Dec 31 2007
The DC-based research and consulting firm Social Technologies recently released a series of 12 briefs that shed light on the top areas for technology innovation through 2025. The brief on "nanomaterials," by futurist Peter von Stackelberg, is the fourth trend in the series.
In it, von Stackelberg explains that small is the key word that describes the world of nanotechnology. The concept centers on miniaturization, and involves the creation of particles, fibers, films, coatings, and other materials that are significantly smaller than the typical bacterium -- between one and 100 nanometers in size.
Because these particles are so tiny, nano-objects can access previously impenetrable areas. That means they can make consumer products lighter, stronger, and more efficient--creating a significant competitive advantage for the companies incorporating them into their goods. In an era when consumers are demanding products that are more effective, protective, and assistive, nanomaterials provide the perfect fit.
Industries and consumers are also demanding more efficient use of resources and fewer waste streams. Again, nanomaterials fit the bill. Additionally, rising energy costs and the insecurity of petroleum supplies are driving research into nanomaterials that can boost production from alternative sources, or cut demand via greater energy efficiency.
As nanotech emerges as a major technological force over the coming decades, it will face a variety of obstacles. These include:
- Mastering nanoscale behavior. To date, the potential interactions of nanoscale matter are not understood, von Stackelberg explains. "As research progresses, we may find that nanomaterials do not act as expected, leading to unanticipated and potentially harmful consequences. Once understanding improves about how matter behaves at the nanoscale, researchers will be able to develop increasingly sophisticated applications of nanotech while avoiding human side effects."
- Public fears. The perception of the benefits vs. hazards of nanotech will have a significant impact on consumer acceptance of the technology. "A survey conducted in 2006 showed that although 42% of those polled had no awareness of nanotech, 20% had heard a little about it and 11% were quite familiar with it," von Stackelberg says--noting that the majority of those in the know believed that the risks of nanotech outweigh the benefits (35%). Only 15% said they believe the benefits outweigh the risks, and 7% said the benefits and risks are about equal.
- Nanotech risks. "Obviously, a rational assessment of the true risks of nanotechnology are needed to ensure that wild cards like 'grey goo' don't dominate the discussions of risk while other, more realistic risks are ignored," he points out. The potential for severe risk have been identified by the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology, and include:
- Health and environmental risks. A growing body of scientific evidence reports that nanomaterials have the potential to pollute air, soil, and water and to damage human health. Some of the most interesting properties of nanomaterials -- such as the ability of nanoparticles to penetrate human cells -- also present health risks if these particles escape into the environment, where they can be absorbed into people's bodies. "Our understanding of the potential health and environmental implications of nanotech are extremely limited," adds von Stackelberg.
- Proliferation of "nanolitter." As more sophisticated nanomaterials become widely used, nano-byproducts will need to be dealt with. For instance, it isn't currently known whether nanoparticles used to treat cancer can remain in a patient's body or be excreted. "The reality is that nanomaterials which are useful and benign in one setting can actually be harmful in another," von Stackelberg explains.
- Criminal or terrorist use. Small, powerful weapons made from nanomaterials would be difficult for society to defend against.
Although the underlying concepts of nanotechnology were thought up in 1959, only during the 1990s were the first tentative steps taken toward identifying and developing nanomaterials. "Between the end of the first decade of the 21st century and 2025, a number of gamechangers will need to occur if nanotech is to advance significantly," von Stackelberg says.
These gamechangers include:
- A shift from "passive" to "active" nanotech. In the coming decades, nanotech will likely make the transition from simple nanomachines -- particles, crystals, rods, tubes, and sheets of atoms -- to more complex ones that contain valves, switches, pumps, and motors.
- Nanoscale tools. To work at the nanoscale, new tools will be needed to allow researchers and technicians to see, measure, and manipulate individual atoms and molecules. "One promising approach uses dynamic light scattering, a technique that measures how much nanoparticles jiggle when hit with laser light," von Stackelberg shares. "Many scientists agree that this method has the potential to do rapid, accurate measurement, and is expected to be operational by 2010."
- Nanofabrication. Currently, manufacturing processes for nanomaterials are extremely expensive, produce only small amounts of material, and generate a significant amount of impurities and waste, von Stackelberg says. "But consider this: Assembly of nanodevices today is at the same stage as the automobile industry was before Henry Ford developed the assembly line."