Professional Documents
Culture Documents
6 February 2009
Dr Marion Palmer
Senior Scientist
Lovells Science Unit
http://
www.nationalinse
ctweek.co.uk/
resources/
buzz_ant_06.pdf
• 3mm
http://
commons.wikimedia.
org/wiki/
File:Drosophila_mela
nogaster_-
_front_(aka).jpg
www.nanotec.org.uk/report/chapter2.pdf
• 8 µm
• 400 µm
http://www.molbio1.princeton.edu/facility/confocal/sem/imagelist1.html
www.mta.ca/dmf/blood.htm
Lovells LLP www.lovells.com
Nanometre scale (1 µm = 1000 nm) – viruses &
DNA
• 50 – 100 nm • 2 nm
www.answers.com/topic/virus
http://www.gala-instrumente.de/images/deben_CCD_DNA.jpg
Lovells LLP www.lovells.com
Nanostructures
• Nanoparticles
http://www.nanopicoftheday.org/2003Pics/QDRainbow.htm
http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/update/quantumdots.htm
• Non-carbon nanotubes
http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/05nano_image_gallery.htm
• Nanowires
• Biopolymers
• Dendrimers
Lovells LLP
http://nano.med.umich.edu/projects/dendrimers.html
www.lovells.com
Nanotechnology
2 cm cube has
• As objects get a surface area
of 24 cm2 and a
smaller they have a volume of 8 cm3
(ratio = 3:1)
much greater
surface area to
volume ratio
10 cm cube has a
surface area of 600
cm2 and a volume of
1000 cm3 (ratio =
0.6:1)
http://www.omicron.de/index2.html?/
results/
spin_polarized_tunneling_induced_lu
minescence_microcopy_sp_tilm/
index.html~Omicron
Lovells LLP www.lovells.com
Applications
• Antibacterial effect of silver
• http://ion.asu.edu/cool66_IC2/cool66_ic_thumb.htm
Lovells LLP www.lovells.com
Applications
• Sunscreens and cosmetics
• Catalysts • Food
– Envirox™ cerium oxide – packaging
• Nanoremediation • Paint
– SAMMS technology to remove – improved adhesion and anti-
mercury fungal qualities/anti-graffiti
• Paper • Clothes
– photographic paper – non-staining and anti-radiation
• Filters • Batteries
– nanofibres – (Black & Decker) phosphate
• Toothpaste nanocrystal technology
– to remineralise teeth • Cleaning products
• Enormous potential
• Absence of regulation
• “Grey goo”
• Small size may result in particles passing into the body more easily
(inhalation, ingestion, absorption)
http://www.nano-lab.com/nanotube-image.html
• Desirable product
http://www.tennis.com/
yourgame/gear/racquets/
babolat/babolat.aspx?
Lovells LLP www.lovells.com
id=56932
Potential applications of carbon nanotubes
Materials & Chemistry Electronics & ICT
- Ceramic and metallic CNT composites - Lighting elements, CNT based field
emission displays
- Polymer CNT composites (heat - Microelectronic: Single electron transistor
conducting polymers) - Molecular computing and data storage
- Coatings (e.g. conductive surfaces) - Ultra-sensitive electromechanical sensors
- Membranes and catalysis - Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems
(MEMS)
- Tips of Scanning Probe Microscopes
(SPM) Energy
- Hydrogen storage, energy storage (super
Medicine & Life Science capacitors)
- Solar cells
- Medical diagnosis (e.g. Lab on a Chip
- Fuel cells
(LOC))
- Superconductive materials
- Medical applications (e.g. drug delivery)
- Chemical sensors
- Filters for water and food treatment
– Some coated CNTs appear to move freely throughout the body (mice) whereas
others are rapidly excreted
–
Lovells LLP Modification of tube coating by aquatic organisms www.lovells.com
IOM HARN Report
• Funded by Defra
• Objective – "to undertake a scoping study to review the existing literature on industrial
fibres and HARN to determine whether high aspect ratio nanoparticles (HARN) should
raise the same concerns as do asbestos fibres"
• "This review has identified many similarities between HARN and asbestos with regard
to their physico-chemical properties and toxicological effects and has concluded that
there is sufficient evidence to suggest that HARN which have the same characteristics
(diameter, length and biopersitence) as pathogenic fibres are likely to have similar
pathology.
This review has also highlighted the lack of data in key areas of toxicology, exposure
and assessment."
2. Development risks
• what is "discoverable"?
• Relative responsibilities
• innovators
• other suppliers
• regulators
• Duties to research/test/investigate/inquire