The Nano World

How Small is a Nanoscale?

• The term “nano” refers to a unit meaning

one billionth of ten raised to negative nine
(10-9). For example ,a nanometer is one
billionth of a meter.
 How Small is a Nanoscale?
• Nanostructures can be found in nature.
Catalysts, minerals, and other particles are
measured on a nanoscale.
 How Small is a Nanoscale?
• Nanoscience, therefore, deals with
materials that are very small using
specialized microscopes and other
nanodevices.
• The air we breath or the molecules
constantly feeding our cells at every
second, we are not conscious of these
very little particles.
 How Small is a Nanoscale?

• It was only recognized and identified after

technology has allowed for the discovery
of nanostructures.
 How to view Nanomaterials
1. Electron microscope
- German
engineers Ernst Ruska
and Max Knoll built the
first electron microscope
during the 1930s.
 How to view Nanomaterials
2. Atomic Force Microscope
(AFM)
- It was first developed by
Gerd Binig, Calvin Quate, and
Christoph Gerber in1986. it
makes use of a mechanical
probe that gathers information
from the surface of a material.
What is the purpose of dealing with such
entities?
 Nanotechnology
• Refers to the manipulation of matter on an
atomic or subatomic scale. Some
innovations developed in this field include
microprocessors and stain-resistant
fabrics.
 Three Dimensions of
Nanotechnology
1. The first dimension involves tangible
objects which include materials, devices
and systems.
2. The second dimension deals with the
passive and static objects.
 Nanoparticles
 The active devices
 The nanofacture
• Nanoparticles
• That have properties different bulk objects, even if
they have the same composition.

• Active devices
• Those that can store information, induce energy, or
change their state.
• Nanofacture
• Refers to atomically precise manufacturing (APM)
i.e., collections of instruments and procedures
 Three Dimensions of
Nanotechnology
3. The third dimension is direct
nanotechnology which refers to materials
structured at nanoscale components.
 Application of Nanotechnology
• Medicine
• Assisted by X-ray lasers, biological mechanisms
can be simulated to destroy cancer cell while it is
treated by drug-bearing nanoparticles.
• Nanobots
• Water purification
• Contains nanomaterials and utilizing new
membrane technologies containing variable pore-
sized filters.
• Nanoparticles are also used to prepare heat-
resistant and self cleaning surface
 Application of Nanotechnology

• Agriculture
• Ultra-small probes on
earth surface for
agriculture applications
and control of soil, air,
and water
contamination.
 Application of Nanotechnology
• Bionanotechnology can
support cleaner production
methods and provide
alternative and renewable
energy sources to enhance
the sustainability of
factories
• Nanotechnology helps in
energy consumption like in
the use of graphene.
• In the Philippines, nanotechnology can be
applied in making sources of renewable
energy.
• There are also existing and ongoing
research studies funded by the DOST on
the possible application of technology, as
well as on Nano-Metrology and Education
and Public Awareness.
 Challenges of Nanotechnology
• The environmental effect of
mineral-based nanoparticles
found in the cosmetics, paints,
clothing, clothing and other
products are questioned.
• Ex. Silicon Valley
» Microchip
manufacturers contaminated
the groundwater in the
1980s.
 Challenges of Nanotechnology
• Carbon nanotubes used
in the manufacture of
memory storage,
electronics, batteries, etc.
were found to have
unknown harmful impacts
to human body.
 Challenges of Nanotechnology
• Due to its size, nanoparticles is not easy to
analyze.
• Lack of information and methods of
characterizing nanomaterials makes it a
challenge to detect its concentration in air
or in any matrix of the environment.
• Predicting toxicity of nanomaterial is based
on the information of its chemical
structure.
 Challenges of Nanotechnology
• To ensure the safety of nanotech to
human health and environment, the
following risk assessment should be
included.
• Exposure risk and its probability of exposure
• Toxicological analysis
• Transport risk
• Persistence risk
• Transformation risk
• Ability to recycle