Nanotechnology

The Next Big Idea?

Overview

● What is nanotechnology?● Examples● Requirements● Pros and cons● Conclusion

Branched Electron Flow

● nano = 10-9

➔ nanometer = 1/1,000,000 of a millimeter● size of molecules: 1 nm 100 nm

What is nanotechnology?

●nanotechnology is a science of controlling individual atoms and molecules

Conventional vs. Nano

● traditionally: built from top down

➢ blocks of raw material are processed into precisely formed products

● nanotechnology: built from bottom up

➢ more natural➢ tiny molecular machines assemble into bigger

structures

Examples

Fullerene gears

Examples

Gecko tape

●geckos climb slippery surfaces and hang from glass using a single toe●the nanoscopic hairs on their feet exert van der Waals forces interacting with the surface●researchers have developed a tape with similar properties●hairs 2 microns high, 200 nm wide●1 cm2 holds around 100 million of these artificial hairs and could support a weight of 1 kg

Examples

Genetic engineering

●a special case of nanotechnology

●an organism with altered DNA can produce useful proteins, etc.

●natural limitations:➔can produce only organic substances

Requirements●positional control of single molecules●self-replication

➔inexpensive production

carbon monoxide man(CO on platinum)

35 xenon atoms on nickel

atom(iron on copper)

Pros and Cons✔high complexity✔fast construction✔medical uses

➔rearrangement of single molecules instead of cells

✔environmental uses➔zero pollution➔rebuilding of the ozone layer

✔fast computers✔inexpensive access to space

➔space elevator✔new weapons

✗gray goo➔unstoppable replication destroying everything around

✗disastrous accidents✗abuse✗new weapons✗nanobots taking over the world

Conclusion

➢people have to be educated in order to avoid abuse➢safety guidelines, research and manufacturing policies are needed

➢nanotechnology provides enormous possibilities