Nanomaterials are changing our lives. The extremely small materials have led to major breakthroughs in many areas, including electronics and medicine.

They are in high demand in the marketplace because they often perform better, possess unique functionality and can be used in a variety of ways.

During the next NDSU Science Café, Bakhtiyor Rasulev, research associate at NDSU’s Center for Computationally Assisted Science and Technology, will present "Nanomaterials: Friend or foe? Computing the good and bad properties." The event, which is free and open to the public, is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m. in Stoker’s Basement, Hotel Donaldson, 101 N. Broadway in Fargo.

Before mass production, Rasulev suggests researchers need to identify both the good and bad properties of nanomaterials, using a combination of computational chemistry, data mining and cheminformatics. According to Rasulev, those tools can help predict how nanomaterials will behave within the body and environment, in electronic materials and potentially open the door for new innovations.

Attendees must be 21 or older or accompanied by a parent or guardian. For more information, contact Diane Goede at diane.goede@ndsu.edu or 701-231-7412.

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