In the American Nobel prize and physicist Richard Feynman was the first to speak about the applications of nanotechnology at the California Institute of Technology Caltech. With the 21st century, this area consolidated, was marketed and came into its own. It includes other areas such as micro-manufacturing, organic chemistry and molecular biology.
In the United States alone, for example, more than 18 billion dollars were invested between and through the NNI National Nanotechnology Initiative to turn this sector into a driver of economic growth and competitiveness. Nanotechnology, up close. The different types of nanotechnology are classified according to how they proceed top-down or bottom-up and the medium in which they work dry or wet :.
Mechanisms and structures are miniaturised at the nanometric scale — from one to nanometres in size —. It is the most frequent to date, especially in electronics. You start with a nanometric structure — a molecule, for example — and through a mounting or self-assembly process you create a larger mechanism than the one you started with. It is used to manufacture structures in coal, silicon, inorganic materials, metals and semiconductors that do not work with humidity.
It is based on biological systems present in an aqueous environment — including genetic material, membranes, enzymes and other cellular components —.
Nanotechnology and nanomaterials can be applied in all kinds of industrial sectors. They are usually found in these areas:. Nanoscale science and technology could have a continuing impact on biomedical areas such as therapeutics, diagnostic devices, and biocompatible materials for implants and prostheses. There will continue to be opportunities for the use of nanomaterials in drug delivery systems. Combining the new nanosensors with nanoelectronic components should lead to a further reduction in size and improved performance for many diagnostic devices and systems.
Ultimately, it may be possible to make implantable, in vivo diagnostic and monitoring devices that approach the size of cells.
New biocompatible nanomaterials and nanomechanical components should lead to the creation of new materials and components for implants, artificial organs, and greatly improved mechanical, visual, auditory, and other prosthetic devices. Exciting predictions aside, these advances will not be realized without considerable research and development.
For example, the present state of nanodevices and nanotechnology resembles that of semiconductor and electronics technology in , when the first point contact transistor was realized, ushering in the Information Age, which blossomed only in the s. We can learn from the past of the semiconductor industry that the invention of individual manufacturable and reliable devices does not immediately unleash the power of technology—that happens only when the individual devices have low fabrication costs, when they are connected together into an organized network, when the network can be connected to the outside world, and when it can be programmed and controlled to perform a certain function.
The full power of the transistor was not really unleashed until the invention of the integrated circuit, with the reliable processing techniques that produce numerous uniform devices and connect them across a large wafer, and the computerized design, wafer-scale packaging, and interconnection.
Similarly, it will require an era of spectacular advances in the development of processes to integrate nanoscale components into devices, both with other nanoscale components and with microscale and larger components, accompanied by the ability to do so reliably at low cost.
New techniques for manufacturing massively parallel and fault-tolerant devices will have to be invented. Since nanoscale technology spans a much broader range of scientific disciplines and potential applications than does solid state electronics, its societal impact may be many times greater than that of the microelectronics and computing revolution.
Nanoscale science and technology, often referred to as "nanoscience" or "nanotechnology," are science and engineering enabled by our relatively new ability to manipulate and characterize matter at the level of single atoms and small groups of atoms. This capability is the result of many developments in the last two decades of the 20th century, including inventions of scientific instruments like the scanning tunneling microscope.
Using such tools, scientists and engineers have begun controlling the structure and properties of materials and systems at the scale of 10? Scientists and engineers anticipate that nanoscale work will enable the development of materials and systems with dramatic new properties relevant to virtually every sector of the economy, such as medicine, telecommunications, and computers, and to areas of national interest such as homeland security.
Indeed, early products based on nanoscale technology have already found their way into the marketplace and into defense applications. In , as the tremendous scientific and economic potential of nanoscale science and technology was beginning to be recognized, a federal interagency working group formed to consider creation of a national nanotechnology initiative NNI.
The Committee for the Review of the National Nanotechnology Initiative was formed by the NRC and asked to consider topics such as the current research portfolio of the NNI, the suitability of federal investments, and interagency coordination efforts in this area.
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The Importance of Nanoscale Science and Technology. Get This Book. Visit NAP. Looking for other ways to read this? No thanks. Suggested Citation: "1. Page 5 Share Cite. Water filters that are only nanometers wide can remove nano-sized particles, including virtually all viruses and bacteria.
These cost-efficient, portable water treatment systems are ideal for improving the quality of drinking water in emerging countries. Carbon nanotubes have a variety of commercial uses, including making sports equipment stronger and lighter weight.
For example, a tennis racket made with carbon nanotubes bends less during impact, and increases the force and accuracy of the delivery. Nanoparticle-treated tennis balls can keep bouncing twice as long as standard tennis balls. Most sunscreens today are made from nanoparticles that effectively absorb light, including the more dangerous ultraviolet range. They also spread more easily over the skin. These same nanoparticles are also used in food packaging to reduce UV exposure and prolong shelf life.
Many drink bottles are made from plastics containing nanoclays, which increase resistance to permeation by oxygen, carbon dioxide, and moisture. This helps retain carbonation and pressure and increases shelf life by several months. Thanks to nanotechnology, a huge variety of chemical sensors can be programmed to detect a particular chemical at amazingly low levels, for example, a single molecule out of billions. This capability is ideal for surveillance and security systems at labs, industrial sites, and airports.
Nanoscale materials are also being incorporated into a variety of personal care products to improve performance. Nanoscale titanium dioxide and zinc oxide have been used for years in sunscreen to provide protection from the sun while appearing invisible on the skin. Electronics and IT Applications Nanotechnology has greatly contributed to major advances in computing and electronics, leading to faster, smaller, and more portable systems that can manage and store larger and larger amounts of information.
These continuously evolving applications include: Transistors, the basic switches that enable all modern computing, have gotten smaller and smaller through nanotechnology. At the turn of the century, a typical transistor was to nanometers in size. In , Intel created a 14 nanometer transistor, then IBM created the first seven nanometer transistor in , and then Lawrence Berkeley National Lab demonstrated a one nanometer transistor in !
Ultra-high definition displays and televisions are now being sold that use quantum dots to produce more vibrant colors while being more energy efficient. Image courtesy of IBM. Flexible, bendable, foldable, rollable, and stretchable electronics are reaching into various sectors and are being integrated into a variety of products, including wearables, medical applications, aerospace applications, and the Internet of Things.
Flexible electronics have been developed using, for example, semiconductor nanomembranes for applications in smartphone and e-reader displays. Making flat, flexible, lightweight, non-brittle, highly efficient electronics opens the door to countless smart products.
Nanoparticle copper suspensions have been developed as a safer, cheaper, and more reliable alternative to lead-based solder and other hazardous materials commonly used to fuse electronics in the assembly process.
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