Republic of the Philippines
ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY
Region IX, Zamboanga Peninsula
R.T. Lim Blvd., Zamboanga City
GE 117 Course Pack
Date Document No. ZPPSU –
GE 117 Developed: LM2020
CODE 08-31-2021 Issued by: APPROVED
ZPPSU-DME
Date Revised:
Science, Technology 08-31-2021
and Society Prepared by:
COURSE TITLE ENGR. EMELYN K. ABAO
ROSALIE R. BAGUIO
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VISION MISSION INSTITUTIONAL CORE VALUES
ZPPSU as the leading provider of Provide effective and OUTCOMES Love of God;
globally competitive human efficient services through Globally competitive Social Responsibility;
resources. advance technological graduates who can perform Commitment/
studies and researches for advanced Dedication to the
the empowerment of the technological competencies Service; and
nation’s human resources. in their field of specialization. Accountability
FOCUS LESSON / IMPORTANT CONCEPT
1. Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
2. How Small is Nanoscale?
3. Sample Nanotechnology Products
4. Advantages & Disadvantages of Nanotechnology
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The students will be able to:
1. Discuss the major impacts (both potential and realized} of
nanotechnology on society.
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Module 9
The Nano World
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Nanoscience and nanotechnology are the study and application of
extremely small things and can be used across all the other science fields,
such as chemistry, biology, physics, materials science, and engineering.
The ideas and concepts behind nanoscience and nanotechnology
started with a talk entitled “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom” by
physicist Richard Feynman at an American Physical Society meeting at the
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California Institute of Technology (CalTech) on December 29, 1959, long
before the term nanotechnology was used. In his talk, Feynman described a
process in which scientists would be able to manipulate and control
individual atoms and molecules. Over a decade later, in his explorations of
ultraprecision machining, Professor Norio Taniguchi coined the term
nanotechnology. It wasn't until 1981, with the development of the scanning
tunnelling microscope that could "see" individual atoms, that modern
nanotechnology began.
Nanoscience and nanotechnology involve the ability to see and to
control individual atoms and molecules. Everything on Earth is made up of
atoms—the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the buildings and houses we
live in, and our own bodies.
But something as small as an atom is impossible to see with the naked
eye. In fact, it’s impossible to see with the microscopes typically used in a
high school science classes. The microscopes needed to see things at the
nanoscale were invented relatively recently—about 30 years ago.
Once scientists had the right tools, such as the scanning tunneling
microscope (STM) and the atomic force microscope (AFM), the age of
nanotechnology was born.
Although modern nanoscience and nanotechnology are quite new,
nanoscale materials were used for centuries. Alternate-sized gold and silver
particles created colors in the stained glass windows of medieval churches
hundreds of years ago. The artists back then just didn’t know that the
process they used to create these beautiful works of art actually led to
changes in the composition of the materials they were working with.
Today's scientists and engineers are finding a wide variety of ways to
deliberately make materials at the nanoscale to take advantage of their
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enhanced properties such as higher strength, lighter weight, increased
control of light spectrum, and greater chemical reactivity than their larger-
scale counterparts.
How Small is Nanoscale?
It’s hard to imagine just how small nanotechnology is. One nanometer is
a billionth of a meter, or 10 -9 of a meter. Here are a few illustrative
examples:
There are 25,400,000 nanometers in an inch
A sheet of newspaper is about 100,000 nanometers thick
On a comparative scale, if a marble were a nanometer, then one
meter would be the size of the Earth
The nanoscopic scale (or nanoscale) usually refers to structures
with a length scale applicable to nanotechnology, usually cited as 1–100
nanometers. A nanometer is a billionth of a meter. The nanoscopic scale is
(roughly speaking) a lower bound to the mesoscopic scale for most solids.
For technical purposes, the nanoscopic scale is the size at which
fluctuations in the averaged properties (due to the motion and behavior of
individual particles) begin to have a significant effect (often a few percent)
on the behavior of a system, and must be taken into account in its analysis.
The nanoscopic scale is sometimes marked as the point where the
properties of a material change; above this point, the properties of a
material are caused by 'bulk' or 'volume' effects, namely which atoms are
present, how they are bonded, and in what ratios. Below this point, the
properties of a material change, and while the type of atoms present and
their relative orientations are still important, 'surface area effects' (also
referred to as quantum effects) become more apparent – these effects are
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due to the geometry of the material (how thick it is, how wide it is, etc.),
which, at these low dimensions, can have a drastic effect on quantized
states, and thus the properties of a material.
Sample Nanotechnology Products
The ongoing quest for miniaturization has resulted in tools like the
atomic force microscope and the scanning tunneling microscope. Combined
with refined processes such as electron beam lithography, these instruments
allow researchers to deliberately manipulate and manufacture
nanostructures; something they couldn’t do before.
Engineered nanomaterials, either by way of a top-down approach (a
bulk material is reduced in size to nanoscale patterns) or a bottom-up
approach (larger structures are built or grown atom by atom or molecule by
molecule), go beyond just a further step in miniaturization. They have
broken a size barrier below which quantization of energy for the electrons in
solids becomes relevant.
It is quite amazing how much of nanotechnology-related research is
inspired by nature's designs. As a matter of fact, nature is full of examples of
sophisticated nanoscopic architectural feats. Whether it is structural colors;
adhesion; porous strength; or bacterial navigation and locomotion—they
underpin the essential functions of a variety of life forms, from bacteria to
berries, wasps to whales.
1. Nanobiotechnology - is the application of nanotechnologies in biological
fields. Chemists, physicists and biologists each view nanotechnology as a
branch of their own subject, and collaborations in which they each
contribute equally are common. One result is the hybrid field of
nanobiotechnology that uses biological starting materials, biological design
principles or has biological or medical applications.
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2. Nanoelectronics - The term nanoelectronics refers to the use of
nanotechnology in electronic components. These components are often only
a few nanometers in size. However, the tinier electronic components
become, the harder they are to manufacture.
3. Nanocoatings - The term nanocoating refers to nanoscale (i.e. with a
thickness of a few tens to a few hundreds of nanometers) thin-films that are
applied to surfaces in order create or improve a material's functionalities
such as corrosion protection, water and ice protection, friction reduction,
antifouling and antibacterial properties, self-cleaning, heat and radiation
resistance, and thermal management.
4. Nanoplasmonics - research focuses on the optical phenomena in the
nanoscale vicinity of metal surfaces. In nanoplasmonics, researchers focus
nanoscale light below the diffraction limit (which typically is half the width of
the wavelength of light being used to view the specimen) by converting free
photons into localized charge-density oscillations – so-called surface
plasmons – on noble-metal nanostructures, which serve as nanoscale
analogs of radio antennas and are typically designed by using antenna
theory concepts.
5. Nanosensors - The term nanosensor is not clearly defined. Most
definitions refer to a sensing device with at least one of its dimensions being
smaller than 100 nm and for the purpose of collecting information on the
nanoscale and transferring it into data for analysis.
Nanosensors have been developed for the detection of gases,
chemical and biochemical variables, as well as physical variables and the
detection electromagnetic radiation.
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6. Food and Agriculture - If you ever have wondered where
nanotechnology will take us, look no further than the potential applications
in the area of functional food by engineering biological molecules toward
functions very different from those they have in nature, opening up a whole
new area of research and development. Of course, there seems to be no
limit to what food technologists are prepared to do to our food and
nanotechnology will give them a whole new set of tools to go to new
extremes.
7. Energy - Nanotechnologies provide the potential to enhance energy
efficiency across all branches of industry and to economically leverage
renewable energy production through new technological solutions and
optimized production technologies. Nanotechnology innovations could
impact each part of the value-added chain in the energy sector: Energy
sources; energy conversion; energy distribution; energy storage; and energy
usage.
8. Graphene Batteries - Graphene has proven useful for different types of
batteries – redox flow, metal–air, lithium–sulfur, lithium-metal and, more
importantly, lithium-ion batteries. Since graphene can be chemically
processed into various forms suitable for both the positive and negative
electrodes, this enables the fabrication of all-graphene batteries with
ultrahigh energy density.
9. Nanotechnology in Furniture - in the near future, using nanomaterials
in furniture may lead to a reduced need for adhesives and functional
textiles. Expect to see "smart" furniture – furniture that heats itself when it's
cold; becomes opaque when the sun is shining intensely; changes color upon
demand; measures core body functions; has antibacterial coatings that get
activated on contact or self-healing coatings to repair scratches and minor
damage; has embedded electronics that for instance signals you when you
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run out of food supplies; or includes shape memory alloys that change their
shape.
10.Nanotechnology in Space - Nanotechnology will play an important role
in future space missions. Nanosensors, dramatically improved high-
performance materials, or highly efficient propulsion systems are but a few
examples.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology encompasses science, medicine, engineering,
computing and robotics at this scale, called the nanoscale. Nanotechnology
offers the potential for new and faster kinds of computers, more efficient
power sources and life-saving medical treatments. Potential disadvantages
include economic disruption and possible threats to security, privacy, health
and the environment.
Manufacturing Advantages
Nanotechnology is already making new materials available that could
revolutionize many areas of manufacturing. For example, nanotubes and
nano particles, which are tubes and particles only a few atoms across, and
aerogels, materials composed of very light and strong materials with
remarkable insulating properties, could pave the way for new techniques
and superior products. In addition, robots that are only a few nanometers in
length, called nanobots, and nanofactories could help construct novel
materials and objects.
Advantages in Electronics and Computing
The field of electronics is set to be revolutionized by nanotechnology.
Quantum dots, for example, are tiny light-producing cells that could be used
for illumination or for purposes such as display screens. Silicon chips can
already contain millions of components, but the technology is reaching its
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limit; at a certain point, circuits become so small that if a molecule is out of
place the circuit won't work properly. Nanotechnology will allow circuits to
be constructed very accurately on an atomic level.
Medical Advantages
Nanotechnology has the potential to bring major advances in
medicine. Nanobots could be sent into a patient's arteries to clear away
blockages. Surgeries could become much faster and more accurate. Injuries
could be repaired cell-by-cell. It may even become possible to heal genetic
conditions by fixing the damaged genes. Nanotechnology could also be used
to refine drug production, tailoring drugs at a molecular level to make them
more effective and reduce side effects.
Environmental Effects
Some of the more extravagant negative future scenarios have been
debunked by experts in nanotechnology. For example: the so-called "gray
goo" scenario, where self-replicating nanobots consume everything around
them to make copies of themselves, was once widely discussed but is no
longer considered to be a credible threat. It is possible, however, that there
will be some negative effects on the environment as potential new toxins
and pollutants may be created by nanotechnology.
Economic Upheaval
It is likely that nanotechnology, like other technologies before it, will
cause major changes in many economic areas. Although products made
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possible by nanotechnology will initially be expensive luxury or specialist
items, once availability increases, more and more markets will feel the
impact. Some technologies and materials may become obsolete, leading to
companies specializing in those areas going out of business. Changes in
manufacturing processes brought about by nanotechnology may result in job
losses.
Privacy and Security
Nanotechnology raises the possibility of microscopic recording
devices, which would be virtually undetectable. More seriously, it is possible
that nanotechnology could be weaponized. Atomic weapons would be easier
to create and novel weapons might also be developed. One possibility is the
so-called "smart bullet," a computerized bullet that could be controlled and
aimed very accurately. These developments may prove a boon for the
military; but if they fell into the wrong hands, the consequences would be
dire.
ABSTRACTION
An advance interdisciplinary ground is the Nanotechnology. It
covers science and technology that produce materials which help in
the improvement of different areas of humanity. This include health
care, agriculture, environment, food, energy and water. These are also
the areas that needs to be investigated that will press forward our
understanding of science and technology that will help develop our
quality of life. In the use of nanotechnology, considerations of the
social, ethical and environmental should be regarded before the
utilization of nanomaterials.
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