The Genie in the Bottle: Nano-Science, Nano-Technology

info@finishingtalk.com (Finishing Talk) — Mon, 28 May 2007 17:34:37 +0000

Part I - Article written and submitted by Dr. Hisham Abdel-Aal in the May 2007 issue of Southern Metal Finishing.

Nanoscale science and engineering is a field of scientific investigation that addresses the development, manipulation and use of materials and devices on the scale of roughly 1-100 nanometers in length, as well as the study of phenomena that occur at this size scale (one nanometer equals one billionth of a meter). This size range encompasses the smallest man-made and naturally derived devices known. One can gain a perspective of the nanometer scale by considering the sizes of some familiar objects. For example, the diameter of a human hair is roughly 10,000 nanometers. Critical dimensions in integrated circuits are less than 10 nanometers, while large polymers and proteins are just a couple of nanometers in size.

The field of nanoscale science and engineering was conceptually born out of Richard Feynman’s famous 1959 lecture, “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom. In this presentation, Feynman pondered radical notions such as writing an entire set of the Encyclopedia Britannica on the head of a pin through the manipulation of individual atoms. At that time, the tools required to fabricate materials and devices at the atomic/molecular scale and to measure their properties were not available. The advent of scanning probe microscopes and their ability to measure and manipulate matter at the nanoscale, microelectronic and optoelectronic device manufacturing technology, as well as developments in macro-scale molecular modeling and powerful computational capability, are all enabling the ideas of exploiting the benefits of nanoscale manufacturing to be realized. These tools allow scientists to observe objects at the nanoscale, to discover new phenomena at these small dimensions systematically rather than by accident, and to synthesize and manipulate nanoscopic particles by rational design rather than serendipity.The challenges presented by nanoscale science and engineering cannot be addressed by a single science or engineering discipline alone; instead, it requires collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches to research.

The impact of nanoscale science and engineering on society
Nanoscale science and engineering offers many challenges and opportunities for scientific understanding and potential technological advances. It is predicted that nanoscale science and engineering will change the nature of almost every human-made product this century. This field has great potential applications in materials, medicine, electronics, optics, data storage, advanced manufacturing, environment, energy, and national security. Some specific applications include: lightweight new materials with greatly improved strength and wear characteristics; ultra dense computer memory; better drug design and better drug and gene delivery; sensing applications for agricultural, biological, chemical and homeland security applications; improved catalysts for the chemical and automotive industries; new materials to improve fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions; and improved batteries and energy efficient processes for energy technologies. Nanoscale materials already find use in numerous pharmaceutical, catalytic, electronic, magnetic, optoelectronic, biomedical, cosmetic and energy applications. Specific applications reporting the highest revenues include sunscreens, automotive catalyst supports, chemical-mechanical polishing, magnetic recording tapes, bio-labeling, electro-conductive coatings, and optical fibers. Other applications include dental-bonding agents, protective and glare-reducing coatings for eyeglasses and cars, stain-free clothing and mattresses, paints and coatings to protect against corrosion, scratches and radiation, burn and wound dressings, and automobile catalytic converters.

The National Science Foundation estimates that nanotechnology will be a $1 trillion global industry by 2010-2015.4 This will require about 2 million workers in the field of nanoscale science and engineering.5 Clearly, there is a pressing need to train workers who will contribute to this vital, highly interdisciplinary area.

Please see Part II...

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The Genie in the Bottle: Nano-Science, Nano-Technology