THE NANO WORLD

GROUP 3
• What is nanoscience?
• What is nanotechnology?
• Origin of nanotechnology
• How does nanotechnology work?
• What is so special about nanotechnology?
• Where is nanotechnology used today – Can I buy nanotechnology products?
• Where will nanotechnology take us?
NANO & TECHNOLOGY

• The nanometre or nanometer is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to

one billionth of a metre. The name combines the SI prefix nano- with the parent
unit name metre.
• Technology is machinery and equipment developed from the application of
scientific knowledge. The branch of knowledge dealing with engineering or
applied sciences.
WHAT IS NANOSCIENCE?

• refers to the study, manipulation and engineering of matter, particles and

structures on the nanometer scale.
• Important properties of materials, such as the electrical, optical, thermal and
mechanical properties, are determined by the way molecules and atoms assemble
on the nanoscale into larger structures.
WHAT IS NANOTECHNOLOGY?

• is the application of nanoscience leading to the use of new nanomaterials and

nanosize components in useful products.
• is a part of science and technology about the control of matter on the atomic and
molecular scale - this means things that are about 100 nanometres across.
Nanotechnology includes making products that use parts this small, such as
electronic devices, catalysts, sensors, etc.
ORIGIN OF NANOTECHNOLOGY

• The earliest systematic discussion of nanotechnology is considered to be a speech

given by Richard Feynman (American physicist, 1918-1988) in 1959. It was titled:
"There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom." In this speech Feynman discussed the
importance "of manipulating and controlling things on a small scale" and how they
could "tell us much of great interest about the strange phenomena that occur in
complex situations." He described how physical phenomena change their
manifestation depending on scale, and posed two challenges: the creation of a
nanoomotor, and the scaling down of letters to the size that would allow the whole
Encyclopedia Britannica to fit on the head of a pin.
• The term 'nanotechnology' was used first by the Japanese scientists Norio Taniguchi
(1912-1999) in a 1974 paper on production technology that creates objects
• The early 2000s also saw the beginnings of commercial applications of
nanotechnology, although these were limited to bulk application of
nanomaterials.
• Silver nano platform for using silver- nanoparticles as an antibacterial agent ,
nanoparticle-based transparent sunscreens, and carbon nanotubes for stain-
resistant textiles.
HOW DOES NANOTECHNOLOGY WORK?

• Nanotechnology is the understanding and control of matter at the nanometer

scale, where unique phenomena enable novel applications. Encompassing
nanoscale science, engineering, and technology, nanotechnology involves
imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulating matter at this length scale.
• Nanotechnologies involve the design, characterization, production, and
application of nanoscale structures, devices, and systems that produces
structures, devices, and systems with at least one novel/superior characteristic or
property.
WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT NANOTECHNOLOGY?

• In a nutshell: the mechanical rules that govern the nanoworld are quite different
from our everyday, macroworld experience. This allows the fabrication of novel
materials and applications that otherwise would not be possible.
APPLICATION OF NANOTECHNOLOGY
APPLICATION IN ENERGY

• Energy Production - Clean, less expensive sources enabled by novel

nanomaterials and processes
• Batteries and Fuels- Companies are currently developing batteries using
nanomaterials. These will be as good as new even after sitting on the shelf
for decades!!
Also, Can be recharged significantly faster than conventional batteries.
-Can make the production of fuels from low grade raw materials
economical, - increasing the mileage of engines, and
-making the production of fuels from normal raw materials more efficient
APPLICATION IN MEDICINE OR DRUGS

• Provide new options for drug delivery and drug therapies.

• Enable drugs to be delivered to precisely the right location in the body and release drug doses
on a predetermined schedule for optimal treatment.
• Employing nanoparticles to deliver drugs, heat, light or other substances to specific types of
cells (such as cancer cells). Particles are engineered so that they are attracted to diseased cells,
which allows direct treatment of those cells. This technique reduces damage to healthy cells in
the body and allows for earlier detection of disease.
• SurgeryVisualization of surgery can also be improved. Instead of a surgeon holding the
instrument, computers can be used to control the nanosized surgical instruments.
“Nanocameras” can provide close up visualization of the surgery, Less chance of any mistakes or
faults. Surgery could also be done on tissue, genetic and cellular levels.
APPLICATION IN NANODEVICES

• Nanotechnology holds some answers for how we might increase the capabilities
of electronics devices while we reduce their weight and power consumption.
• In solar cells to trap electrons
• There is great interest in constructing nanoelectronic devices that could detect
the concentrations of biomolecules in real time for use as medical diagnostics.
WHERE IS NANOTECHNOLOGY USED TODAY – CAN I
BUY NANOTECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS?

• Yes! Nanotechnology is becoming ubiquitous in our daily lives and has found its
way into many commercial products, just to name a few: strong, lightweight
materials for cars and planes; filters and membranes; targeted drug delivery for
safer and more effective cancer treatments; computer processors and data
storage; self-cleaning surfaces; more efficient solar cells; materials for skin, bone,
and nerve cells regeneration.
WHERE WILL NANOTECHNOLOGY TAKE US?

• When we asked the question 'where nanotechnology will take us', we need to
differentiate between two types of nanotechnologies: One is happening right now
and the other is the stuff of science fiction and way-out technology scenarios.
• What we are dealing with today is evolutionary nanotechnology. The goal of
evolutionary nanotechnology is to improve existing processes, materials and
applications by scaling down into the nano realm and ultimately fully exploit the
unique quantum and surface phenomena that matter exhibits at the nanoscale.
This trend is driven by companies' ongoing quest to improve existing products by
creating smaller components and better performance materials, all at a lower
cost.
POSIBILITIES OF NANOTECHNOLOGY IN THE
FUTURE
• Make it possible to manufacture lighter, stronger and programmable materials
that requires less energy and promise greater fuel efficiency.
• Nanorobotics that can help in human tasks like architectures and surgeries.
• Nanosurgical field to help cure everything from natural aging to diabetes to bone
spurs.
• Nanotechnology could also enable objects to harvest energy from their
environment. New nano-materials and concepts are currently being developed
that show potential for producing energy from movement, light, variations in
temperature, glucose and other sources with high conversion efficiency.
 THE NEXT BIG THING IS REALLY JUST SMALL

In the next 20 years, nano-technology will touch the life of nearly every person on
the planet. The potential benefits are mind boggling and brain enhancing. But like
many of the great advancements in earth's history, it is not without risk.
TRIVIAS

• A nanometer is as small as the width of a strand of a DNA – which is itself

invisible to the naked eye.
• Nanotech has been used for centuries even though mankind never realised it,
until now.
• Scientist are using nanotechnology to create a invisible cloak. Nanotube sheets at
extreme temperatures cause the light to bend away from objects that “disappear”
• Bulletproof business suits made from carbon nanotubes cost $20,000. They are
also stab-resistant, stop 99mm rounds and have to be cut into shape using a
chainsaw.
• Nanofibers stimulate the body to regenerate lost or damaged cells
"By injecting molecules that were designed to self-assemble into nanostructures in
the spinal tissue, we have been able to rescue and regrow rapidly damaged
neurons“
The nanofibers -- thousands of times thinner than a human hair -- are the key to
not only preventing the formation of harmful scar tissue which inhibits spinal cord
healing, but to stimulating the body into regenerating lost or damaged cells.“ -
Samuel I. Stupp
• Nanotechnology could provide a side effect-free cancer cure. Nanotech-coated
treatments will guide the drugs to the harmful cancer cells while ignoring healthy
cells