So What Is Nanotechnology? Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology So What Is Nanotechnology?

What Is Nanotechnology? So What is Nanotechnology? Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology What Is Nanotechnology? Nanotechnology allows the manipulation of atoms or molecules to create or modify materials at the nanoscale. “If I were asked for an area of science and engineering that will most likely produce the breakthroughs of tomorrow, I would point to nanoscale science and engineering.” ~Neal Lane Former Assistant to the President for Science and Technology http://ipt.arc.nasa.gov/Graphics/rdd_talk.pdf

What’s So Special About Nanotechnology? So What is Nanotechnology? Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology What’s So Special About Nanotechnology? Materials can have different properties at the nanoscale Better at conducting electricity or heat Stronger Different magnetic properties Reflect light better Change color Larger surface area, so more surface is available for interactions with other materials To illustrate the importance of surface area, think of a piece of gum chewed into a ball. Then think about stretching that gum into as thin a sheet as possible. The surface, or area visible on the outside, is much greater for the stretched out gum than it is for the wad of gum. The stretched gum is likely to dry out and to become brittle faster than the wad due to more contact at the surface with the air around it.

Nanotechnology Products So What is Nanotechnology? Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology Nanotechnology Products Anti-bacterial wound dressings Nanoscale dry powder neutralizes gas and liquid toxins in chemical spills Batteries deliver more power, more quickly, and with less heat Sunscreen to prevent sunburns Scratch and glare resistant coatings for eye glasses, windows, and car mirrors

So What is Nanotechnology? Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology What Is a Buckyball? Hollow spherical molecule made up of 60 carbon atoms arranged into 20 hexagons and 12 pentagons 1 nanometer in diameter Resembles the shape of a soccer ball, but is 10 septillion times smaller (10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000) 1 nm 22 cm

So What is Nanotechnology? Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology Buckyball Extremely strong for use in building materials May replace silicon in electronic devices Scientists and engineers are exploring their usefulness in: Vehicles for drug delivery Tiny environmental sensors Light detectors Surface coatings to improve wear resistance

What’s a Carbon Nanotube (CNT)? So What is Nanotechnology? http://ipt.arc.nasa.gov/carbonnano.html Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology What’s a Carbon Nanotube (CNT)? Tubular form of carbon with diameter of 1 nanometer and length of few nanometers to microns Graphene sheet rolled into a tube Carbon nanotubes are long cylinders made from rolled up sheets of carbon that are 1 atom thick. Their length to diameter ratio is very large (1,000,000 to 1). They have a large surface area compared to other materials and a low density. http://ipt.arc.nasa.gov/Graphics/arl_talk.pdf

So What is Nanotechnology? Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology Nanotubes Extraordinary properties Stiff as a diamond Very high tensile strength Strongest and most flexible molecular material Can be metallic or semiconducting Very high current-carrying capacity Theoretically, carbon nanotubes are the strongest and stiffest known materials, with a tensile strength of more than 10,000,000 tons per foot. They are 11 times stronger than carbon fiber. Not only are carbon nanotubes very strong, they are also very light.

Tools for Nanotechnology So What is Nanotechnology? Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology Tools for Nanotechnology New tools are needed to manipulate and measure objects this small The field of nanotechnology is focused on manipulating materials, devices, and systems at the nanoscale level.

Scanning Electron Microscope So What is Nanotechnology? Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology Scanning Electron Microscope A three-dimensional ultrastructural image analysis of a T-lymphocyte (right), a platelet (center), and a red blood cell (left) using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) Used to show detailed, three-dimensional images at very high magnification Extends observation beyond objects that are too fast, too small, too far away, or invisible to the naked eye The hyperlink takes you to: http://mos.org/sln/SEM/seminfo.html Use the click to advance slide show. How the SEM Works

Atomic Force Microscope So What is Nanotechnology? Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology Atomic Force Microscope Used to image, measure, and manipulate matter at the nanoscale Information gathered by “feeling” the surface with a mechanical probe Atomic force microscope topographical scan of a glass surface.

Microscopes Help Us See So What is Nanotechnology? Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology Meter Centimeter Ruler/Caliper Millimeter Optical Microscope Micrometer Electron Microscope Nanometer Atomic Force Microscope http://www.nnin.org/doc/NNIN1020.pdf

So What is Nanotechnology? Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology Clean Room Scientists and engineers build structures at the nano scale in clean rooms. They wear suits to protect the clean room from dirt that may be on clothes, bodies, or shoes.

Nanotechnology Applications So What is Nanotechnology? Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology Nanotechnology Applications Nanoelectronics and computing Diodes and transistors Capacitors Data storage Flat panel displays Energy efficient processors Structural, mechanical Composites Cables, beams Multifunctional materials Body armor, space suits Self-healing materials Carbon nanotubes used in bats and racquets because of their great strength http://www.nano.gov/html/res/200711NanotechnologyBigThingsfromaTinyWorld.html

Nanotechnology Applications So What is Nanotechnology? Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology Nanotechnology Applications Sensors Force Pressure Chemical Batteries Life detection Biomedical Drug delivery DNA sequencing Artificial muscles Bone replacement Bionic eye Drug Delivery http://www.nano.gov/html/res/200711NanotechnologyBigThingsfromaTinyWorld.html

Nanotechnology Applications So What is Nanotechnology? Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology Nanotechnology Applications Energy and Environment Clean, less expensive sources High efficiency and durable lighting Transportation Wear resistant coatings High strength, light weight composites – increase fuel efficiency Improved displays Battery technology Wear-resistant tires Automated highways Water Filtration http://www.nano.gov/html/res/200711NanotechnologyBigThingsfromaTinyWorld.html

Nanotechnology Applications So What is Nanotechnology? Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology Nanotechnology Applications National Security High sensitivity, low power sensors to detect threats Light weight military platforms Reduce carry-on weight of soldier gear Space Probes for planet surfaces Micro-Rovers “Thinking” spacecraft http://ipt.arc.nasa.gov/spacetransport.html

So What is Nanotechnology? Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology Summary Nanotechnology is an enabling technology that will impact Electronics and computing Materials and manufacturing Energy and environment Health and medicine National security Space exploration . . . the possibilities are endless

So What is Nanotechnology? Gateway To Technology Unit 5 – Lesson 5.2 – Nanotechnology Image Resources Microsoft, Inc. (2008). Clip art. Retrieved September 10, 2008, from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/default.aspx National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (n.d.). Nanotechnology: Opportunities and challenges. Retrieved February 3, 2009, from http://ipt.arc.nasa.gov/Graphics/rdd_talk.pdf National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (n.d.). Nanotechnology gallery. Retrieved February 3, 2009, from http://ipt.arc.nasa.gov/spacetransport.html National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (n.d.). An overview of recent developments in nanotechnology. Retrieved February 3, 2009, from http://ipt.arc.nasa.gov/Graphics/arl_talk.pdf National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). (n.d.). Big things from a tiny world. Retrieved February 3, 2009, from http://www.nano.gov/