Nanotechnology Lecture Notes 1

LECTURE 1
This topic is mapped with CO1, CO2 and CO3 of course
Nanotechnology
Imagine a world where microscopic medical implants patrol our arteries,

diagnosing ailments and fighting disease; where military battle-suits deflect
explosions; where computer chips are no bigger than specks of dust; and where
clouds of miniature space probes transmit data from the atmospheres of Mars or
Titan.
Nanomaterials are typically between 0.1 and 100 nanometres (nm) in size – with
1 nm being equivalent to one billionth of a metre (10-9 m).
This is the scale at which the basic functions of the biological world operate –
and materials of this size display unusual physical and chemical properties. These
profoundly different properties are due to an increase in surface area compared to
volume as particles get smaller – and also the grip of weird quantum effects at the
atomic-scale.
Figure 1: comparison of nano size with other lengths [1]
Nanotechnology is a field of research and innovation concerned with building

'things' - generally, materials and devices - on the scale of atoms and molecules.
A nanometre is one-billionth of a metre: ten times the diameter of a hydrogen
atom. The diameter of a human hair is, on average, 80,000 nanometres. At such
scales, the ordinary rules of physics and chemistry no longer apply. For instance,
materials' characteristics, such as their colour, strength, conductivity and
reactivity, can differ substantially between the nanoscale and the macro.
History of Nanotechnology
• The idea of nanotechnology was born in 1959 when physicist Richard

Feynman gave a lecture exploring the idea of building things at the atomic and
molecular-scale.
• However, experimental nanotechnology did not come into its own until 1981,
when IBM scientists in Zurich, Switzerland, built the first scanning tunnelling
microscope (STM). This allows us to see single atoms by scanning a tiny probe
over the surface of a silicon crystal.
• In 1990, IBM scientists discovered how to use an STM to move single xenon
atoms around on a nickel surface – in an iconic experiment, with an inspired eye
for marketing, they moved 35 atoms to spell out “IBM”.
• Other significant advances were made in 1985, when chemists discovered how to
create a soccer-ball-shaped molecule of 60 carbon atoms, which they
called buckminsterfullerene (also known as C60 or Buckyball’s).
• In 1991, tiny, super-strong rolls of carbon atoms known as carbon nanotubes
were created. These are six times lighter, yet 100 times stronger than steel.
Potential of nanotechnology
Materials
• Nanoscale additives to or surface treatments of fabrics can provide lightweight

ballistic energy deflection in personal body Armor, or can help them resist
wrinkling, staining, and bacterial growth.
• 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.
• Nanoscale materials are beginning to enable washable, durable “smart fabrics”
equipped with flexible nanoscale sensors and electronics with capabilities for
health monitoring, solar energy capture, and energy harvesting through
movement.
• Nano-engineered materials in automotive products include high-power
rechargeable battery systems; thermoelectric materials for temperature control;
tires with lower rolling resistance; high-efficiency/low-cost sensors and
electronics; thin-film smart solar panels; and fuel additives for cleaner exhaust
and extended range.
Figure 2: example of nanotechnology in an automobile [2]
• Nanostructured ceramic coatings exhibit much greater toughness than

conventional wear-resistant coatings for machine parts. Nanotechnology-enabled
lubricants and engine oils also significantly reduce wear and tear, which can
significantly extend the lifetimes of moving parts in everything from power tools
to industrial machinery.
• Nanoparticles are used increasingly in catalysis to boost chemical reactions. This
reduces the quantity of catalytic materials necessary to produce desired results,
saving money and reducing pollutants. Two big applications are in petroleum
refining and in automotive catalytic converters.
Electronics and IT Applications
• Transistors, the basic switches that enable all modern computing, have gotten
smaller and smaller through nanotechnology. At the turn of the century, a typical
transistor was 130 to 250 nanometres in size. In 2014, Intel created a 14-
nanometre transistor, then IBM created the first seven nanometre transistor in
2015, and then Lawrence Berkeley National Lab demonstrated a one nanometre
transistor in 2016 Smaller, faster, and better transistors may mean that soon your
computer’s entire memory may be stored on a single tiny chip.
• Using magnetic random-access memory (MRAM), computers will be able to
“boot” almost instantly. MRAM is enabled by nanometre‐scale magnetic tunnel
junctions and can quickly and effectively save data during a system shutdown or
enable resume‐play features.
• Ultra-high definition displays and televisions are now being sold that use
quantum dots to produce more vibrant colours while being more energy efficient.
Medical and Healthcare Applications
• Nanotechnology is being studied for both the diagnosis and treatment of

atherosclerosis, or the build-up of plaque in arteries. In one technique, researchers
created a nanoparticle that mimics the body’s “good” cholesterol, known as HDL
(high-density lipoprotein), which helps to shrink plaque.
• Nanotechnology researchers are working on a number of different therapeutics
where a nanoparticle can encapsulate or otherwise help to deliver medication
directly to cancer cells and minimize the risk of damage to healthy tissue. This
has the potential to change the way doctors treat cancer and dramatically reduce
the toxic effects of chemotherapy.
Figure 3: carbon nanotubes for fighting cancer [3]
• Research in the use of nanotechnology for regenerative medicine spans several

application areas, including bone and neural tissue engineering. For instance,
novel materials can be engineered to mimic the crystal mineral structure of human
bone or used as a restorative resin for dental applications. Researchers are looking
for ways to grow complex tissues with the goal of one day growing human organs
for transplant. Researchers are also studying ways to use graphene nanoribbons
to help repair spinal cord injuries; preliminary research shows that neurons grow
well on the conductive graphene surface.
• Nanomedicine researchers are looking at ways that nanotechnology can improve
vaccines, including vaccine delivery without the use of needles. Researchers also
are working to create a universal vaccine scaffold for the annual flu vaccine that
would cover more strains and require fewer resources to develop each year.
Energy Applications
• Nanotechnology is improving the efficiency of fuel production from raw
petroleum materials through better catalysis. It is also enabling reduced fuel
consumption in vehicles and power plants through higher-efficiency combustion
and decreased friction.
• Nanotechnology is also being applied to oil and gas extraction through, for
example, the use of nanotechnology-enabled gas lift valves in offshore operations
or the use of nanoparticles to detect microscopic down-well oil pipeline fractures.
• Researchers are investigating carbon nanotube “scrubbers” and membranes to
separate carbon dioxide from power plant exhaust.
• Nanotechnology is already being used to develop many new kinds of batteries
that are quicker-charging, more efficient, lighter weight, have a higher power
density, and hold electrical charge longer.
• An epoxy containing carbon nanotubes is being used to make windmill blades
that are longer, stronger, and lighter-weight than other blades to increase the
amount of electricity that windmills can generate.
Environmental Remediation
• Nanotechnology could help meet the need for affordable, clean drinking water
through rapid, low-cost detection and treatment of impurities in water.
• Engineers have developed a thin film membrane with nanopores for energy-
efficient desalination. This molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) membrane filtered
two to five times more water than current conventional filters.
• 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.
Future Transportation Benefits
• Nanoscale sensors and devices may provide cost-effective continuous monitoring

of the structural integrity and performance of bridges, tunnels, rails, parking
structures, and pavements over time. Nanoscale sensors, communications
devices, and other innovations enabled by nanoelectronics can also support an
enhanced transportation infrastructure that can communicate with vehicle-based
systems to help drivers maintain lane position, avoid collisions, adjust travel
routes to avoid congestion, and improve drivers’ interfaces to onboard
electronics.
• “Game changing” benefits from the use of nanotechnology-enabled lightweight,
high-strength materials would apply to almost any transportation vehicle. For
example, it has been estimated that reducing the weight of a commercial jet
aircraft by 20 percent could reduce its fuel consumption by as much as 15 percent.
A preliminary analysis performed for NASA has indicated that the development
and use of advanced nanomaterials with twice the strength of conventional
composites would reduce the gross weight of a launch vehicle by as much as 63
percent. Not only could this save a significant amount of energy needed to launch
spacecraft into orbit, but it would also enable the development of single stage to
orbit launch vehicles, further reducing launch costs, increasing mission
reliability, and opening the door to alternative propulsion concepts.
Summary
• Nanomaterials are typically between 0.1 and 100 nanometres (nm) in size.
• The idea of nanotechnology was born in 1959 when physicist Richard
Feynman gave a lecture exploring the idea of building things at the atomic and
molecular-scale.
• Nanoscale additives to or surface treatments of fabrics can provide lightweight
ballistic energy deflection.
• Transistors, the basic switches that enable all modern computing, have gotten
smaller and smaller through nanotechnology.
• Nanotechnology is being studied for both the diagnosis and treatment of
atherosclerosis, or the build-up of plaque in arteries.
• Researchers are investigating carbon nanotube “scrubbers” and membranes to
separate carbon dioxide from power plant exhaust.
Practice questions
1. Define nanomaterials and compare this size with other materials.

2. Enlist some applications of nanotechnology in transportations.
3. How nanotechnology is being used in using energy efficiently.
IMAGE REFERENES
[1] https://www.researchgate.net/figure/THE-MICROCOSM-The-nanoscale-
includes-proteins-but-excludes-simple-atoms-which-are-too_fig1_301733368
[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1018364717310868
[3] https://cancer-nano.biomedcentral.com/
REFERENCES
1. https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn9939-introduction-
nanotechnology/#ixzz6UEWrLASu
2. https://www.nano.gov/you/nanotechnology-benefits
3. https://www.azonano.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=1134#_What_is_Nanotechnol
ogy?
4. https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn9939-introduction-nanotechnology/
VIDEO LINKS
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k61wjab7iUs
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MzIh7wkgMs
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKh4cwAygPM
BOOKS
Sahni V., Goswami D. (2008) Nano Computing, McGraw Hill Education Asia
Ltd., ISBN: 978007024892
Beiser A., Ghatak A, Garg S.C., Applied Physics, Edition 1st, (2013), Tata
McGraw-Hill, Noida.

Nanotechnology Lecture Notes 1

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Nanotechnology Lecture Notes 1

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Nanotechnology Lecture Notes 1

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

LECTURE 1

This topic is mapped with CO1, CO2 and CO3 of course

Imagine a world where microscopic medical implants patrol our arteries,

Nanotechnology is a field of research and innovation concerned with building

• The idea of nanotechnology was born in 1959 when physicist Richard

• Nanoscale additives to or surface treatments of fabrics can provide lightweight

• Nanostructured ceramic coatings exhibit much greater toughness than

Electronics and IT Applications

Medical and Healthcare Applications

• Nanotechnology is being studied for both the diagnosis and treatment of

Figure 3: carbon nanotubes for fighting cancer [3]

• Research in the use of nanotechnology for regenerative medicine spans several

Future Transportation Benefits

• Nanoscale sensors and devices may provide cost-effective continuous monitoring

1. Define nanomaterials and compare this size with other materials.

You might also like