Aug 21 2009
Topics Covered
What is Nanotechnology
History of Nanotechnology
How are Nano-Products Made?
The Potential Benefits of Nanotechnology
How Does Nanotechnology Fit with Life Sciences?
The World-Wide Status of Nanotechnology
The Social Implications of Nanotechnology
What is Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is technology distinguished primarily by the scale at which
it acts: one billionth of a metre, or one ten-thousandth the width of a human
hair. Activities on the nanoscale are essentially those that involve individual
atoms or molecules. Therefore, nanotechnology can be referred to as the artificial
manipulation of atomic or molecular objects or processes. In the simplest terms,
nanotechnology is engineering at the atomic or molecular scale.
Examples of important activities on the nanoscale occurs around us every day
in the natural world, examples include photosynthesis and the creation of energy
in the human body. The potential for scientists to recreate these nanoscale
processes in both the biological and non-biological arena is now becoming a
reality all around the world.
The ability to work on this incredibly small scale creates opportunities in
a wide range of industries, most notably manufacturing, health sciences and
environmental management.
Nanotechnology can be regarded as an aspect of all scientific disciplines –
physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, materials science, engineering –
rather than a new field of science. It has significant potential benefit to
all industries, rather than being an industry of itself.
History of Nanotechnology
Since the late 1950's and a key speech by the physicist and Nobel laureate
Richard Feynman in 1959, it has been hypothesized that we can manipulate individual
atoms and molecules. This hypothesis developed into a provocative vision with
the publication of K. Eric Drexler's Engines of Creation, the Coming Age of
Nanotechnology in 1990.
In fact, some applications of nanotechnology date from the early Roman ages.
The Lycurgus Cup is one example, whereby gold nanoparticles present in the glass
cause this ancient object to change colour when subjected to different angles
of light.
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However, it is really only in the last two decades equipment has become available
to allow work to be undertaken at the nanoscale. With the development of highly
powered microscopes, such as scanning electron microscope, transmission electron
microscope, atomic force microscope and scanning tunneling microscope, and an
ever-growing knowledge of the physical interactions of molecules and atoms,
the concept of nanotechnology has become a material reality. Also, the ability
to simulate nanoscale transactions has helped enormously in knowledge sharing
and prioritisation of efforts in a new scientific field where the possibilities
are seemingly endless.
How are Nano-Products Made?
Nanotechnology is generally being approached from two perspectives; one that
builds up objects and particles by combining atomic elements; the other that
uses tools and equipment to create mechanical nanoscale objects. Manufacturing
methods have generally been quite basic when dealing with micro-particles -
it's like we've been building sandcastles by heaping up piles of sand with a
bucket and spade.
Nanotechnology will allow manufacturing of the future to manoeuvre individual
components – atoms and molecules - to build precise, complex structures
and to combine those structures with other particles to create new mechanisms
of extraordinary strength or flexibility or durability or lightness. If we can
specify the molecular structure of an object or part of an object, nanotechnology
and the laws of physics are the foundation stones for allowing us to build it.
Building at a nano-level creates the potential for high resource efficiency
- every element of the end product would be utilized and there would be little
redundancy or wasted materials. The resulting size of the devices also allows
movement into places (for example the bloodstream) and be used in ways (for
example cell repair) that have only been imagined in the past.
The Potential Benefits of Nanotechnology
There are many examples of possible applications of nanotechnology developments.
These include new materials, new medical, pharmaceutical, agricultural, and
environmental processes and devices; new electronic devices; new sensors; and
new computing paradigms. The ability to exploit the atomic and molecular properties
of materials allows the development of a variety of new functions for current
products.
It is not unfeasible to develop paints that repair themselves when chipped,
or for computers the size of blood cells with tiny wireless transmitters to
report on the health of a patient without requiring surgery, or for nano-scale
cleaning particles to identify and fight contaminants in our waterways…
not unfeasible but also not in the near term. But it is exactly this far-reaching
potential of nanotechnology that is now making it one of the most important
areas of science, and one of the most commercially exciting.
How Does Nanotechnology Fit with Life Sciences?
When working at the nano-scale the distinction between the various scientific
disciplines disappears. Biological reactions all involve combinations of atoms,
molecules and microscopic particles, governed by physical and chemical processes.
Nanotechnology therefore also provides a new basis for innovation in the life
sciences, in particular the emerging sciences of biotechnology, genomics, proteomics
(defining how proteins work in the human body), stem cell research; as well
as the well-established fields of agriculture, environmental management, clinical
medicine and medical device manufacturing. All of these are experiencing widespread
research and investment interest.
The World-Wide Status of Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology applications are a reality today. American car manufacturers
have been using nanotubes to improve the safety of fuel-lines in passenger vehicles
for over a decade, and the electronics industry has been relying on nanotubes
in its packaging material to better protect goods and to aid the removal of
any electrical charges before they can build to disruptive levels. Japan, Korea,
Taiwan, and European countries including Scotland and the Netherlands have also
played influential roles in the development of nanotechnology capabilities -
and the technology continues to be of world-wide interest.
The potential for more broad-based nanotechnology applications will come from
a better understanding of how particles operate on a nanoscale and how biological
and non-biological particles can be integrated - research and development continues
in these fields and many others. There is still a way to go before we fully
understand the workings and potential applications of the assembly of atoms
and how to make these processes scalable, profitable and standardised (and therefore
able to produce predictable and consistent outputs).
Around US$2 billion is being invested annually in nanotechnology developments
around the world, with nearly 40% of this in the USA. Japan is a major contributor,
as are the European Governments and major industrial economies such as Singapore,
Taiwan, China.
The Social Implications of Nanotechnology
In addition to the required development of supporting technology, there also
needs to be the acceptance of nanotechnology as a new idea. Like many new concepts,
nanotechnology is evolving from the world of pure science-fiction to pure science
as myths are dispelled and ideas are tested and proven feasible. In the absence
of all answers, it is human nature to supplant existing knowledge into any information
voids that exist around a new technology. Whether these 'old' premises can be
appropriately applied to nanotechnology are yet to be tested, but until the
required new knowledge is gained, any new technology is open to speculation,
misinformation and wild imaginations.
As with all emerging technologies, a successful future for nanotechnology will
only be achieved through open sharing of ideas and research findings, a thorough
testing of the capability boundaries, and frank discussion of fears and failings.
Over the last year there has been increased public awareness of the opportunities
in nanotechnology, and media interest in its implications. Most major national
nanotechnology organizations are now including discussion of the social and
ethical implications of nanotechnologies in their mandate.
This content was provided by NanoVic (Nanotechnology Victoria)
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