
A new technology has been developed during last thirty years named Nanotechnology. It has helped in count less field like food, cosmetics, medicine, electronics, water purification and many other fields.
The largest contribution is by US, 28 % in the nanotechnology market, whereas Japan is standing on 2nd number have shared up to 24% , while the Europe in on 3rd number have a share of 25 % .
Germany, France and UK are real Contributors for Nanomaterials owe their special properties according to the size. They are particularly between 1 nanometer and 100 nanometer of size. You will be stunned to know that 1 nanometer is equal to one-billionth is of a meter.
When two major advancement in the 1980’s achieved, the growth of this field was activated.
1. In 1981 a scanning tunneling microscope is developed, from which images can be seen at the atomic level.
2. In 1985 the discovery of molecular “carbon footballs” by Richard Smalley Harry Kroto and Robert Curl. They won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1996, together.
After that a number of developments came into being, such as carbon nanotubes and thin carbon sheaths. Then different methods have been adopted for development of precious nanomaterials.
The diligence in medicine includes the drug delivery of nanomedicines with the purpose of improved absorption in the human body. The use of nanomedicines made the provision of pictures of cancer ous tissues in a best appearance.
When we arrange nanoparticles properly, it delivers drugs, light, heat and other materials only to diseased cells and didn’t damage & disturbs the healthy tissues.
Lighter display screens have been produced that utilize minimum power, using flexible display panels prepared from nanowires. For producing effective and smaller computers, upgraded & heavy density memory chips and tiny transistors has been used in integrated circuits. A market survey told economists that nanoelectronics at present is estimated to be above $ 4 trillion.
Nanotechnology is helping in food science and has improved the methods of growing and storing food. It is surprising to know that silver nanoparticles, when placed in plastic storage bins, the harmful bacteria are killed at the time of contact.
On the other hand Zinc oxide nanoparticles comprised into packaging plastic films made a blockage of ultra violet light, gives a protection against bacteria and makes the films durable and increase their constancy.
Pesticides comprised in nanocapsules give out the toxic substances only in the stomach of insects which take them, in this way protects the plants and human from their harmful effects.
Such nanosensors has been produced that recognize when single plants and fertilizers need water and activate their release when needed, hence increasing the productivity of each plant and reducing the expenditure of water, foods and fertilizers.
The nanotechnology also developed the bulletproof paper which is prepared from nanocellulose, astonishingly it is stronger than steel. Light weight & stronger substances used in space craft, aero planes and everlasting light weight batteries.
For the economical production of durable tennis racquets, light weight textiles, and other sports items, we are using nanotechnology with success.