Submitted By

Submitted By N.Sowmya

B.VaraLakshmi

IV/IV C S E

IV/IV C S E Email: [email protected] [email protected]

Department Of Computer Science and Engineering SRI SARATHI INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY Nuzvid, Andhra Pradesh

CAN THE NANOTECHNOLOGY RULE THE NEXT ERA… 1. INTRODUCTION… 2. HISTORY… 3. NANOMEDICINE … 4.

DISCOVERY OF CARBON NANOTUBE…

5. APPLICATIONS… 6. ADVANTAGES… 7. DISADVATAGES… 8. CONCLUSION… BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO NANOTECHNOLOGY Nanotechnology can be understood as fabrication of devices with atomic or molecular scale precision. Devices with minimum feature sizes less than 100 nanometers (nm) are considered to be products of nanotechnology. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter (10-9 m) and is the unit of length that is generally most appropriate for describing the size of single molecules. The realization of nanotechnology promises to bring revolutionary capabilities. Fabrication of nanomachines, nanoelectronics and other nanodevices will undoubtedly solve an enormous amount of the problems faced by mankind today. Nanotechnology is currently in a very infantile stage. However, we now have the ability to organize matter on the atomic scale and there are already numerous products available to the people. Definition: Though there is no universally accepted definition for Nanotechnology, we consider the following definitions for practical purposes. Nanotechnology, or, as it is sometimes called, molecular manufacturing, is a branch of engineering that deals with the design and manufacture of extremely small electronic circuits and mechanical devices built at the molecular level of matter that have novel properties. The Institute of Nanotechnology in the U.K. expresses it as “science and technology where dimensions and tolerances in the range of 0.1 nanometer (nm) to 100 nm play a critical role”. (or) It can also, simply be defined as the technology on the Nanometer scale that is built from single atoms and which depends on individual for function.

HISTORY OF NANOTECHNOLOGY In 1808, John Dalton, a British Chemist claimed that every single atom of a certain element, is identical. This idea will become VERY important later in this perspective. The term, “Nano -” itself means a billionth of a meter. This is 100,000 times smaller than a human hair. Feynman suggested in his lecture that we build better microscopes to accomplish the task of seeing things on the atomic level. It wasn’t until 26 years later (1981) that we invented the Scanning Tunneling Electron Microscope. This device is widely used in industrial and fundamental research to obtain images of metal surfaces at the atomic scale. It allows us to produce a 3-D profile of the surface, which we can use to characterize roughness, defects, size, and conformation of molecules. This device basically works by placing an atom at the bottom of a very sharp tip of a needle. This needle is brought within close proximity of the surface being tested. Electrical voltage is then applied to the tip. The tip then interacts with the electron clouds on the metal surface. As the tip moves across the surface, the distance between the surface and the tip changes. As the distance changes so does the current flowing between the tip and the surface. These changes can then be converted into an image. And thus the ability to work at the atomic scale exploded. Infact, a lump of coal and a diamond are made of exactly the same chemical carbon. The ONLY difference is how the ATOMS are arranged. What would happen if we could manipulate the carbon atoms and manufacture diamonds very easily? One interesting discovery on maneuvering carbon atoms around was in 1985. Scientist Richard Smalley and fellow researchers were able to construct a cage of 60 carbon atoms. It is schematically shown as below.

On November 9, 1989 at IBM’s Almaden Research Center in San Jose, California, scientists Don Eigler and Erhard Schweizer began a little atomic manipulation project of their own. With company pride they manipulated 35 Xenon atoms to form the logo, “IBM”. And thus the era of Nanotechnology began.

NANOMEDICINE Nanomedicine is the application of Nanotechnology (the engineering of tiny machines) to the prevention and treatment of disease in the human body. This evolving discipline has the potential to dramatically change medical science.

Established and near-future nanomedicine applications include activity monitors, chemotherapy, pacemakers, Biochips, OTC tests, insulin pumps, nebulizers, needleless injectors, hearing aids, medical flow sensors and blood pressure, glucose monitoring and drug delivery systems. Here are a few examples of how nanomedicine could transform common medical procedures: •

• • • •

Diagnostic nanomachines could be employed to monitor the internal chemistry of the body. Mobile nanorobots, equipped with wireless transmitters, could circulate in the blood and lymph systems, and send out warnings when chemical imbalances occur or worsen. Similar fixed nanomachines could be planted in the nervous system to monitor pulse, brain-wave activity, and other functions. Implanted nanotechnology devices could dispense drugs or hormones as needed in people with chronic imbalance or deficiency states. In heart defibrillators and pacemakers, nanomachines could affect the behavior of individual cells. Artificial antibodies, artificial white and red blood cells, and antiviral nanorobots might be devised.

The most advanced nanomedicine involves the use of NanoRobots as miniature surgeons. Such machines might repair damaged cells, or get inside cells and replace or assist damaged intracellular structures. At the extreme, nanomachines might replicate themselves, or correct genetic deficiencies by altering or replacing DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) molecules. In a 2006 publication on the worldwide status of nanomedicine, MedMarket Diligence reported that about 150 of the largest companies in the world are conducting nanotechnology research projects or planning nanotechnology products. According to Patrick Driscoll, President of MMD, there is a $1 billion market for nanotechnology applications, mostly in the area of MEMS (microelectromechanical systems), a figure that is likely to increase a hundred-fold by 2015.

DISCOVERY OF NANOTUBE Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are allotropes of carbon. A carbon nanotube is a one-atom thick sheet of graphite (called graphene) rolled up into a seamless cylinder with diameter of the order of a nanometer. This results in a nanostructure where the length-to-diameter ratio exceeds 10,000.

Nanotubes are members of the fullerene structural family, which also includes buckyballs. Buckyballs are spherical in shape, a nanotube is cylindrical, with at least one end typically capped with a hemisphere of the buckyball structure. Their name is derived from their size cylindrical carbon molecules have novel properties that make them potentially useful in a wide variety of applications in nanotechnology, electronics, optics and other fields of materials science.

There are two main types of nanotubes: Single-Walled NanoTubes (SWNTs) and Multi-Walled NanoTubes (MWNTs The nature of the bonding of a nanotube is described by applied quantum chemistry, specifically, orbital hybridization. Nanotubes are composed entirely of sp2 bonds, similar to those of graphite. This bonding structure, which is stronger than the sp3 bonds found in diamond, provides the molecules with their unique strength The nature of the bonding of a nanotube is described by applied quantum chemistry, specifically, orbital hybridization. Nanotubes are composed entirely of sp2 bonds, similar to those of graphite. This bonding structure, which is stronger than the sp3 bonds found in diamond, provides the molecules with their unique strength.

MIND BLOWING APPLICATIONS OF NANO TECHNOLOGY Nanotechnology applications can be summarized into several basic areas: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Smart Materials Energy Capture and Storage Magnets Sensors Nanoscale Biostructure Frabrication Electronics Smart Materials

A “smart material” is any material made at the nanoscale level, which performs a specific task. These are very unusual structures in that they contain MOBILE electronic charges. These charges can be moved to new positions in the structure. An example of a smart material would be self-tinting automotive glass. It is clear most of the time, but when the sunlight reaches certain intensity the glass darkens to prevent the driver from being blinded. Energy Capture and Storage Consider how much sunlight actually strikes the earth. We have determined that on average every square yard of land exposed will receive 5 kW-hours of solar energy per day. So if you had an area covering 100 square yards you would generate 500 kW-hours per day. So if we could efficiently harness the sun’s energy there could be limitless energy for us to use. Nanotechnology hopes to help that become a reality. One particular nanomaterial that interests us is titanium dioxide. This material, when combined with a special dye, will absorb solar energy and convert it to electrical energy. The hopes are that these photovoltaic cells produced from nanomaterial

will be more efficient, cost less to produce, and have significantly less affect on the environment than typical solar cells used today. Magnets The soldier to day is often referred to as a Christmas tree. He or she has all sorts of gadgets and each one has it own battery. Many times a soldier in the field carries a pack in excess of 80 pounds. One of the goals of nanotechnology is to develop a suit capable of many different functions. One of these functions involves Magneto Rheological Fluids. These fluids are made up of magnetic nanoparticles. These particles are so small it makes the suit very light to wear. When a bullet approaches, the suit senses the approach and the fluid immediately hardens to not allow bullets. Scientists have discovered that when the fluid suddenly undergoes a drastic change in properties it can dissipate or absorb the energy of a projectile. Sensors One of the most exciting areas of nanotechnology involves the understanding of molecular recognition. What this entails is being able to capture and recognize a certain molecule. We design a molecular sensor with the ability to capture what is called an “analyte”, which means the molecule we want to analyze. The sensor itself has a gap that only the analyte can fill. Once the sensor has absorbed the analyte it might change color to indicate the presence. These sensors have been also called “Bioarrays”. Since these sensors operate at the nanoscale you could literally have billions of little detectors available for any type of materials you want to detect. This could be temperature, water, light, sound, and even biological and chemical agents. In the picture given below, we see an example of the color change when Anthrax and the nanosensor bind to DNA.

Nanoscale Biostructures These structures are designed to imitate some type of biological process. They can also interact with a biological mechanism. One of the main focuses of this research is in the area of human repair and idea of self-assembly. For example, when we cut ourselves our body is able to heal and repair the cut. But sometimes, in the case of broken bones, our body has a hard time repairing it perfectly. The bio structures will be inserted into the body and form a template to assist the body. Using the bone example again, the bio structure will form an outer shell around the area that needs to be repaired. The natural bone can then grow around the structure. So now we don’t have to replace the bone we can simply, repair the damage easily. Fabrication

The basic idea of nanofabrication is that devices can be designed or manufactured at the nanometer scale. But there are many ideas of how this process could work. One idea is that the device would selfassemble atom by atom using a small nanomachine. This idea is similar to that of a seed, which tends to grow over time. Overall the manufacturing process must be able to produce mass quantities of pure material very efficiently. Electronics The field of nanoelectronics is very exciting as it is the combination of biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, and computer science. Imagine creating smaller and faster computer chips. Nanomaterials can absorb heat and conduct electricity as well. This makes them ideal for computer parts. Nanomotors can be fabricated and operate by nanochips. ADVANTAGES OF NANOTECHNOLOGY Most inventions help us live a good daily life. Nanotechnology is a good technological advance because of its positive benefits to pollution, money and cost, food, and many more things. Nanotechnology could solve many of our problems that we encounter everyday. Less pollution The problem with past technologies is that they pollute the environment. A good example of a bad polluting invention would be the automobile. Nanotechnology helps to reduce the pollution. LowProductionCosts Since the products that are able to be produced by nanotechnology will be manufactured billions at a time, at a lower cost. So the items can be affordable and are effective at the same time. The problem with storage and transportation will be eliminated. Mass Production of Food & Consumables By using Nanotechnology, we can grow tons of food at once in a small space. We can also shrink and combine the medicine so that the patient will not have to swallow multiple pills. Technology by itself With nanotechnology, we can have mini "super computers" that runs faster, so fast that we might not ever need a faster computer.

War Using nanotechnology, we can build undetected microscopic spy planes. People could build tracking devices, so small that we can attach devices, when we shake someone's hand, with out them even feeling anything. Electricity

At Purdue University and at the University of Chicago, engineers and physicists have found that a new formation of liquid drops with gas could make threads and wires. The wires and threads could be as small as a few nanometers wide in width. The nano-wires and threads could make other materials and create microscopic circuits as well as medical products. Medical Advantages The medical advantages are change of body appearance, stops aging process, immortality, painless child births, and universal immunity like aids, flu and end of sickness. Industrial Advantages The industrial advantages are automatic pollution cleanup, expanding computer technology by making it faster and smaller in size. The social advantages include, reproducing extinct animals and plants, safe and space travel, higher education, molecular food synthesis, to mention a few.

DISADVANTAGES OF NANO TECHNOLOGY Global monetary crisis, loss of jobs, oil becomes worthless, diamonds become worthless, atomic weapons more destructive and accessible. In relation to health problems, it is so minute that its existence in the hand is much unnoticed. The risk of inhaling this could be dangerous, and it can be a cause to death.

CONCLUSION… Yes, its sure that nanotechnology is going to rule the next era and its going to revolutionize the each and every industry …….. Finally it’s not going to spare any of the subjects. It carries on and on from mathematics to the biology as a nanobionic man in the mere future.