Nanotechnology Australia : What is nanotechnology?

Stepping to the Nano-World

Author:Shivantha Withanage

 §  What is nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on a molecular scale. In general this field deals with structures sized between 1 to 100 nanometers (nm) in at least one dimension. . In 1974 Tokyo science university professor Norio Taniguchi defined the term 'nanotechnology' as follows; 'Nano-technology' mainly consists of the processing of, separation, consolidation, and deformation of materials by one atom or by one molecule.'

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Nanotechnology is not just a single technical approach. It is a scientific basis for various possible new propositions. For example fields like nanomechanics, nanoelectronics and nanophotonics are new fields which have evolved on the scientific foundation of nanotechnology. As shown above it covers a vast range in science from mechanisms in the conventional physics to absolutely new methods based on self assembly of matter. Nanotechnology deals directly with developing new materials within the nano scale and investigate possibilities and methodologies of controlling matter on the atomic scale.

§  Unknown history of nanotechnology.  

The concept of nanotechnology was first expressed in 'There's plenty of room at the bottom', a speech given by physicist Richard Feynman at an American physical society meeting at Caltech which was held on 1959. In this speech he described about development of methods to manipulate individual atoms and molecules. In 1980's the basic idea of nanotechnology was explored in much more depth by Dr. K. Eric Drexler, who promoted the significance of nano-scale phenomena by the means of speeches and books such as 'Engines of Creations: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology' which is considered as the first book on nanotechnology.

Major advancement of nanotechnology was accompanied by two major moves in the science; the origin of cluster science and the invention of scanning tunneling microscope (STM). This led to the discovery of fullerenes, which are the molecules composed entirely in carbons, in the forms of hollow sphere, ellipsoid or tube, in 1985. After few years, carbon nano tubes which is a special type of fullerene was discovered.

§  Concepts of nanotechnology.

There are two main concepts in nanotechnology; the 'bottom-up' concept and the 'top-down' concept.

•  In the 'bottom-up' concept, materials are built from molecular components which have the ability of assembling themselves chemically under the principles of molecular recognition and bond formation.


• In the 'top-down' concept objects in the nano scale are constructed from larger entities. The 'top-down' concept doesn't involve any control of the formation of nano bodies at the atomic level.

In this scenario scaling issues would arise from changing the magnitude of various physical phenomena.

Article Source: http://shivanthawithanage.articlesbase.com/science-articles/stepping-to-the-nano-world-4439399.html

About the Author

Shivantha Withanage is a science student. Since 2009 he is publishing on various fields of science. In 2010, he came up with his debut science project, 'Traditional Ways of Water Purification', where he attempted to evaluate the scientific basis of traditional wisdom of water purification in Sri Lanka.