Nanotechnology

Introduction
the manipulation of matter on a near-atomic scale to produce new structures,
materials and devices.

the branch of science and engineering devoted to designing, producing, and using
structures, devices, and systems by manipulating atoms and molecules at nanoscale
(Having one or more dimensions of the order of 100 nm or less)

Nanotechnology is the understanding and control of matter at the nanoscale, at

dimensions between approximately 1 and 100 nanometers, where unique
phenomena enable novel applications.
How Small Is “Nano”?

• In the International System of Units, the prefix "nano" means one-billionth, or

10-9; therefore, one nanometer is one-billionth of a meter.
• A sheet of paper is about 100,000 nanometers thick.
• A strand of human DNA is 2.5 nanometers in diameter.
• There are 25,400,000 nanometers in one inch.
• A human hair is approximately 80,000–100,000 nanometers wide.
Surface Area at Nano Scale
A solid cube of a material 1 cm on a side has 6 square centimeters of surface
area. If it is filled with cubes
• 1 mm on a side, that would be 1,000 millimeter-sized cubes (10 x 10 x 10),
each one of which has a surface area of 6 square millimeters, for a total
surface area of 60 square centimeters
• 1 micrometer-sized cubes—a trillion (1012) of them, each with a surface area
of 6 square micrometers—the total surface area amounts to 6 square meters
• nanometer-sized cubes—1021 of them, each with an area of 6 square
nanometers—their total surface area comes to 6,000 square meters.
Greater Surface Area…..
In other words, a single cubic centimeter of cubic nanoparticles has a total surface area that is even
bigger than the area of a football field!

Because of this higher surface area, more of the material is exposed to the surrounding environment,
which can greatly speed chemical reactions of these materials, or reactivity.

One benefit of greater surface area and improved reactivity in nanostructured materials is that they
have helped create better catalysts.

An everyday example of catalysis is the catalytic converter in a car, which cleans the exhaust and
reduces air pollution.

Engineers are taking advantage of the increased reactivity at the nanoscale to design better batteries,
fuel cells, and catalysts for cleaner and safer energy generation and storage systems.
Benefits in Everyday Processes

Clear nanoscale films on eyeglasses, computer and camera displays, windows, and other surfaces can
make them water- and residue-repellent, antireflective, self-cleaning, resistant to ultraviolet or
infrared light, antifog, antimicrobial, scratch-resistant, or electrically conductive.

Nano-bioengineering of enzymes is aiming to enable conversion of cellulose from wood chips, corn
stalks, unfertilized perennial grasses, etc., into ethanol for fuel

Nanostructured ceramic coatings exhibit much greater toughness than conventional wear-resistant
coatings for machine parts.
Environmental Remediation
Nanotechnology could help meet the need for affordable, clean drinking
water through rapid, low-cost detection and treatment of impurities in
water.

Nanoparticles are being developed to clean industrial water pollutants in

ground water through chemical reactions that render the pollutants
harmless. This process would cost less than methods that require pumping
the water out of the ground for treatment.

airplane cabin and other types of air filters are nanotechnology-based filters
that allow “mechanical filtration,” in which the fiber material creates nanoscale
pores that trap particles larger than the size of the pores
Application of NT in Agriculture
Availability/provision of NT-enabled products like anti-microbes,
controlled-release coatings etc., must be worked upon for farmers to kill
pathogens and reduce chances of food contamination. The same will
also complement the quality of the crop.

Nano-enabled fertilizers can be procured or produced locally to improve

the yields of our essential crops like wheat, rice, sugarcane, cotton,
maize, and fruits while at the same time reducing reliance on other
resources such as water and chemicals.
Application of NT in Agriculture
NT can also be used for monitoring crop growth and well-being. Nano-
sensors, which work as external monitoring devices and have no chance of
food contamination, can timely detect plant diseases and pest activity to
help augment crop production and ensure food security.

The effectiveness of our domestically produced pesticides can also be

improved if the same is enclosed in nano-capsules, which only open and
release the pest control medicine when triggered by pests. It would result
in substantial cost savings in the use of pesticides and in addressing
contamination issues due to excessive use
Dimensions of
Nanomaterials
(How many
dimensions are
in nanoscale)
Common Nanomaterials

Graphene Boron Carbon nanotubes

silicon, gallium
molybdenum titanium dioxide and
nitride and indium
disulphide zinc oxide
phosphide
 Synthesis of
Nanomaterials
One of the most common
processes for synthesizing
nanomaterials is a method
called ‘chemical vapour
deposition’ or CVD. It is a
bottom-up process, that uses
heat to breakdown a
substance into its elemental
form before depositing it on
a surface where it builds up
into a new, desired structure
– such as a tube.
 • the materials are ground in a closed
Ball Milling container. Small pebbles made of glass,
through the ceramics, and stainless steel creates shear
force during grinding. Bulk materials are
Mechanical subjected to place in the closed container. By
grinding process, the bulk materials are
Method converted to fine-tuned nanomaterials
 Physical Vapor Deposition
(PVD) Method
• a process applied to the synthesis of ultra-thin films
and surface coatings. It is used to produce metal
vapor that can be deposited on the conductive layer
as ultra-thin films and alloy coatings. The whole
process is carried in a vacuum held in a vacuum
chamber about 10−6 torr from a cathodic-arc
source. In a clean atmosphere, vacuum deposition is
held in the chamber and the metals are deposited as
wider or sputtered in the localized area
(a) Ball milling, (b) PVD, (c) CVD, (d) Lithography, (e) Sol-Gel method, and
(f) Co-precipitation method.
Dangers of Nanomaterials
• The identifying characteristic of nanomaterials — their size — also creates risk when
working with them. These materials may be entirely benign when you encounter them in
the world. Still, at a nanoscale, it becomes possible and even likely that you will inhale
some of these materials or absorb them through your skin or mucous membranes.
• Some scientists are concerned that exposure to nanomaterials can create ‘free radicals’
within the body that can lead to cellular and DNA damage over time. There is also a risk
that these particles, once introduced to the bloodstream, could cross the blood-brain
barrier.
• We can mitigate these risks by utilizing proper personal protective equipment (PPE),
including respirators designed to filter out nanoparticles from the air and other
appropriate gear.