Nanotechnology

- The use of nanoscale is one important interdisciplinary area generated by advancement in

science and technology.
- Nanotechnology – refers to the science , engineering , and technology conducted in nanoscale
which is about 1 – 100 nanometers.
- Nanoscience and nanotechnology employs the study and application of exceptionally small
things in other areas of science including materials in science , engineering , physics , biology
and chemistry.

Dec. 29, 1959

- Physicist Richard Feynman , discussed a method in which concepts of nanotechnology and
nanoscience started.

How small is a nanoscale?

- A nanometer is a billionth of a meter , or 10 exponent of – 9 of a meter
- The various types of nanomaterials are classified according to their individual shapes and
sizes. They may be;
1. Particles
2. Wires
3. Films
4. Tubes
5. Flakes
6. Shell

How to view Nanomaterials

1. Electron Microscope – can magnify objects up to a million times like
SEM - Scanning Electron Microscope
TEM – Transmission Electron Microscope
2. Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) – It make use of a mechanical probe that gather
information from the surface of a material.
3. Scanning Tunneling Microscope –special type of microscope that can view and manipulate
nanoscale particles, atoms, and small molecules
- This was invented by Gerd Binig and Heinrich Rohrer in 1986 . It won the Nobel Prize in
Physics.

Nanomanufacturing
- It refers to scaled-up, reliable, and cost- effective manufacturing of nanoscale materials ,
structures, devices, and systems.
- It also involves research, improvement , and incorporation of processes for the construction of
materials. Nanomanufacturing leads to the development of new products and improved
materials.
There are two fundamental approaches to nanomanufacturing
Bottom-Up fabrication
- It manufactures products by building them up from atomic and molecular-scale components.
This method can be time consuming. Scientists and engineers are still in search for effective
ways of putting up together the molecular components that self-assemble and from the
bottom-up to organized structures.
Preparation of nanoparticles can be done by two main approaches.
- The first is top-down approach, in which the starting material is in the macro or micro scale and
using different techniques the particles are transformed to the nano-scale.
- The second technique is the bottom-up approach. In this approach, which is the most used for
the preparation of the nanoparticles, the nanoparticles are formed starting from atomic level to
the nano-scale level. The goal of these approaches is to prepare nanoparticles with specific
nano-sizes and similar sizes for all particles
- The bottom-up approach starts from the atoms of the metals by chemical processes based on
transformations in different mediums. It can be done in solutions such as sol-gel and colloidal
methods or it can be done in gaseous medium such as, chemical vapor deposition (CVD),
plasma or flame spraying synthesis, laser pyrolysis, and atomic or molecular condensation.
There are also other methods that are used for the production of the metallic nanoparticles
using the bottom-up approach.

Top-down fabrication
- It trims down large pieces of materials into nanoscale. This process needs larger amounts of
materials and discards excess raw materials.
- There are new approaches to the assembly of nanomaterials based from the application and
principle
1. Dip pen lithography – It is a method in which the tip of an atomic force microscope
is”dipped” into a chemical fluid and then utilized to “write” on a surface, like an
old-fashioned ink pen onto paper.

Top-down fabrication
- Methods used by integrated circuit industry to fabricate computer chips down to ~15 nm size.
- Make use of depositing thin films, then “photolithograpy” and plasma etching to make films
into desired patterns on a silicon wafer.

2. Self-assembly - It depicts an approach wherein a set of components join together to

mold an organized structure in the absence of an outside direction.
3. Chemical Vapor Deposition - It is a procedure wherein chemicals act in response to
form very pure high-performance films

How to make graphene by Chemical Vapour Deposition

- Pass heated methane gas (CH4) Over a copper (Cu) surface.
- The copper helps carbon and hydrogen separate from the methane.
- Carbon builds up on the copper as a hexagonal graphene layer.
- Remove the copper to leave the graphene sheet.
Benefits from Nanotechnology
1. Improved detection and removal of contaminants
2. Development of benign industrial processes and materials
3. Improved medicine
4. Better products
5. New jobs