Essay #1

NANOTECHNOLGY

 

My topic for the essay deals with the study of extremely small particles, termed Nanotechnology. “Nanotechnology is the creation of functional materials, devices and systems through control of matter on the nanometer length scale (1-100 nanometers) and exploitation of novel phenomena and properties (physical, chemical, biological, mechanical and electrical) at that length scale” (Keczer, 2007). It is very tiny to be detected even by a most effective conventional microscope. Nowadays, nanotechnology implemented products are available worldwide and is used for many different applications. For example in bicycle frames, tennis racket etc. Basically nanotechnology can be defined as “the engineering of functional systems at the molecular level” (Center for Responsible Nanotechnology, 2008). Nanotechnology has an inevitable role in medicine, electronics, biomaterials and energy production as it can make many new products and devices with a wide variety of applications. It is considered that the origin of nanotechnology happened in 1959 with Richard Feynman but its 1st phase development took place in eighties and in the beginning of nineties. He played a key role in the idea of nanotechnology though the ‘term’ was never referred. The concept of nanotechnology came from his famous talk called There’s a Plenty of Room at the Bottom in which he mentioned about the idea that in the coming future the chances of arranging atoms all the way down, in different ways we want can also be considered. In 1974, Norio Taniguchi, a Tokyo Science University Professor defined the term “nanotechnology” as the process whereby materials are separated, consolidated and deformed to one atom or one molecule. According to Feynman’s theory he advised that in course of time it will be possible to manage atoms and molecules accurately. In this he used a set of accurate tools to construct and operate another which is comparatively smaller one and so on till the needed scale is reached. During this he noticed that some scaling issues are formed due to the changing magnitude of certain phenomena like gravity which would become less important most probably negligible while on the other hand surface tension and Van der Waals attraction become important etc. The birth of cluster science and the creation of Loading...Sultan Mohammed Aljaberi H00204902 CGD 1103 scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) were the two major developments in nanotechnology and Nano science during 1980. In 1986, followed by this development, fullerenes and carbon nanotubes are invented. In the beginning of 1996 NASA organized a Centre for Nanotechnology for their future requirement on electronics, computing, sensors and system miniaturization. The four generations of nanotechnology development was detailed by Mihail (Mike) Roco of the U.S National Nanotechnology Initiative. They are passive nanostructures (ex-aerosols, collides, coatings etc.) which is considered as the 1st generation products. Then comes active nanostructures (ex-targeted drugs, 3D transistors, amplifiers etc.) . The third is systems of Nano systems (ex-3D networking, robotics etc.). The fourth generation is molecular Nano systems (ex-designed molecular devices, atomic design). The 4th generation is considered as the most modern development which is about to happen in nanotechnology. Today the basic efficiency of nanotechnology is expected to develop in four generations of recent nanotechnology products as mentioned above. Nanotechnology is successfully using in many fields commercially (home, for communications, medicine, agriculture etc.) and in military (powerful weapons, tools of surveillance). It shows high efficiency in every aspect of life As far as we know, nanotechnology stays as a science in its beginning because its potential is much more than the products. It can bring a noticeable difference in medical field as it could bring us the new kind of drugs which helps in the treatment of cancer, Parkinson’s etc. The after effects of treatment like chemotherapy will vanish. However nanotechnology is a great blessing to the mankind it also has a dangerous side. Nano particles and Nano fibers can cause disease in lungs, brain and can even cause cancer when inhaled. Public awareness about the topic is clearly on the rise and is becoming more common. Loading...Sultan Mohammed Aljaberi H00204902 CGD 1103 References History of Nanotechnology. (n.d.). Nanotechnology Research Foundation. Retrieved April 30, 2013, from http://www.nanotechnologyresearchfoundation.org/nanohistory.html Introduction to Nanotechnology • Nanotechnology 101 • Nanotechnology Project. (n.d.). Nanotechnology - Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies. Retrieved April 30, 2013, from http://www.nanotechproject.org/topics/nano101/introduction_to_nanotechnology/ Keczer, A. (2007, April 13). Center for Nanotechnology. Center for Nanotechnology. Retrieved April 30, 2013, from http://www.ipt.arc.nasa.gov/index.html Kelty, C. (2007, May 6). The Early History of Nanotechnology. Connexions - Sharing Knowledge and Building Communities. Retrieved April 30, 2013, from http://cnx.org/content/m14504/latest/ R, S. P. (2010, January 1). Ezproxy Login. Ezproxy Login. Retrieved April 30, 2013, from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.hct.ac.ae/science/docview/197487509/13DC191936173E888A6/8?accountid=1215 What is Nanotechnology?. (n.d.). Nanotechnology Research. Retrieved April 30, 2013, from http://crnano.org/whatis.htm APA formatting by BibMe.org