SCIENCE, TECHNOLO, AND SOCIETY ➢ The invention of scanning tunneling

microscope in the 1981 by IBM Zurich

LESSON 11 scientists marked the beginning of modern
THE NANO WORLD nanotechnology.
➢ “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom”

NANOSCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY PROFESSOR NORIO TANIGUCHI

➢ Is the branch of science that studies systems & ➢ The term “nanotechnology” was coined by
manipulates matter on atomic, molecular, & Professor Norio Taniguchi to describe
supramolecular scale (the nanometre scale). semiconductor processes, such as thin film
deposition & ion beam milling exhibiting
characteristic control on the order of a nanometer.
NANOTECHNOLOGY
➢ Is the study of what happens when things get
very, very small - only a few atoms in size.
➢ This refers to the science, engineering, &
technology conducted the nanoscale, which is
about 1 to 100 nanometers.
➢ This employs the study & application of
exceptionally small things in Materials Science,
Engineering, Physics, Biology, & Chemistry.
➢ Nanotechnology refers to a technology or in
details that are between 1 to 100 nanometers in
size – it is a technology that is defined as working
with, &/or producing things at atomic level.

NANOMETER
➢ A unit of spatial measurement that is 10-⁹ meters, THE COMMON USES OF NANOTECHNOLOGY
or one billionth of a meter.
➢ This is used in nanotechnology – the building of
extremely small machines. 1. ENERGY
➢ The “SOLAR STREAM DEVICE” sunlight
concentrated on nanoparticles, can produce steam
with high energy efficiency.
➢ Nanotechnology can be incorporated into solar
HISTORY
panels to convert sunlight to electricity more
efficiently.
➢ Nanotechnology is used to improve the efficiency of
DR. RICHARD P. FEYNMAN energy production & storage, such as solar cells,
batteries, fuel cells.
➢ Physicist, the FATHER OF
NANOTECHNOLOGY.
➢ The first ever concept was presented in 1959 by 2. MEDICINE
the famous professor of physics Dr. Richard P.
Feynman ➢ The following are examples of specific applications
& breakthroughs in medicine which utilized the
concept of nanotechnology:
 A. LAB-ON-A-CHIP TECHNOLOGY
✓ Which is made up of a clear silicone
microfluidic chamber for housing cells & a
reusable electronic strip.
✓ Lab-on-a-chip is an instrument that uses small
amounts of fluid on a microchip to do certain
laboratory tests.
✓ It was developed by researchers at the Stanford
university school of medicine.
✓ This technology could provide faster, cheaper,
& far more accurate results than any other
available medical diagnostic equipment.
B. SILICON NANOWIRES
✓ Were reported by Harvard University scientists to
be able to detect the presence of individual
viruses electrically.
✓ Virus detection is made possible by combining
nanowires, a current, & antibody receptor.
C. Investigations on single-walled CARBON
NANOTUBE’S use as A MATERIAL
SCAFFOLDING TO HOLD UP
REGENERATING BONE
✓ Was done by Dr. Robert Haddon, director of the
Center for Nanoscale Science & Engineering at
the University of California.
✓ Encouraging results have revealed that this
nanomaterial could lead to improved flexibility
& strength of artificial bone, new types of bone
grafts, & advanced treatments methods for
osteoporosis.
3. NANOTECHNOLOGY IN ELECTRONICS
➢ The use of nanotechnology in electronics has led to
the development & creation of smaller, faster,
portable, & energy efficient electronic devices &
systems.
A. NANOSTRUCTURED POLYMER FILMS,
known as ORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING
DIODE or OLEDS, are used in many devices like
TV, laptop computers, digital camera, &
cellphones.
✓ OLED screens offer many advantages over
LCD & LED screens, such as being brighter,
thinner, lighter, & flexible than the latter.
✓ OLEDs are easier to produce & can be made to
larger sizes.
B. Through the use of MAGNETIC RANDOM
ACCESS MEMORY (MRAM), computers are
able to “boot” almost instantly.
✓ MRAM is enabled by nanometer-scale magnetic
tunnel junctions & can quickly & effectively
save data during a system shutdown or enable
resume-play features.
➢ A method to print prototype circuit boards with
the aid of standard inkjet printers had been developed
by the researchers at Georgia Tech, the University of
Tokyo, & Microsoft Research.
➢ Silver nanoparticle ink was used to form the
conductive lines needed in circuit boards.
4. NANOTECHNOLOGY IN ENVIRONMENT
➢ Nanotechnology is being used in several
applications to:
✓ improve the environment
✓ cleaning up existing pollution
✓ improving manufacturing methods to
reduce the generation of new pollution &
✓ making alternative energy sources more
cost effective
➢ Some specific nanotechnology applications that
benefit the environment include the following:
A. FERROXANE MEMBRANES which are
generated from iron oxide nanoparticles by the
Center for Biological & Environmental
Nanotechnology (CBEN) scientists at Rice
University can be used in water purification as
well as in waste treatment.
B. SILVER NANOCLUSTERS have been
identified by researchers at the U.S. Department
of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory as
catalysts that can significantly reduce the
polluting by-products generated in the
production of paints, household detergents &
automotive brake fluids.
C. NANOSCALE IRON PARTICLES have been
shown by researchers pioneered by Engineer
Wei-xian Zhang of Lehigh University to have
important applications in environmental
remediation.
 ✓ These nanoparticles are found to be very ➢ Carbon fullerenes (“buckyballs”), currently
effective in the transformation & used in some face creams and moisturizers, have
detoxification of a wide variety of common been found to cause brain damage in fish, kill
environmental contaminants, such as water fleas and have bactericidal properties.
chlorinated organic solvents,
organochlorine pesticides, & ➢ Test tube studies have found that even low levels
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). of exposure to water soluble fullerenes are toxic
to human liver cells, carcinoma cells and skin
connective tissue.
5. NANOTECHNOLOGY IN FOOD INDUSTRY
A. NANOCOMPOSITES are used in the
improvement of properties of packaging materials.
✓ Nanocomposites incorporating nano clay, for
example, are shown to exhibit good gas-barrier
properties, & they can also increase barrier
properties against visible & UV light Paul &
Robeson, 2008).
B. ANTIGEN-DETECTING BIOSENSORS are
utilized to facilitate early identification of
pathogen contamination.

6. NANOTECHNOLOGY IN ENERGY
➢ Energy is widely available to many people around
the world.
➢ Richard E. Smalley argued that advances in
nanotechnology are the key to achieving a
sustainable energy future.
➢ Some specific nanotechnology-based innovations
in energy sector include the following:
A. NANO OPTIMIZED LITHIUM-ION
BATTERIES have an improved storage capacity,
as well as an increased lifespan & find use in
electric vehicles.
B. DYE SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS (DSSC) or
GRÄTZEL CELLS are photovoltaic cells that
convert any visible light into electrical energy.

NANOTECHNOLOGY: ITS RISKS

A. TOXICITY & EXPOSURE TO HUMANS & THE
ENVIRONMENT.
➢ Nanoparticles of silver are now used in
toothpastes, soaps and face creams, food
packaging, clothing, household appliances,
disinfectants and wound dressings.