Nanotechnology The Next Big Idea?

Overview ● What is nanotechnology? ● Examples ● Requirements ● Pros and cons ● Conclusion Branched Electron Flow

● nano = ➔ 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 cm 2 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