Understanding The Tiny World Of Nanoscience: Here’s Some Nanotechnology Information To Get You Start

By Author: Lois Jones
Total Articles: 6
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Nanoscience works with very small materials called nanomaterials. The prefix “nano” means “one-billionth,” so these nanotech materials are so small you can’t see them. Generally, nanomaterials are considered to be objects with one or more dimensional features that measure between one-billionth of a meter all the way down to the incomprehensible length of 100-billionths of a meter.

The size of these materials is a piece of nanotechnology information the average person can’t fathom. But people who work in nanoscience can, and they are keenly interested in studying the unique properties in these miniscule objects, having knowledge that allows them to manipulate matter on such small dimensions and understand the relationship between these nano objects’ properties and their size.

Nanotechnology information from the U.S. federal government tells us that objects of such small size have biological, chemical and physical properties that are different in several important ways from the properties we find in bulk matter, molecules and individual atoms.

There are ...
... companies today that are engaged in nanoscience research and development and also manufacturing for various industries including specialty chemical, textile, aerospace, electronics, defense, nutritional supplement and others.

The work these companies may perform includes:

Creating nanostructured materials and nanopowders for distributors and manufacturers of chemicals to sell in their own lines of products
Connecting with manufacturers and providing them with process tools specifically designed to make nanopowder products
Working with a wide range of industries and government entities in a research and development capacity
Creating processing technology and then licensing it to those engaged in developing nanopowders

As nanotechnology advances, some scientists believe we’ll see a number of new devices and materials that will have applications in the production of energy, the medical field, biomaterials, electronics and others.

Nanotechnology science is a relatively new development, the disciplines that led to it having been around for awhile. Nanotechnology appeared in the 1980s as the result of several experimental inventions including the scanning tunneling microscope and the discovery of fullerenes.

A nanotechnology information report in 2008 estimated that there were 800 products containing nano materials on the market and that each week, three or four more were being introduced. Familiar products that contain nanotechnolgy ingredients include:

The silver in food packages
Surface coatings
Sunscreens
Disinfectants
Cosmetics
Clothing
Tape
Varnish and paint
Appliances

In summary, nanotechnologists work with matter as small as 100-billionths of a meter in length. A relatively new field of science, nanotechnology is being developed by companies to assist in numerous industries and in many different applications.

Lois Jones is a freelance writer interested in Nanomaterials, a Malvern, Pa., manufacturer of nanomaterials and providers of nanotechnology information and products to a variety of industries. You can learn more about Nanoscience by visiting NanoMaterialsCompany.com.