Currently, nanotechnology has been very relevant and interested for many scientists from various areas such as chemistry, physics, biology and engineering in general, all due to the promising advances that it represents. In the near future, this discipline could renew current technological advances, propelling us into a new era of technological development.
Nanotechnology is a science that is in charge of investigating, studying, developing, designing, synthesizing and manipulating structures of matter at nano scales, that is to say, one millionth of a meter, the nano prefix that has the term nanotechnology means one millionth part, and its mathematical expression is 1? 10−9, likewise this discipline focuses on the exploitation of properties and phenomena on that same scale. (Euroresidents, 2013)
This science is based on the fact that particles or structures smaller than one hundred nanometers, one hundred thousandths of a meter, have different properties and new behaviors based on their size; In this way it has been found that physical and mechanical properties such as temperature, conductivity, melting point, among others, change on a nano scale.
The field of nanotechnology research is very broad, ranging from catalysis 1 of nano-sized particles, which concerns chemistry, to the physical properties used in quantum dot laser 2, making its study very complex., the people involved in this science must be introduced to different fields of knowledge. (Robles, 2012)
Nanotechnology history
The history of nanotechnology is very extensive and diverse because it is a multidisciplinary science that covers many areas of interest, however, the main events that marked its development are the following.
- 4th century, Romans
There are traces that the glassmakers of ancient Rome made glass with manometric metals, for the first time they took advantage of the characteristics of materials with a nano scale.
- 1661, Robert Boyle
The Irish chemist Boyle publishes his work named Sceptical Chymist, he contradicts Aristotle denying that fire, air, water and earth are the elements that make up matter, he proposes that there are small parts of matter that when combined form corpuscles3.
- 18th century, Thomas Wedgewood
At the end of the 18th century, Wedgewood produced images for the first time using light-sensitive silver nanoparticles, this discovery laid the foundation for the printing of current photographs.
- 1857, Michael Faraday
Faraday publishes in his Royal Society scientific journal his explanation of the involvement of nanometer particles in the color of windows in churches.
- 1965 Richard Feyman
Feyman receives the Nobel Prize in Physics for his valuable contributions to quantum electrodynamics.
- 1960, Although Feynman
Feynman gave a lecture on the importance that small metallic particles could have.
- 1982, Ekimov and Omushchenko
Two Russian scientists first explained quantum confinement.
- 1990 IBM
The IBM company writes its logo on a nano scale, it used thirty-five atoms from a sheet of glass called xenonuna.
- 1996-1998, WTEC
The World Technology Evaluation Center (WTEC) with the funding of the National Sciene Foundation5 carried out the first study on the development of 1 nanotechnology, the results were very positive as they found potential in technological innovation.
(Poole & Owens, 2007)
- 2000, William J. Clinton
Then-President of the United States Clinton founds the National
Nanotechnology Initiative6 for nanotechnology research and development.
Definition of Nanotechnology
Some of the definitions of nanotechnology are:
"Nanotechnology is a new approach focused on compression and mastering the properties of matter at the manometric scale" (Schulenburg, 2004)
"Nanotechnology is a relatively new science, applied to many fields of research. It consists of the study, analysis, structuring, training, design and operation of materials at molecular scales ”(Venemedia, 2014)
"The concept of Nanotechnology encompasses those fields of science and technology in which materials, substances and devices of very small dimensions, generally less than one micron, are studied, obtained and handled in a controlled manner" (Faustino, 2011)
Nanomaterials
"Nanomaterials are materials with morphological properties smaller than a micrometer in at least one dimension" (Castillo, 2012), although there is no specific parameter for the size of these materials, they are estimated to range from one to one hundred nanometers. The Environment Agency (EPA) of the United States of America made a classification of nanomaterials which is:
- Carbon based
As their name indicates, these nanomaterials are made up mostly of carbon and generally have the shape of a sphere, ellipsoids or tubes, those that have the shape of an ellipsoid and a sphere are called fullerenes, while those that have a cylindrical shape are nanotubes.
- Metal based
These types of nanomaterials are characterized by having quantum dots, silver and gold scale particles in addition to metallic oxides.
- Dendrimers
These types of nanomaterials are made up of polymers 7 in branched units, they are very useful for the administration of drugs.
- Compounds
These nanomaterials are characterized by being made up of combinations of nanoparticles such as clay at manometric scales.
(Castillo, 2012)
General methods of nanotechnology
Since the birth of nanotechnology, it has stood out for moving based on two basic methods experimentally and theoretically, both methods stand out for the way in which their nano materials are produced and molded. These methods are known as top-down nanotechnology and bottom-up nanotechnology.
Nanotechnology from top to bottom
This method is characterized by allowing material handling to be carried out very precisely gradually, particularly in refinement processes of production technologies. The possibility of manipulating the production precision in a very exact way has many benefits that exceed the possibility of manufacturing a product with a defined structure, the methodology to carry out the strategy from top to bottom is:
- Very precise machining Lithographic tools Photolithography Electron beam lithography
Some of the products that are made with this method are chips, which are increasingly smaller but contain a greater number of transistors. (López, 2011)
Nanotechnology from bottom to top
The concept of bottom-up was first raised at the Feynman conference in 1959, it refers to the construction of an object manipulating nanometer-sized materials, assembling atom to molecular pieces. Eric Drexler, director of the Foresight Institute has popularized this term because of his work with it, Drexler has developed nano-scale molecular structures using robots programmed to do anything.
One more field of work of this concept is the production of materials that have certain manometric parts or components, they are known as nanophase materials. These materials have had a great advance in the study of electronic and optical properties of fine powders such as gold. (López, 2011)
Economic and social impact
The materials and products with manometric materials are so diverse that a high impact is expected in all areas of knowledge, in the same way it can be deduced that it promoted the technology in an important way since today only a part of its applications is known and possibilities they can bring. Regarding economics, nanotechnology is already having an impact in different areas of the industry such as:
- AutomotiveAeronauticsQuantum Lees ProductionSupergrid ManufacturingQuantum WiresQuantum DotsElectronicsGenetic StudiesPharmaceuticals
So it is expected that in the near future it will be a fundamental part of the economies of the countries, due to its participation in different industries. Regarding the social impact, it should be handled with caution because it is a new and foreign concept, in the process of acceptance and familiarization of this new science, specialists from the social sciences and the educational sector will be very important. (Rodriguez, 2005)
Nanoelectronics
It is the branch of nanotechnology in charge of developing electronic applications by means of electronic circuits placed on chips and microprocessors, which are on a manometric scale. All these applications and uses of nanoelectronics in processors and chips are called as disruptive technology 8 due to their clear distinction from traditional models and applications, some examples of this new trend are: hybrid molecule semiconductor electronics, nanotubes, nanowires one-dimensional, advanced molecular electronics, among others. (Costa, 2000)
The microprocessors are manufactured using a technique called lithography, which consists of putting a silicon wafer on a semiconductor surface that is then coated with a light-sensitive layer to project the image of a circuit, to finally process and give it the characteristics and electrical properties necessary for its operation; the repetition of the procedure adding a new mask gives rise to the microprocessors and chips that we know today. (Schulenburg, 2004)
This new application of nanotechnology in electronic and electrical devices opens a new range of possibilities in improvements and innovation of thousands of products such as: televisions, radios, cell phones, computers, cars, household appliances, and many others, so its development represents a breakthrough in electronics.
Nanomedicine
One of the most important areas of impact in nanotechnology is medicine, all the advantages that this new science represents are very useful in health, they represent improving the quality of life of many people. The research areas of Nanomedicine are basically three, diagnosis, administration of drugs and regenerative treatments. In the illustration, one can visualize these areas.
Nanomedicine research areas. Taken from the article written by Laura M. Lechuga (2007)
Nanodiagnosis
This aspect of nanotechnology implies that devices or applications can identify the presence of a certain pathogen or perhaps cancer cells in the human body, however this technology needs very high precision to avoid side effects. Some of the nanodiagnostic examples are:
- A sensor that can determine the lack of substances such as vitamins and calcium by means of the sweat of the fingers. Bathroom mirror that provides information based on sweating. Devices that can analyze drinks that are free of pathogens and bacteria.
Controlled drug release
Another great advantage that can be applied with nanotechnology is the use of systems or devices that deliver controlled amounts of drugs. This tool consists of using nanometric structures that enter the body, transporting the drug to the indicated place or the damaged area and releasing the substance. This procedure involves pre-encapsulation and very complex planning to calculate the transport and activation of the substance at the right time. Two of the most important applications of this tool are:
- Supramolecular pills
They are concave molecular structures, which can transport drugs by means of antennas that adhere to certain proteins such as antibodies, allowing the substance to act on them.
- Magnetic particles for cancer
Similar to supramolecular tablets, magnetic particles of manometric proportions can be directed to the cancerous areas that will be activated by an electromagnetic field to reduce or eliminate the tumor.
Regenerative nanomedicine
"Regenerative nanomedicine deals with the repair or replacement of damaged tissues and organs through the application of methods from gene therapy, cell therapy, the dosage of bioregenerative substances and tissue engineering, stimulating the body's own repair mechanisms" some of the applications are: (Lechuga, 2007)
- Toothpaste with manometric material of apatite and protein to support the restoration of teeth Cream with nanoparticles of zinc and oxide to avoid direct contact of the skin with ultraviolet rays Creation of structures that favor the growth of tissues of the human body in damaged parts of the body, to develop this innovation, cell production must be managed
In this way, it is expected that nanomedicine will contribute to advances in health, in order to avoid infections, help in the medication of sick people, make life more comfortable and perhaps solve diseases that today have no cure.
conclusion
The foray of nanotechnology represents a breakthrough in many areas of knowledge, and even more so in its applications, this term represents the manipulation and development of materials and products on a manometric scale to carry out tasks that could not be done on a different scale, in a larger size.
However, nanotechnology is not only about producing small things, but producing new things, that is, taking advantage of the unique properties of materials that at different scales would be impossible to obtain to produce completely new materials with more and better properties.
The new properties of materials and the great diversity of applications of nanotechnology will affect many knowledge, commercial and health sectors in the near future, so a technological revolution could take place thanks to nanotechnology.
Bibliography
- Castillo, FD (May 15, 2012). FACULTY OF SUPERIOR STUDIES CUAUTITLÁN. Obtained from Introduction to nanomaterials: http://olimpia.cuautitlan2.unam.mx/pagina_ingenieria/mecanica/mat/mat_mec/m6/Introduccion%20a%20los%20nanomateriales.pdfCosta, JL (July 23, 2000). Nanoelectronics. Obtained from Molecular Electronics: http://www.phantomsnet.net/Resources/files/Nanoeletronica_alta.pdfEuroresidents. (August 4, 2013). What is nanotechnology? Obtained from Euro-residents, passion for life: https://www.euroresidents.com/futuro/nanotecnologia/nanotecnologia_que_es.htmFaustino, A. (April 1, 2011). National Autonomous University of Mexico. Obtained from NANOTECHNOLOGY IN PHARMACEUTICAL DEVELOPMENT: http://depa.fquim.unam.mx/liberacion/pdf/nanotecno.pdfLechuga, LM (June 10, 2007). The Nanomedicine revolution.Obtained from http://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/27998/1/038_043_Articulo_05.pdf López, TM (2011). Nanotechnology and nanomedicine. Mexico: ARKHÉ. Poole, C., & Owens, F. (2007). Nanotechnology. Barcelona: REVERTÉ.Robles, JD (June 19, 2012). Nanotechnology. Obtained from LASERS OF QUANTUM POINTS: https://telos.fundaciontelefonica.com/tag/nanotecnologia/Rodriguez, VV (January 17, 2005). Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. Obtained from The fundamental technology of the 21st century: http://suf.fisica.edu.uy/feiasofi2005/nanociencia.pdfSchulenburg, M. (February 9, 2004). Nanotechnology. Obtained from Innovations for Tomorrow's World: https://ec.europa.eu/research/industrial_technologies/pdf/nano-brochure/nano_brochure_en.pdfVenemedia. (November 22, 2014). Definition of nanotechnology. Obtained from: https: // conceptdefinition.of / nanotechnology /
Thesis proposal
T e man:
Development of products with materials of greater resistance and durability
Objective:
Develop products with stronger and more durable materials taking advantage of the manometric scale properties.
____
1 Process by which the chemical reaction is accelerated due to a catalyst
2 It is a semiconductor laser that uses quantum dots to emit light
3 Tiny masses that cannot be fragmented or divided
4 World Technology Assessment Center
5 National Science Foundation
6 National Nanotechnology Initiative
7 Macromolecules formed by the union of monomers by covalent bonds
8 innovative technologies, completely different from conventional ones
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