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Nanotechnology

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28 views2 pages

Nanotechnology

Uploaded by

nidish
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Nanotechnology :

A human hair is approximately 80 000 nm wide


Credit: eSpin Technologies, Inc.

Nanotechnology refers to the branch of science and engineering devoted


to designing, producing, and using structures, devices, and systems by
manipulating atoms and molecules at nanoscale, i.e. having one or
more dimensions of the order of 100 nanometres (100 millionth of a
millimetre) or less.

In the natural world, there are many examples of structures with one or
more nanometre dimensions, and many technologies have incidentally
involved such nanostructures for many years, but only recently has it
been possible to do it intentionally.

Many of the applications of nanotechnology involve new materials that


have very different properties and new effects compared to the same
materials made at larger sizes. This is due to the very high surface to
volume ratio of nanoparticles compared to larger particles, and to
effects that appear at that small scale but are not observed at larger
scales.

The applications of nanotechnology can be very beneficial and have the


potential to make a significant impact on society. Nanotechnology has
already been embraced by industrial sectors, such as the information
and communications sectors, but is also used in food technology,
energy technology, as well as in some medical products and
medicines. Nanomaterials may also offer new opportunities for the
reduction of environmental pollution.

But these new materials may also present new health risks. Humans
have developed mechanisms of protection against various
environmental agents of different sizes. However, until recently, they
had never been exposed to synthetic nanoparticles and their specific
characteristics. Therefore the normal human defence mechanisms
associated with, for example, immune and inflammatory systems may
well not be able to respond adequately to these nanoparticles. In
addition, nanoparticles may also disperse and persist in the
environment, and therefore have an impact on the environment.
As far as health risks are concerned, there are two types
of nanostructure to consider:

 those where the structure itself is a free particle, called


free nanoparticles, which is the group of greater concern; and
 those where the nanostructure is an integral part of a larger object,
for instance, materials with coatings composed of nanomaterials.
However, as long as the nanoparticles are fixed to the carrier, there
is no reason to suppose that they pose a greater risk for health or

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