Nanotechnology – The Future!

The branch of technology that is majorly discussed these days is nanotechnology, mostly because of its vast application in everyday life. The term itself speaks what it means, nano means something very small and technology is a branch of science that deals with the application of knowledge for a practical purpose. In more scientific terms, the word nano is a prefix for 10^-9 or one-billionth.

Nanotechnology is the study and use of structures varying between 1 and 100 nanometers in size. Just to give you an idea of how small these particles are, you’d be amazed to know that they’re even smaller than a red blood cell in a human body and it would take around eight hundred 100 nanometer particles arranged side by side to match the width of a single strand of human hair.

This is the simplest definition of nanotechnology but many people have argued this only generalizes the term and doesn’t highlight the major aspects of it. So there isn’t one definition that everybody agrees on.

Nanotechnology is definitely a boon in disguise for people. It has enhanced many products that are used today. Almost all the electronic devices made in the last decade use nanotechnology, even the most advanced processor chips. Nanoparticles add strength to the material because they’re closely connected while making it lightweight. Since there is a strong coupling between the particles and consequently no liquid can enter between them, they make fabric water and stain-resistant.

Now that you have an idea of how small scale nanotechnologists work with, consider the challenge they face. Think about how difficult it is for many of us to insert the thread through the hole of a needle. Such a comparison helps you imagine the problem scientists face working with nanoparticles that can be one-millionth the size of the thread.

CHALLENGES POSED BY NANOTECHNOLOGY

Environmental Concerns

As of now, there is insufficient data to actually conclude that nanoparticles have adverse effects on the environment, however, two things are of great significance. In free form, nanoparticles can be released in the air or water during production or as a waste byproduct of production and ultimately accumulate in the soil, water or flora. In fixed form, where they are part of a manufactured substance or product, they will ultimately have to be recycled or disposed of as waste.

Nanoparticles might or might not constitute a completely new class of non-biodegradable pollutants. In case they do, it is also not known how such pollutants could be removed from air or water because most traditional filters are not suitable for such tasks because their pores are too big to catch nanoparticles.

2. Health Issues

According to the researches and experiments conducted in laboratories, it is safe to say that the problems caused by regular dust particles won’t be the same compared to nanoparticle dust. The whole life cycle of these particles needs to be taken into account, hence evaluated and various other factors like their storage, distribution, application and potential abuse have to be considered as well. The impact on human beings may vary at different stages of the life cycle.

APPLICATIONS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY

Because nanotechnology is essentially a set of techniques that allow manipulation of properties at a very small scale, it can have many applications, such as the ones listed below.

3. Strength of Materials

Nano-sized particles of carbon like nanotubes and buckyballs are extremely strong. Nanotubes and buckyballs are composed of only carbon and their strength comes from special characteristics of the bonds between carbon atoms. One proposed application is bulletproof t-shirts made out of carbon nanotubes.

Read https://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=1054.php if you’re curious.

4. Medicine

Today, the most harmful side effects of treatments such as chemotherapy are a result of drug delivery methods that don’t pinpoint their intended target cells accurately. Researchers have been able to attach special RNA strands, measuring about 10 nanometers in diameter, to nanoparticles and fill the nanoparticles with a chemotherapy drug. These RNA strands are attracted to cancer cells. When the nanoparticle encounters a cancer cell, it adheres to it and releases the drug into the cancer cell. This directed method of drug delivery has great potential for treating cancer patients while producing less side harmful effects than those produced by conventional chemotherapy.

5. Molecular Manufacturing

If you’re a Star Trek fan, you must remember the replicator, a device that could produce anything. Researchers are working on developing a method called molecular manufacturing that may someday make the Star Trek replicator a reality. This device would use tiny manipulators to position atoms and molecules to build an object as complex as even a desktop computer.

6. Micro/Nano Electromechanical Systems

The ability to create gears, mirrors, sensor elements, as well as electronic circuitry in silicon surfaces allows the manufacture of miniature sensors such as those used to activate the airbags in your car. This technique is called MEMS (Micro-Electromechanical Systems). The MEMS technique results in close integration of the mechanical mechanism with the necessary electronic circuit on a single silicon chip, similar to the method used to produce computer chips.

FUTURE SCOPE OF NANOTECHNOLOGY

Nanotechnology could bring about the next wave of innovation in science and technology where the possibilities are endless. It has the potential to transform aerospace, agriculture, information technology, national defense, transportation, and many other sectors. The next generation of nanomaterials will be stronger, lighter and more durable than the materials used today in buildings, bridges, airplanes, and automobiles.

Nanotechnology holds great promise for developing revolutionary tools to help create a more energy-efficient world, such as fuel cells, batteries, and solar panels. It can provide solutions for cleaning contaminated soil and water and it will play a critical role in transforming medicine and health care.

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