Over a span of a few decades, nanotechnology has evolved rapidly, penetrating some of the most crucial industrial sectors. While the processes are pretty complex, nanotechnology has extraordinary future potential.
Nanotechnology is already a part of our daily lives in several unsuspected instances. Almost every possible product now has nanotechnology infusion, from everyday products like cosmetics to vehicles. So, what is nanotechnology, and what can it do? Let’s learn about a few crucial aspects of it down below.
Nanotechnology
In scientific terms, nanotechnology is an advanced technology that manipulates and operates on a nanoscale. Nanoscale, or nanometre, is the one-billionth part of a one-meter scale, i.e., ten times a hydrogen atom’s diameter. In simple words, nanotechnology mainly revolves around the art of engineering scales.
The theory behind manipulating individual atoms, defined as nanotechnology, came upon by a great Physicist Richard Feynman in 1959. The idea behind it was to create tiny or minuscule machines. But today, the meaning of nanotechnology has evolved and integrated many more thoughts into it. Nonetheless, the base idea or foundation is the same.
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With nanotechnology, building machines with complex and large molecules became simpler and more effortless. Nano-sized building blocks are utilized to create those technologies or devices. Nanotechnology’s revolutionary potential and unexplorable scale created a new world for several industries.
Most nanomaterials have some set of unique properties like the ability to conduct electricity or high strength/flexibility. But the characteristics vary substantially between macro and nanoscale materials. This scientific field enables the development of possible solutions and ideas to resolve complicated problems. Numerous unattainable engineered objects are designed by breaking down complex materials into singular or nano atoms.
In the industrial market, many crucial sectors now utilize the benefits of nanotechnology. From construction to electronics to healthcare to pharmaceuticals to automobiles to the cosmetics industry, nanomaterials proved to be highly advantageous and solutions to most complex issues or hurdles in the development process of a product.
The most common nanomaterial to date is the famous carbon nanotubes. Most nanotechnology products are based on it. This material is a type of cylindrical carbon structure that measures about one-billionth of one meter. It is estimated to be six times lighter than steel yet is 100 times stronger. Water filters, sports goods, energy storage, etc., are some of its well-known mechanical applications.
What does nanotechnology do? Are there categories of nanotech?
Generally speaking, nanotechnology significantly impacts wealth, health, and the lives of people. Nanotech substantially influences microelectronics, computer-aided engineering, artificial polymers, medical imaging, and many other advanced technological developments.
It has the potential and capability to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of a clean environment, energy consumption, and resolving major health problems. Since nanomaterials are used, it also massively reduces the cost of manufacturing and production of the said object.
That is one reason why products made out of nanotechnology tend to be cheaper, smaller, and lighter. But still are fully practical and functional and require few raw materials and energy in the manufacturing process.
Based on nanotechnology’s impact and primary applicability, this field of science has some specific branches.
Branches or categories of nanotechnology:
- Nano Engineering
Nanoengineering is primarily a synonym for nanotechnology. It is the practice or study of nanoscale engineering.
- Green Nanotech
As the name suggests, it relates to a clean environment. This branch uses nanotechnology and nanomaterials to keep the environment clean & green and improve overall sustainability.
- Wet Nanotech
Wet nanotech uses water properties to make the nanomaterials and their molecules work. The concept behind it is to work on a large scale with particular molecules.
Nanotech and its influence on different industrial sectors
Every sector in the industrial market expects growth when integrating some new and advanced element into the process. Nanotech is one of the Key Enabling Technologies contributing to the industrial development of several sectors in the market. It promises to resolve societal challenges and hurdles’ existing and future prospects.
While there are still uncertainties and doubts about the safety of the usage of nanotech, multiple vital industrial sectors that highly apply nanotech are below. Despite the existing uncertainties, these sectors expect growth with its application.
Nanotech in Medicine
Nanotech has a great role in developing some of the most advanced and essential medicinal products to treat major serious health concerns. Researchers still have a long way to go to explore and fully uncover the potential of nanotech in medicine.
Since its infusion, nanotech has dramatically helped create breakthroughs for cancer treatment, instant diagnosis of significant health conditions, etc. Advanced solutions to overcome the medicinal hurdles to severe and complex health conditions enter the market now and then.
The application of nanotech in the biotech and medicine sector primarily targets the improvement of drugs, biomolecular engineering, diagnostic detection, biopharmaceuticals, and many more prospects.
Nanotech in medicine has shown significant growth with high attributes by increasing the R&D aspects, an enhanced strategic alliance between companies & countries, meeting the supply and demand with lowered prices, etc.
Nanotech in Electronics
As one of the most applied nanomaterials, carbon nanotube leaves behind a by-product called Graphene. This is the individual layer of carbon atoms after splitting the carbon nanotube. An attractive characteristic of this product, Graphene, is that it is a very strong nanomaterial with high heat and electricity conductivity to date.
Furthermore, single-layered Graphene is a good substitute for silicon circuits due to its high conductive properties and low costs.
Nanotech in Energy
The industry working in the field of energy is sensitive and strong at the same time. There always is a better and higher scope of improvement regarding the retrieval of gas & oil from the ground and substantial energy storage. Nevertheless, the influence, role, and impact of nanotech in the Energy sector can be significantly seen in the solar energy photovoltaic system.
Nanotech applications will highly likely make energy retrieval more cost-effective yet improve the efficiency of the energy sourced. As the energy sector becomes more effective and efficient, other related sectors can use their quality support. Sectors that generate electricity from waste heat, windmill energy storage, construction, and the textiles industry are a few examples of where nanotech and energy can be applied.
Nanotech in Cosmetics
The cosmetics industry is ever-evolving to create new and advanced products. With nanotechnology, companies can produce highly effective products leading to rapid advances in the industry. Cosmetics is one such sector that dramatically benefits from adopting nanotech or nanoscale ingredients to develop products for particular usage and applicability by the users.
Despite using nanoscale ingredients, it is seen that most companies do not include such in the product labels. And it is also not mandatory. Since the safety concerns over the applicability of carbon nanotubes still prevail in most sectors and applications, cosmetics that come in direct contact with the person’s skin may develop issues for the user.
Long-term exposure to carbon nanotubes may cause significant damage to the user’s skin and organs, which researchers are still looking into. Recently, the two most popular and high-end global cosmetics brands, Estee Lauder and L’Oreal, integrated with nanotech to develop nano-cosmetics. They even went on to obtain nano patents.
Nanotech in Construction
The famous architectural wonder, Jubilee Church, by Architect Jock Pottle, was designed and built using nanomaterials. This Church in Rome has self-cleaning concrete developed using nanomaterials. So, such unique ideas can be made a reality with nanotech to develop or construct highly manageable and sustainable structures.
The construction sector can bring even more positive and sustainable changes with energy conservation and nanotechnology. Energy and gas emissions will be reduced a lot. Nanoparticles are energy-efficient construction materials that reduce energy consumption during and after the structure’s construction.
Carbon nanotubes, steel, and nanostructured metals are some examples of nanoparticles available in the commercial market to be used for construction purposes. Suppose you want something more substantial and rigid than ordinary cement, steel, and concrete. In that case, you have the most fantastic substitute, Nano Silica. It is fire-resistant, strong, and self-healing for its special traits.
Nanotech in Automotives
A new car model by Nissan with nano-paint coating has a self-cleaning ability. This is an example of how nanotechnology works in the automotive industry. Innovation is limitless in the auto industry. And the inclusion of nanotech only enhanced the applicability.
Vehicles with scratch-resistant coats, stable nano-steel tires, dirt-repellent nano varnish, etc., are a few auto applications of nanomaterials. Nanotech air filters in cars also enable fresh air circulation in the vehicle. Automotives are the leading player when it comes to implementing nanotech.
Nanotech in Food Security
Is nanotech safe for food? Does it enhance or decrease food safety? Well, this has been an issue of great debate for ages. The food industry has been exploiting the application of nanotech, as a result of this, leading to an increase in the higher consumption of non-natural foods.
From using leveled plastic films and flavors to keeping food fresh for a long, the applicability of nanotech has come a long way. While consumers may look at it as a safety measure, the nanoparticles could harm the food and its ingredients. It could develop harmful bacteria. Researchers and companies are still preparing the proper process to avoid unwanted side effects.
What does the future of Nanotechnology look like?
Most products we use today, from clothes to food to vehicles, are enhanced and designed using nanotech and nanomaterials. There are visions to escalate the application of nanomaterials to design and build mini nano-engineered machines, medicines, and even computers. We can expect a high shift in the application of nanotech.
- We all know how much potential nanotech holds to resolve the most complex issues that modern equipment and machines cannot even fathom. In the medical field, surgery is one utmost aspect that needs advanced resolutions to carry out complex operations. Nanomaterials can enable perfect brain or neural implants to restore lost memories of an individual. Testing is already in motion to make this vision a reality.
- Wireless transitions and battery upgrades are other next cool thing that nanotech can accomplish in the coming few years. While wireless charging of mobile phones is already striving, more advanced technology can enable automatic phone charge simply by entering into a magnetic field zone in a room.
- Diagnosing and detecting certain diseases is quite time-consuming and challenging to identify. By the end of this decade, researchers and doctors expect to advance in the health sector through early disease detection to increase the patient’s life expectancy. Advanced and high-segment mobile phones may come with an equipped breathalyzer to detect the use of any underlying disease via sensor-enabled screen technology.
- Researchers have discovered the surprising additional capability of nanotech to develop non-invasive technology. This discovery will supposedly enable brain-to-brain communication with the computer’s help. Telepathy may be a reality in the next two decades. That would be an evolution of human intelligence via nanotech.
- While nanoparticles can regenerate organs and artificial vision advancements, nanorobots will likely overcome cellular repairs in human bodies. That would help cure most diseases such as cancer and other serious ailments.
- Sustainable energy is a thing nowadays to prevent excess artificial usage and improve the green environment. If nanotechnology is applied, sustainable energy will be significant in the next 30 years.
Last Thoughts
You cannot look at nanotechnology as just another branch of science. It can change and shift the outlook of the whole development and technological advancement in every industrial sector globally. It can accomplish the unimaginable that machines these days cannot even fathom.
Nanotech can change the existing technologies and make the environment cleaner, leading to higher sustainability. But no matter its vast potential and benefits, the experts have yet to ascertain its side effects and potential dangers.
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