LESSON 4

THE NANO WORLD

Scientific researchers have developed new technological tools that greatly

improve different aspects of our lives. The use of nanoscale is one important
interdisciplinary area generated by advancement in science and technology. Scientists
and engineers were able to build materials with innovative properties as they
manipulate nanomaterials. Indeed, research and application of knowledge on
nanomaterials will continue to bring widespread implications in various areas of the
society, especially health care, environment, energy, food, water, and agriculture.
Nanotechnology refers to the science, engineering, and technology conducted at
the nanoscale, which is about 1 to 100 nanometers (NNI, 2017). Nanoscience and
nanotechnology employ the study and application of exceptionally small things in other
areas of science including materials science, engineering, physics, biology, and
chemistry (NNI, 2017).

The concepts of nanotechnology and nanoscience started in December 29, 1959

when Physicist Richard Feynman discussed a method in which scientists can direct and
control individual atoms and molecules in his talk "There's Plenty of Room at the
Bottom" during the American Physical Society meeting at the California InstitUte of
Technology. The term "nanotechnology" was coined by Professor Norio Taniguchi a
decade after the dawn of the use of ultraprecision machining.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson, the student should be able to:
1. define nanotechnology
2. characterize nanoscale
3. describe the various uses of nanotechnology
4. discuss concerns on the use of nanotechnology; and
5. explain the status of the use of nanotechnology in the Philippines

HOW SMALL IS A NANOSCALE?

A nanometer is a billionth of a meter, or 10 -9 of a meter. The illustration below
shows how small nanoscale is compared to other particles or materials.

Manipulation of nanomaterials needs an adept understanding of their types and

dimensions. The various types of nanomaterials are classified according to their
individual shapes and sizes. They may be particles, tubes, wires, films, flakes, or shells
that have one or more nanometer-sized dimensions. One should be able to view and
manipulate them so that we can take advantage of their exceptional characteristics.

DISTINCT FEATURE OF NANOSCALE

Nanotechnology involves operating at a very small dimension and it allows
scientists to make use of the exceptional optical, chemical, physical, mechanical, and
biological qualities of materials of that small scale (NNI, 2017). The following are distinct
features of nanoscale:
1. Scale at which much biology occurs.
 Various activities of the cells take place at the nanoscale. The
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) serves as the genetic material of the cell and
is only about 2 nanometers in diameter. Furthermore, the hemoglobin that
transports oxygen to the tissues throughout the body is 5.5 nanometers in
diameter.
A good number of modern researches focus on advancing
procedures, therapies, tools, and treatments that are more accurate and
custom-made than traditional methods and cause no adverse effects on
the body.
An example of this is the bio-barcode assay, which is, an
inexpensive approach for identification of specific disease markers in the
blood despite their small number in a particular specimen.

2. Scale at which quantum effects dominate properties of materials.

Particles with dimensions of 1-100 nanometers have properties that

are significantly discrete from particles of bigger dimensions. Quantum
effects direct the behavior and properties of particles in this size scale.
The properties of materials are highly dependent on their size. Among the
essential properties of nanoscale that change as a function of size include
chemical reactivity, fluorescence, magnetic permeability, melting point,
and electrical conductivity.

One example is the nanoscale gold, which is not only the yellow-
colored element we are used to seeing but it can also appear red or
purple. Gold's electrons display restricted motion in the nanoscale.
Practically, nanoscale gold particles selectively build up in tumors, where
they permit both precise imaging and targeted laser destruction of the
tumor while avoiding damage on healthy cells.
3. Nanoscale materials have far larger surface areas than similar masses of
larger-scale materials.
 As we increase the surface area per mass of a material, a greater
amount of the material comes in contact with another material and can
affect its reactivity.
If 1 cubic centimeter is filled with micrometer-sized cubes—a trillion
(1012) of them, each with a surface area of 6 square micrometers—the
total surface area amounts to 6 square meters, or about the area of the
main bathroom in an average house. When that single cubic centimeter of
volume is filled with 1-nanometer-sized cubes-1021 of them, each with an
area of 6 square nanometers—their total surface area comes to 6,000
square meters.

HOW TO VIEW NANOMATERIALS

Scientists use special types of microscopes to view minute nanomaterials. During
the early 1930s, scientists used electron microscopes and field microscopes to look at
the nanoscale. The scanning tunneling microscope and atomic force microscope are
just among the modem and remarkable advancements in microscopy.

1. Electron microscope
o German engineers Ernst Ruska and Max Knoll built the first electron
microscope during the 1930s.
o This type of microscope utilizes a particle beam of electrons to light up
a specimen and develop a well-magnified image.
o Electron microscopes produce higher and better resolution than older
light microscopes because they can magnify objects up to a million
times while conventional light microscopes can magnify objects up to
1,500 times only.
o Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron
microscope TEM) are the two general types of electron microscope.

2. Atomic force microscope (AFM)

 o It was first developed by GerdBinig, Calvin Quate, and Christoph
Gerber in 1986. It makes use of a mechanical probe that gathers
information from the surface of a material.

3. Scanning tunneling microscope

o This special type of microscope enables scientists to view and

manipulate nanoscale particles, atoms, and small molecules. In 1986,
GerdBinig and Heinrich Rohrer won the Nobel Prize in Physics
because of this invention.

NANOMANUFACTURING

It refers to scaled-up, reliable, and cost-effective manufacturing of nanoscale

materials, structures, devices, and systems. It also involves research, improvement, and
incorporation of processes for the construction of materials. Therefore,
nanomanufacturing leads to the development of new products and improved materials.
There are two fundamental approaches to nanomanufacturing, either bottom-up or top-
down (NNI, 2017):

1. Bottom-up fabrication

- It manufactures products by building them up from atomic- and molecular-

scale components. However, this method can be time-consuming.
Scientists and engineers are still in search for effective ways of putting up
together molecular components that self-assemble and from the bottom-
up to organized structures.
 2. Top-down fabrication

- It trims down large pieces of materials into nanoscale. This process needs
larger amounts of materials and discards excess raw materials.

There are new approaches to the assembly of nanomaterials based from the
application of principles in top-down and bottom-up fabrication. These include:

- Dip pen lithography

o It is a method in which the tip of an atomic force microscope is "dipped"

into a chemical fluid and then utilized to "write" on a surface, like an old-
fashioned ink pen onto paper.

- Self-assembly

o It depicts an approach wherein a set of components join together to mold

an organized structure in the absence of an outside direction.

- Chemical vapor deposition

o It is a procedure Wherein chemicals act in response to from very pure,

high-performance films

- Nanoimprint lithography

o It is a method of generating nanoscale attributes by "stamping" or

"printing" them onto a surface.

- Molecular beam epitaxy

o It is one manner for depositing extremely controlled thin

- • Roll-to-roll processing
 o It is a high-volume practice for constructing nanoscale devices on a roll of
ultrathin plastic or metal.

- Atomic layer epitaxy

o It is a means for laying down one-atom-thick layers on a surface.

With the use of these techniques, nanomaterials are made more durable,
stronger, lighter, water-repellent, ultraviolet- or infrared-resistant, scratch-resistant,
electrically conductive, antireflective, antifog, antimicrobial, self-cleaning, among others.
The abovementioned characteristics lead to the manufacture of the present variety of
nanotechnology-enabled products such as tennis rackets and baseball bats to catalysts
for purifying crude oil and ultrasensitive recognition and classification of biological and
chemical toxins.

It is not impossible that soon, computers that are better, more efficient, with
larger storage of memory, faster, and energy-saving will be developed. Soon, the entire
memory of a computer will be saved in a single tiny chip. Moreover, nanotechnology
has the potential to construct high-efficiency, low-cost batteries and solar cells.

POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS OF NANTECHNOLOGY IN THE PHILIPPINES

1. ICT and semiconductors

2. Health and medicine
3. Energy
4. Food and agriculture
5. Environment
BENEFITS AND CONCERNS OF USING NANOTECHNOLOGY
Nanotechnology has various applications in different sectors of the society and
environment. Salamanca-Buentello et al. (2005) proposed an initiative called
"Addressing Global Challenges Using Nanotechnology" to accelerate the use of
nanotechnology to address critical sustainable development challenges. They
suggested a model that could help figure out the possible contributions of the
community in overcoming global challenges that pose risk on health and other aspects
of peoples' lives. However, there are concerns that need to be addressed before using
and promoting materials derived from nanotechnology (Dayrit, 2005).
1. Nanotechnology is not a single technology; it may become pervasive.
2. Nanotechnology seeks to develop new materials with specific properties.
3. Nanotechnology may introduce new efficiencies and paradigms which may
make some natural resources and current practices uncompetitive or
obsolete.
4. It may be complicated to detect its presence unless one has the specialist
tools of nanotechnology.

SOCIAL AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIOONS IN CONDUCTING RESEARCH ON

NANOTECHNOLOGY
1. Who will benefit from it? On the other hand, who won't?
2. For whom and what are your objectives for developing your product?
3. How will it affect social, economic, and political relationships?
4. What problem is your "product" trying to solve?
5. Who will have access to it? Who will be excluded?
6. Are there dangers involved with its development (e.g., safety, health, pollution)?
How can you minimize them? Who will own it? How can you assure access to it?

REFERENCES
• Dayrit, F.M. (2005). "Nanotechnology: Business and Practical Applications:
Where the Philippines Is and Where It Should Be." Ateneo de Manila University.
• National Nanotechnology Initiative. (2017). "Manufacturing at the Nanoscale."
Accessed September 20, 2020. https://www.nano.
gov/nanotech-101/what/manufacturing.
• National Nanotechnology Initiative. (2017). "Nanotechnology 101." Accessed
September 20, 2020. https://www.nano.gov/ nanotech- 101/.
• National Nanotechnology Initiative. (2017). "What is Nanotechnology?" Accessed
September 20, 2020. https://www. nano.gov/nanotech-101/what/definition.
• National Nanotechnology Initiative. (2017). "What's so special about the
Nanoscale?" Accessed September 20, 2020. https://www. nano.gov/nanotech-
101/special.
• Roco, M. "National Nanotechnology Initiative: The Long-Term View." In
Proceedings Nanotechnology and the Environment: Applications and
Implications. Progress Review Workshop III, EPA, Oct 26-28, 2005, Arlington,
VA.
• Salamanca-Buentello et al. (2005). "Nanotechnology and the Developing World,"
PLoS Medicine. Accessed September 20, 2020. http:// www.plosmedicine.org.
• University of Washington. "Societal and Ethical Implications of Nanotechnology."
Accessed September 20, 2020. http://depts. washington.edu/ntethics/.