Nanotechnology By Janece Campbell

How nanotechnology will work Molecular Nanotechnology Building with atoms A new industrial revolution Products that can be used Money and Funding

Molecular Nanotechnology Molecular nanotechnology is a type of manufacturing technology. This will be achieved when we are able to build things from the atom up and rearrange matter with atomic precision Although this technology does not yet exist, once it does, we should have a thorough and inexpensive system for controlling the structure of matter The central thesis of nanotechnology is that almost any chemically stable structure that is not specifically disallowed by the laws of physics can in fact be built The possibility of building things atom by atom was introduced by Richard Feynman. “The principles of physics, as far as I can see, do not speak against the possibility of maneuvering things atom by atom” -- Richard Feynman, 1959

Molecular Nanotechnology How might precise control be achieved Why develop it How will it improve our lives Risks Progress How long?

Building with Atoms Henry Ford ’ s assembly line compared to nanotechnology Nanogears may replace current manufacturing processes Nanogears no more than a nanometer wide could be used to construct a matter compiler, which could be fed raw material to arrange atoms and build a macro-scale structure. Nanotechnology is a hybrid science combining engineering and chemistry

Building with Atoms Atoms and molecules stick together because they have complementary shapes that lock together, or charges that attract. As millions of these atoms are pieced together by nanomachines, a specific product will begin to take shape. The goal of nanotechnology is to manipulate atoms individually and place them in a pattern to produce a desired structure. There are three steps to achieving nanotechnology- produced goods:

Steps to Achieving nanotechnology-produced goods Step 1 –Scientists must be able to manipulate individual atoms. –This means that they will have to develop a technique to grab single atoms and move them to desired positions. –IBM Example

In 1990, IBM researchers showed that it is possible to manipulate single atoms. They positioned 35 Xenon atoms on the surface of a nickel crystal, using an atomic force microscopy instrument. These positioned atoms spelled out the letters "IBM."

Steps to Achieving nanotechnology-produced goods Step 2 –The next step will be to develop nanoscopic machines, called assemblers, that can be programmed to manipulate atoms and molecules at will. –It would take thousands of years for a single assembler to produce any kind of material one atom at a time. –Trillions of assemblers will be needed to develop products in a viable time frame.

Steps to Achieving nanotechnology-produced goods Step 3 –In order to create enough assemblers to build consumer goods, some nanomachines, called replicators, will be programmed to build more assemblers. Trillions of assemblers and replicators will fill an area smaller than a cubic millimeter, and will still be too small for us to see with the naked eye. Assemblers and replicators will work together like hands to automatically construct products, and will eventually replace all traditional labor methods. This will vastly decrease manufacturing costs, thereby making consumer goods plentiful, cheaper and stronger.

A New Industrial Revolution The first products made from nanomachines will be stronger fibers. –Eventually, we will be able to replicate anything, including diamonds, water and food Nanotechnology will be needed to create a new generation of computer components. Nanotechnology may have its biggest impact on the medical industry. –Patients will drink fluids containing nanorobots programmed to attack and reconstruct the molecular structure of cancer cells and viruses to make them harmless.

Products available today from nanoscience Most computer hard drives contain giant magnetoresistance (GMR) through nano- thin layers of magnetic materials, allow for a significant increase in storage capacity Some other current uses already in marketplace –Burn and wound dressings –Water filtration –Catalysis –Sunscreens and cosmetics

Products in nanotechnology In the next few years –Watch for solar cells in the roofing tiles and siding that provide electricity for homes and facilities. –Prototype tires exist today that provide improved skid resistance, reduced abrasion and resulting longer wear. –The nanocomposites being used in tires can be used in other consumer products including high performance footwear, exercise equipment and car parts such as seat belts, wiper blades and seals. Next years –Today’s predictions center on pervasive computer applications. –It is believed that nanotechnology will facilitate the production of ever-smaller computers that store vastly greater amounts of information and process data much more quickly. –Computing elements are expected to be so inexpensive that they can be in fabrics and other materials

Money and Nano How much money is the U.S Government spending on nanotechnology –The federal Investment in nanotechnology has increased from $116 million ’97 to a request of $849 million in ’04 –Private industry is investing at least as much as the government according to the estimates Other countries –It is estimated that worldwide government funding has increased about five times what it was in ’97 –Exceeding $2 billion in 2002 –Asian countries, including Japan, China, and Korea, as well as several European countries, have made leadership in nanotechnology national priorities.