Nano-science 2

What is this object?

The Morph concept Newly-enabled flexible and transparent materials Devices become selfcleaning and self-preserving Transparent electronics Built-in solar absorption Integrated sensors allow us to learn more about the environment around us. Flexible & Changing Design

Nokia Morph Phone iphone would have nothing on this phone!

Nano-Science

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What is nanoscience? 2. A nanometer (nm) is 1,000,000,000 (1 billion) times smaller than a meter 4. Nano-science is the study of particles that have the size of 1 to100nm Your finger nails grew a nm while reading this!

Imagine a nanoparticle was the size of a football. A chicken would be the size of earth

A flea would be the size of Bradford. A virus would be the same size as a human!

Why are we interested in nano-science?

Nano-sized particles can produce new properties in materials, the reason for the change in properties isn’t fully understood by scientists.

Nano-science Today We are going to look over nano-science in more detail By the lesson we will know - Some examples of nano-science in the world today

- Some examples of what could be the future -The potential risks and drawbacks associated with nano-science (next lesson)

Nano-science Nano-sized silver particles have antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. Where could these be used?

Antibacterial Some socks have been developed with the silver in to help people who suffer from athletes foot

• Some fridges have the nano-sized silver in the coating inside fridges. • This will kill bacteria which can cause food poisoning

Nano-sized silicon dioxide is very strong and light, this makes it ideal for body armour in the army. N.B. Silicon dioxide is also sand! It is also Quartz!

What else could it be used for?

Tennis and golf are leading the way, with nanocomposite-enhanced rackets and clubs. And this year, nanotechnology made it onto the winner's podium.

Roger Federer won Wimbledon using a racket reinforced with nano-sized

Nano-sized zinc oxide absorb and reflect UV light while being transparent to visible light.

Why is this useful? Where could be use this?

THE BEACH!!! • We use it in sunglasses – UV light damages our eyes!

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UV light can cause skin cancer, so we use it in sun lotion!

All sounds good? There are potential risks and drawbacks associated with developments in nano-science. There is a concern that nano-particles spread easily through the air and ground water. They could enter the body through the lungs or by passing through the skin. Nano-particles may have unwanted effects on people and the environment. http://www.nanoscience.cam.ac.uk/schools/vox.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX-gTobCJHs

For or against • Read the statements on your desks. • Put the statements into 2 piles Which ones are for nanotechnology and which ones are against?

The fear is that uncontrolled nano-machines could run rampant, making unwanted changes. Instead of curing cancer, they might turn healthy cells into cancer. Instead of repairing broken machinery, they might change everything into featureless, gray goo.

People may try to turn nano-machines into weapons. These tiny machines could be made to destroy buildings and machines, turn food into poison, irradiate water supplies, cut power lines, or simply kill people. No standard defence against these nano-weapons would be effective, so nano-countermeasures would need to be developed. Nano-science is too dangerous to be turned to destructive purposes.

Perhaps the most dangerous risk of nanoscience is one that is not yet fully understood. Because nano-science is such a new field, there may be unforeseen risks that have not yet been fully explored. It is essential that the world treats nanoscience with the utmost respect and care.

Possibilities down the road might include food wrappers that can detect bacterial contamination, smart bandages and military uniforms that can mend themselves and adapt to conditions

The medical potential of nanotechnologies is huge. Already on the market in the USA are wound dressings that exploit the antimicrobial properties of nanocrystalline silver.

Nanopants… Probably the most visible nanotech products to date are the stain and wrinkle-resistant trousers. Nanopants are garments whose fabric has been treated with a product containing polymer chains to improve their resistance to staining. Quite simply, hydrophobic bits of the chain will arrange themselves away from the textile surface, presenting a water and stain-resistant surface to the outside world. If you happen to spill coffee or orange juice on your ‘nanopants’ the liquid simply beads off and falls harmlessly to the floor, rather than leaving a stubborn stain.

Take a deep breath... A possible route of exposure is through the lungs, if people breathe in nanoparticles present in the atmosphere. Again, very little is known about how nanoparticles behave in our lungs, but it is clear that they can be taken up by cells in the lung, triggering inflammation. They can also get into the bloodstream, and transport of nanoparticles through nerve tissue to the brain has also been seen.

Despite the potential for nano-clean-up, one of the biggest fears is the possibility of environmental damage. Given their small size, the worry is that nanoparticles will easily become airborne and spread through the atmosphere, or will contaminate aquatic environments. Once in the environment, they could accumulate in living organisms, as many harmful substances do, or damage ecosystems. Very little is known about the fate of nanoparticles in the environment, or their impact on living systems. Some preliminary research suggests that carbon nanoparticles – buckyballs – can harm fish.

The cosmetics industry has invested heavily in nanotechnology. New products are claimed to penetrate deeper into the skin or to have other benefits. For example, cosmetics that slowly release vitamins are in development. Nano-titanium dioxide and zinc oxide can absorb and reflect UV light, while also being transparent to visible light. They are already used in sunscreens.

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