just a little scared to come out and say it because every time you do there's the fear that somebody is going to call you a fascist or equate you with the Nazis or draw a swastika on your forehead." Oregon Students for Bush Chairman Paul Perkins said he wasn't surprised about the results, either. "I knew they could do it," Perkins said. "I wouldn't be surprised if they get 1,000 by the end of the term ... there's certainly more than 1,000 Bush supporters on the University of Oregon campus. 1 think 431 is just the beginning of how many they can get. They've shown that they're will ing to give their energy and hard work to help the president." Oregon Students for Bush co-Chair man Laura Jenkins, who insists on a co chairman title instead of co-chairwoman, Turn to BUSH, page 3 WEATHER INSIDE NEXT ISSUE LOW 42 HIGH 69 Campus buzz.10 Classifieds.14 Commentary.2 Crossword.15 Pulse.5 Sports.13 Travis Willse tackles Iraqi prisoner abuse
