MOI UNIVERSITY

School of Engineering
Foundation of Knowledge

NANOTECHNOLOGY:
KEY TO SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPEMNT IN
AFRICA
Presentation at the
The 2020 International SRI VIRTUAL
Conference
Tuesday 6th October 2020
NAIROBI. KENYA
Dr. J. K. Kiplagat. PhD, OGW.
Seniour Lecturer
Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering
jkkiplagat@yahoo.co.uk/kiplagatjkk@gmail.com
 Outline of Presentation
Introduction
Nanotechnology Applications
Global Nanotechnology Activity
Sustainable Development in Africa
Vs MDGs/SDGs
Nanotechnology Applications for
Sustainable Development
Nanotechnology Activity in Africa
Nanotechnology Activity in Kenya
Conclusions
2
3
Nanotechnology made simple!

www.phys.psu.edu
www.purdue.edu
www.nasa.gov

Semiconducting metal junction

An engineered DNA strand pRNA tiny motor formed by two carbon nanotubes

• Nanotechnology is the study, design, creation, synthesis,

manipulation,and application of functional materials,
devices, and systems through control of matter at the
nanometer scale  
 Nanoscale made simple!

ww.mathworks.com
Fullerenes C60

www.physics.ucr.edu
12,756 Km 22 cm 0.7 nm

1.27 × 107 m 0.22 m 0.7 × 10-9 m

10 million 1 billion times

times smaller smaller
 Nanotechnology scale made even
simpler!

Water Nanodevices White A period Tennis ball

molecule Nanopores blood cell
Dendrimers
Nanotubes
Quantum dots
Nanoshells

6
 Nanoscale Materials
Nanowires and Nanotubes
• Lateral dimension: 1 – 100 nm
• Nanowires and nanotubes
exhibit novel physical,
electronic and
Nanowire Solar Cell: The nanowires
optical properties due to create a surface that is able to absorb
– Two dimensional quantum confinement more sunlight than a flat surface
– Structural one dimensionality – McMaster Univ., 2008
– High surface to volume ratio
• Potential application in wide
range of nanodevices and
systems
– Nanoscale sensors and actuators
– Photovoltaic devices – solar cells Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are
– Transistors, diodes and LASERs extended tubes of rolled graphene
sheets.
Nanotechnology Applications

Information Technology Energy

• More efficient and cost
• Smaller, faster, more
effective technologies for
energy efficient and
energy production
powerful computing − Solar cells
and other IT-based − Fuel cells
systems − Batteries
− Bio fuels

Medicine Consumer Goods

• Cancer treatment • Foods and beverages
− Advanced packaging materials,
• Bone treatment
sensors, and lab-on-chips for
• Drug delivery food quality testing
• Appetite control • Appliances and textiles
• Drug development − Stain proof, water proof and
• Medical tools wrinkle free textiles
• Diagnostic tests • Household and cosmetics
• Imaging − Self-cleaning and scratch free
products, paints, and better
cosmetics
 Medical Nanotechnology
Treatment
• Targeted drug
delivery
− Nanoparticles
containing drugs are
coated with targeting
agents (e.g.
conjugated
antibodies)
− The nanoparticles
circulate through the
blood vessels and
reach the target cells
Targeted drug delivery – Targeted drug delivery
− Drugs are released using a multicomponent nanoparticle containing
directly into the therapeutic as well as biological surface modifying
targeted cells agents – Mauro Ferrari, Univ. of Cal. Berkley
 Improving Cancer Treatment
Traditional Treatment Nanotechnology Treatment

Drugs
Toxins Nanodevices

Cancer
Cancer cells Toxins
cells

Noncancerous cells Noncancerous cells

Dead Dead
cancer cancer
cells cells

Dead noncancerous cells Intact noncancerous cells R

10
 Global Nanotechnology Activity
Least Dev Developing Transitional Developed
National Activity or Funding
Argentina; Armenia; Brazil; Belarus; Bulgaria; Australia; Austria;
Chile; China; Cost Rica; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Belgium; Canada;
Egypt; Georgia; India; Iran; Estonia; Hong Kong; Denmark; Finland;
Mexico; Malaysia; Philippines; Hungary; Israel; Latvia; France; Germany;
Serbia & Montenegro; South Lithuania; Poland, Greece; Iceland; Ireland;
Africa, Thailand, Turkey; Romania; Russian Italy; Japan; Netherlands;
Uruguay; Vietnam Federation; Singapore; New Zealand; Norway;
Slovak Republic; Taiwan; Portugal; Spain; Sweden;
Slovenia; South Korea; Switzerland; UK; USA
Ukraine

Individual or Group Research

Botswana; Columbia;Croatia; Macau, China, Malta, Liechtenstein
Cuba; Indonesia; Jordan; UAE
Kazakhstan; Moldova;
Pakistan; Venezuela

Country Interest
Albania; Bosnia and Brunei
Herzegovina; Ecuador;
Ghana; Kenya; Lebanon;
Macedonia; Sri Lanka;
Swaziland; Nigeria.

Adapted from: D. (2007) “Nanaotechnology and Developing Countries, Part 2: What possibilities?”
 Global perspectives of
Nanotechnology
• Government funding in 2012 (Million)
• $1,527 in US
• $920 in EU;
• $820 in Japan;
• $1,700 in China and rest of the world (Africa approx $1)
• Leading nano areas for R&D include:-
• particle synthesis and assembly,
• dispersions and coatings of nanoparticles,
• high surface area materials,
• functional nanoscale devices, and
• biological methods and applications.
• Looming Nano-divide!
– Control of nanotech remains firmly in the hands of
industrialized nations. The result would be:-
• a bias towards developing applications that benefit rich countries,
12
• but neglect the unique needs of the developing world.
 Elusive Sustainable Dev.
in AFRICA

• Sustainable development in Africa hinges on

dealing with 3 leading developmental challenges :
– insecurity in food and energy,
– poor access to water and sanitation and
– the disease burden.
• Hence, Nanotechnology can mitigate in two
development clusters:
– Social: Agriculture, Water, Energy, and Health,
– Industrial: Chemical and Bio-Processing, Mining
and Minerals and Advanced Materials and
Manufacturing.
• Indigenous technologies Applications
– Food processing and preservation 13
 Low per
Capita
Income

Unemployment
Food & Energy High
insecurity Demand for
Disease burden Social
Support
AFRICA’S ELUSIVE
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
Less Funding
Reduced
for
interest for Development
Local and FDI Programs

Poor
infrastructure
and support
for
investment
Did Africa
meet the 8 Achieve
Univerl
MDGs Eradicate
Extreme
Poverty
Prim. Edu

By 2015???
Promote
Gender
R&D
Dev. equality
Global
Partnership
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
Reduce
Child
Ensure Mortality
environt.
sustain/bility
Prospects
of meeting
Maternal SDGs with
Improve
Combat
HIV/AIDS,
Diseases
Health
Nano-
tech???
Nanotech Applications for Sust. Develpt
S/N Areas of Applications of
Nanotechnology
1 Energy storage,
production&conversion
2 Agricultural productivity
enhancement
3 Water treatment and
remediation
4 Disease diagnosis and
screening
5 Drug delivery systems
6 Food processing and
storage
7 Air pollution and
remediation
8 Construction
9 Health monitoring
10 Vector and pest detection
and control
Adapted from: Salamanca-Buentello F., et al (2005) “Nanotechnology and the Developing World.”
Examples of Potential Nano –Technologies
for application
 Photovoltaic cells and organic light-emitting devices
 Carbon nanotubes
 Nonporous zeolites for slow drug-release
 Nanocapsules for herbicide delivery
 Nanosensors for soil quality
 Nanomembranes for water purification
 Nonporous zeolites & atta clays for water purification
 Nanosensor arrays based on carbon nanotubes
 Quanum dots for disease diagnosis
 Anti-body detrimers for diagnosis of HIV-1 and cancer
 Nanocapsules, dentrimers, nanobiomagnets and attapulgite
clays for slow drug release systems
 Nanocomposites for use in food packaging
 Antimicrobial nanoemulsions for food equipment
 Nanoparticle photocatalytic for self-cleaning systems
 Nanocatalysts for more efficient catalytic converters.
 Nanomolecular structures for asphalt and concrete.
 Nanomaterials for durable housing surfaces.
 Nano-tubes & -particles for glucose,CO2,& cholesterol sensors
for insitu homeostasis monitoring
 Nanosensors for pest detection
 Nanoparticles for pesticides & insecticides
16
 Nanotechnology Activity in Africa
SOUTH AFRICA
• South African research in nanotechnology currently
focuses on applications for social development and
industrial growth, including:
– synthesis of nanoparticles,
– development of better and cheaper solar cells,
– nanomembrane technology for water purification and catalysis,
– fuel-cell development,
– synthesis of quantum dots, and
– nanocomposites development.
• The South African Nanotechnology Initiative (SANi), was
founded in 2003:
– as a national network of academic researchers to:
• build a critical mass of universities, science councils, and industry to
harness nano-tech applications. 17
 Nanotechnology Activity in Africa
NIGERIA
• The Nigerian Nanotechnology Initiative has been
established:
– To bring together academia, research institutes and
government,
• to create awareness and interest in nanotechnology
development in Nigeria.
– As an integrated effort involving inter-disciplinary
collaboration between:
• scientists, technologists and entrepreneurs
• It has identified priority areas in:-
– medicine, agriculture, energy and water purification that
can be met by developing strong capabilities in
nanotechnology. 18
 Nanotechnology Activity in Africa
UGANDA
• Although there are products of nanotechnology in use in
Uganda, its popularity is still very low.
• There are several concerns about:
– the lack of adequate policy, legal and institutional frameworks to
effectively govern nanotechnology and its products:
• the social, economic and environmental viability, efficacy and safety;
• the lack of sufficient information to justify its application;
GHANA
• the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research
Institute (BNARI) of Ghana has been set up:-
– In colabo with the government of Ghana and research
institutions to:
– explore the use of biotechnology products
• reap the full benefits of biotechnology and nanotechnology 19
 Nanotechnology Activity in Kenya
• In Kenya:
– there is a growing understanding of what nanotechnology is,
and what its potential benefits are.
– Universities and R&D institutions are already teaching and
conducting research in Nanotechnology.
– Regulatory tools and policies governing Nanotech have been
developed.
– Government and private healthcare facilities are already
using nano-tech equipment for
• treatment of patients, eg in non invasive surgeries.
– Some optical corrective lenses currently prescribed are
nanotech products.
–  Foods and beverages plants already use:
• advanced nanotech packaging materials and sensors for
quality testing. 20
 Nanotechnology Activity in Kenya
Other nanotech products already in the market are:
• stain and water proof appliances, wrinkle free textiles,
paints, self-cleaning and scratch free household products.
• The electronics and cosmetics consumer market in the country already
stock nanotech products, some of which are assembled in Kenya.
• Some pharmaceutical plants already have production lines that
produce nanotech pharma products like precision surgical needles.
The focus now should be: how nanotech can improve efficiency in:
– Manufacturing,
– energy resources and utilization,
– Reduction of environmental impacts of industry and transportation,
– enhancing healthcare,
– producing better pharmaceuticals,
– improving agriculture and food production and
– enhancing information technologies.

21
 Nanotechnology Activity in Kenya
Other efforts at nanotechnology development and application
in the country are:
– Nanostructured Smart Delivery Systems for Pesticides &
Fertilizers
• Tested and applied in selected agricultural farms
– Genetically modified (GM) maize.
• field trials done at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute
(KARI) field station
– Kenya’s Biotechnology Research
– The National Industrialization Policy
• Identifies Nanotechnogy as a priority technology
– The National Nanotechnology Policy
• Developed by the National Council for Science and Technology
and Innovation (NACOSTI) in 2014:
22
– Proposed establishment of Kenya Institute of Nanotechnology (KIoN)
 Conclusions
 Sustainable development is more of a global than moral imperative
which is inextricably linked to knowledge and harnessing of
intensive technologies and innovations
 The applications of bio-and nano-technologies are potentially the
key drivers for sustainable development but must overcome many
roadblocks in their development, deployment and diffusion.
 Africa met some important MDGs targets by the 2015 deadline.
Focus should be on meeting the SDG targets principally on the
back of Nanotechnology applications.
 Health and the environmental impacts associated with the
exposure to many of the engineered nanomaterials are still
uncertain. Hence Occupational Health Regulations must be in
place.
 Africa must tackle thru-NANOTECH APPLICATIONS, the three
leading developmental challenges namely:
 insecurity in food and energy,
 poor access to water and sanitation and
 the disease burden.
Kenya must win the “nanotech catch up” race,

And when this happens then

 High per
Capita
Income

Employment
Food & Energy Low Demand
Security for Social
Disease Free Support
AFRICA’S
SUCCESS STORY
Increased More
interest for Funding for
Local and Development
FDI Programs
Good
infrastructure
and support
for
investment