 | Ed Martin is owner of Healthy Choices, Inc. of Wichita. Ed has been involved in the energy and health fields for over 30 years, focusing on pioneering new technologies and bringing cutting-edge products and services to the marketplace. You can reach Ed at; 316-207-7343, or by e-mail at healthychoices1@cox.net |
Health & Wellness
2006-07-01 09:38:00
Nanotechnology has a big future
How is nanotechnology being used to create consumer products for today’s market? Can you give some examples?
ANSWER: Nanotechnology concerns materials and working devices that are engineered at the scale of atoms and molecules. Advances in nanotech will affect electronics and computing, medicine, cosmetics, foods, the military, energy – all walks of life. By 2020, $1 trillion worth of products could be nano-engineered in some way."Nano" comes from the Greek "dwarf". It is used in the metric system to refer to "billionth" - a nanometer (nm) is a billionth of a meter. Put another way, this is about 1/50,000th the width of a human hair. Normal office paper is about 100,000nm thick. Nanotechnologists will typically work in the range 1-100nm.Nanotech should not be confused with miniaturization – although it will lead to smaller components in chips, for example. Nanotech exploits the novel properties seen in materials when their atoms and molecules are very carefully arranged. These properties are not generally seen in large-scale solids of the same chemical composition.We can learn about nanotechnology from nature. For example, the gecko can walk up a vertical glass wall and even hang upside down from a glass ceiling. The hairs (spatulae) on its feet are so small they can exploit forces that pull molecules together, sticking the gecko to the glass. Nanotech can make sticky tape lined with gecko-like synthetic hairs that do the same job.The cosmetics industry already puts nano-particles in lotions, creams and shampoos. Nano-sized zinc oxide particles are used in suncreams. The particles are particularly good at absorbing ultra-violet rays, but they make the lotion transparent and smooth instead of sticky and white.Nanotechnology can make windows easy to keep clean, even in the rain. For example, Pilkington coats the surface of its Activ glass with titanium oxide nano-particles. Sunshine on these special windows triggers a chemical reaction which breaks down dirt. When water hits the glass, it spreads evenly over the surface, instead of forming droplets, and runs off rapidly taking the dirt with it. In the automotive industry, nanotechnology has been used to develop higher quality paints than were ever possible before. Another example involves carbon nanotubes, which are sheets of graphite (carbon) that are rolled up on themselves. These ultra-strong cylinders are just a few nanometres across, but they can be used to make composite coatings for car bumpers that better hold their shape in a crash. The clothing industry uses nanotechnology to make stain-repellent fabrics. A chemical process applies nano-size particles to fabrics as they are manufactured. When liquids are spilled on clothing made from those fabrics, the liquid is not absorbed. Instead it beads up on the garment’s surface and is easily wiped away. In another example, socks that are made with nano-silver particles give anti-microbial protection, preventing bacteria and fungus that cause itching and foot odor.It is interesting to know that products we commonly use every day are being made better through applied research using nanotechnology.
