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Introduction to Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is defined as the study and use of structures between 1 nanometer and 100 nanometers in size. To give you an idea about this is, it would take eight 100 nanometer particles side by side to match the width of a human hair.
Introduction to the Nanoparticles
Scientists have been studying and working with nano particles for centuries, but the effectiveness of their work has been hampered by their inability to see the structure of nano particles. In recent decades the development of microscopes capable of displaying particles as small as atoms has allowed scientists to see what they are working with.
Medicine
Researchers are developing customized nano particles the size of molecules that can be deliver drugs directly to diseased cells in human body. When it's perfected, this method should be greatly reduce the damage treatment such as chemotherapy does to a patient's healthy cells. Nano medicine refers to future developments in medicine that will be based on the ability to build nano robots. In the future these nano robots could actually be programmed to repair specific diseased cells, functioning in a similiar way to antibodies in our natural healing processes
Electronics
Nanotechnology holds some answers for how we might increase the capabilities of electronics devices while we reduce their weight and power consumption.
Space
Nanotechnology may hold the key to making space-flight more practical. Advancements in nano materials make lightweight solar sails and a cable for the space elevator possible. By significantly reducing the amount of rocket fuel required, these advances could lower the cost of reaching orbit and traveling in space.
Food
Nanotechnology is having an impact on several aspects of food science, from how food is grown to how it is packaged. Companies are developing nano materials that will make a difference not only in the taste of food, but also in food safety, and the health benefits that food delivers
Fuel Cells
Nanotechnology is being used to reduce the cost of catalysts used in fuel cells to produce hydrogen ions from fuel such as methanol and to improve the efficiency of membranes used in fuel cells to separate hydrogen ions from other gases such as oxygen.
Solar Cells
Companies have developed nanotech solar cells that can be manufactured at significantly lower cost than conventional solar cells.
Batteries
Companies are currently developing batteries using nano materials. One such battery will be a good as new after sitting on the shelf for decades. Another battery can be recharged significantly faster than conventional batteries.
Fuels
Nanotechnology can address the shortage of fossil fuels such as diesel and gasoline by making 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.
Chemical Sensors
Nanotechnology can enable sensors to detect very small amounts of chemical vapors. Various types of detecting elements, such as carbon nano tubes, zinc oxide nanowires or palladium nano particles can be used in nanotechnology-based sensors. Because of the small size of nano tubes, nano wires, or nano particles, a few gas molecules are sufficient to change the electrical properties of the sensing elements. This allows the detection of a very low concentration of chemical vapors.
Better Air Quality
Nanotechnology can improve the performance of catalysts used to transform vapors escaping from cars or industrial plants into harmless gasses. That's because catalysts made from nano particles have a greater surface area to interact with the reacting chemicals than catalysts made from larger particles. The larger surface area allows more chemicals to interact with the catalyst simultaneously, which makes the catalyst more effective.
Cleaner Water
Nanotechnology is being used to develop solutions to three very different problems in water quality. One challenge is the removal of industrial wastes, such as a cleaning solvent called TCE, from groundwater. Nano particles can be used to convert the contaminating chemical through a chemical reaction to make it harmless. Studies have shown that this method can be used successfully to reach contaminates dispersed in underground ponds and at much lower cost than methods which require pumping the water out of the ground for treatment.
Fabric
Making composite fabric with nano-sized particles or fibers allows improvement of fabric properties without a significant increase in weight, thickness, or stiffness as might have been the case with previously-used techniques.
Sporting Goods
If you are a tennis or golf fan, you will be glad to hear that even sporting goods has wandered into the nano realm. Current nanotechnology applications in the sports arena include increasing the strength of tennis racquets, filling any imperfections in club shaft materials and reducing the rate at which air leaks from tennis balls.
Researchers are developing customized nano particles the size of molecules that can be deliver drugs directly to diseased cells in human body. When it's perfected, this method should be greatly reduce the damage treatment such as chemotherapy does to a patient's healthy cells. Nano medicine refers to future developments in medicine that will be based on the ability to build nano robots. In the future these nano robots could actually be programmed to repair specific diseased cells, functioning in a similiar way to antibodies in our natural healing processes
Electronics
Nanotechnology holds some answers for how we might increase the capabilities of electronics devices while we reduce their weight and power consumption.
Space
Nanotechnology may hold the key to making space-flight more practical. Advancements in nano materials make lightweight solar sails and a cable for the space elevator possible. By significantly reducing the amount of rocket fuel required, these advances could lower the cost of reaching orbit and traveling in space.
Food
Nanotechnology is having an impact on several aspects of food science, from how food is grown to how it is packaged. Companies are developing nano materials that will make a difference not only in the taste of food, but also in food safety, and the health benefits that food delivers
Fuel Cells
Nanotechnology is being used to reduce the cost of catalysts used in fuel cells to produce hydrogen ions from fuel such as methanol and to improve the efficiency of membranes used in fuel cells to separate hydrogen ions from other gases such as oxygen.
Solar Cells
Companies have developed nanotech solar cells that can be manufactured at significantly lower cost than conventional solar cells.
Batteries
Companies are currently developing batteries using nano materials. One such battery will be a good as new after sitting on the shelf for decades. Another battery can be recharged significantly faster than conventional batteries.
Fuels
Nanotechnology can address the shortage of fossil fuels such as diesel and gasoline by making 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.
Chemical Sensors
Nanotechnology can enable sensors to detect very small amounts of chemical vapors. Various types of detecting elements, such as carbon nano tubes, zinc oxide nanowires or palladium nano particles can be used in nanotechnology-based sensors. Because of the small size of nano tubes, nano wires, or nano particles, a few gas molecules are sufficient to change the electrical properties of the sensing elements. This allows the detection of a very low concentration of chemical vapors.
Better Air Quality
Nanotechnology can improve the performance of catalysts used to transform vapors escaping from cars or industrial plants into harmless gasses. That's because catalysts made from nano particles have a greater surface area to interact with the reacting chemicals than catalysts made from larger particles. The larger surface area allows more chemicals to interact with the catalyst simultaneously, which makes the catalyst more effective.
Cleaner Water
Nanotechnology is being used to develop solutions to three very different problems in water quality. One challenge is the removal of industrial wastes, such as a cleaning solvent called TCE, from groundwater. Nano particles can be used to convert the contaminating chemical through a chemical reaction to make it harmless. Studies have shown that this method can be used successfully to reach contaminates dispersed in underground ponds and at much lower cost than methods which require pumping the water out of the ground for treatment.
Fabric
Making composite fabric with nano-sized particles or fibers allows improvement of fabric properties without a significant increase in weight, thickness, or stiffness as might have been the case with previously-used techniques.
Sporting Goods
If you are a tennis or golf fan, you will be glad to hear that even sporting goods has wandered into the nano realm. Current nanotechnology applications in the sports arena include increasing the strength of tennis racquets, filling any imperfections in club shaft materials and reducing the rate at which air leaks from tennis balls.
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