NANOTECHNOLOGY: FUTURE TECHNOLOGY!

Nanotechnology and our tomorrow

Wijitha ABEYRATHNA/ courtesy:dailynews.lk

Have you ever heard of a particle as small as one billionth of a meter? To understand how small it could be, size of an Amoeba is 200 nanometer (nm). When an adult human shaves his beard, his beard grows by one nm during each shaving stroke.

A sheet of paper is about 100,000 nm thick. Nanotechnology means engineering of functional systems at nanoscale or molecular scale.

Richard Feynman, Nobel Prize winner in physics, as far back as 1959 envisioned the theoretical capability of maneuvering things atom by atom. However, when Dr. Eric Drexler first started popularizing the word “Nanotechnology” in 1980’s, people called that science fiction.

He was talking about building machines on the scale of molecules, a few nanometers wide motors, robotic arms and even computers, far smaller than a cell.

Although he was initially ridiculed, nanotechnology became an accepted concept soon and the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) was created to fund nanotechnology.

The promise of nanotechnology to improve lives and to contribute to the economic growth is such that the U.S. government spent $ 1392 million in 2007 and has budgeted $ 1445 million for 2008 on research and development of nanotechnology.

Nan particles differ from those of the bulk material and control of their properties such as size, shape and surface condition at nanoscale offer opportunities to use materials more efficiently thus reducing waste and pollution.

Unlike conventional manufacturing methods where a product is made out of a mass of raw materials by “subtractive method”, nanotechnology would assemble the desired product atom by atom, like nature does, following a design or a perfectly executed computer programme using only what is needed; a place for every atom and every atom in its place. This is called “additive method” of production.

This method of construction will totally reshape the future of the world not only in terms of manufacturing but also in distribution, retailing and environment.

The factories could be quite small compared to now, small enough to contain a few high tech machines and production blue prints.

The beauty of the nanoscale materials and effects is that they are found abundantly in nature around us.

Human body, for instance, uses nanoscale materials such as proteins and other molecules to maintain and control its vital systems. Hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen through the bloodstream is 5 nm in diameter.

Researchers have already copied the nanostructure of lotus leaves to make water repellent surfaces. Attempts are being made to imitate the strength and flexibility of spider silk that is reinforced by nanoscale crystals. The biggest secret of the nature is that at the nanoscale, materials behave differently as compared to the same at larger scale. Gold at normal scale is excellent at conducting heat and electricity but not light.

Once structured properly, gold nanoparticles can absorb light and convert that to heat which is sufficient to act like miniature thermal scalpels to kill unwanted cancer cells in the body.

Developments have already been made on advance drug delivery techniques using a nanostructure called “Dendrimer” that can carry different materials to desired locations of the body.

Nanotechnology is often referred to as the next industrial revolution. That is because once matured, it will change every facet of life.

It would offer better built, longer lasting, cleaner, safer and smarter products for the home, for communications, for medicine, for transportation, for agriculture and for all industries in general. But remember, it, like any other technology, will be of duel use.

Mankind will definitely make more powerful weapons and war machinery using nanotechnology. So Nanotechnology represents not only benefits to the planet earth but also grave risks.

Still we do not see much activity around us related to Nanotechnology. However, over the next 10 to 20 years it will start to emerge around us, in our day to day life. If someone had talked about a modern cellular phone 25 years ago people would’ve laughed at him.

But now we all witness the revolution the cellular technology has brought about to the world. Nanotechnology, by the same token wouldn’t mean much to anybody now.

But remember, it has already begun its long journey, never to return whether we like it or not. In full swing, it may entail astounding solutions to mankind’s yet unresolved problems.

How it will impact us, our culture and value systems, we do not know yet, we can only hope for the best.