Introduction
Nanotechnology is the field of science in which matter is manipulated at very small scales usually of atomic and molecular level to achieve desired properties. The common range of sizes are between 1 and 100 nanometers for the devices, tools and other materials, which come under the domain of nanotechnology. For standardization purposes, this size is measured in one dimension only which is usually the larger one. One nanometer is as small as one billionth of a meter or simply 10-9 meter. At such smaller scales the effects of Quantum mechanics play vital role in determining the properties of the manufactured products.
Applications
The project on Emerging Nanotechnologies has estimated that about 1,000 nanotechnology products are manufactured and commercially available to general public. The rate at which new products in this field are coming in the market is estimated to be 3-4 per week. This rate of 3-4 per week is expected to rise in upcoming years due to various researches currently going on in this field. The project on Emerging Nanotechnologies has listed all the available products in an online database which is accessible by general public. Numerous products are in the domain of using the first generation Nano- materials which were titanium dioxide in various applications like sunscreen, surface coating, some food products and cosmetics. Many other first generation Nano-materials include Carbon allotropes which were used in manufacturing of gecko tape. Moreover, silver oxide used in manufacturing of cosmetics, food packaging, disinfectants, household appliances and surface coating also comes under the first generation Nano-materials. The same silver oxide is also used in manufacturing outdoor furniture varnishes and paints and is used as fuel catalyst .
Nanotechnology has been incorporated in almost every manufacturing field. Through the use of Nano-materials manufacturers of tennis balls have made such tennis balls which will last longer. Similarly the gold ball manufacturers have successfully made such golf balls which will fly relatively straighter, and bowling balls have been produced with more durability and even harder surfaces. The manufacturers of garments have also taken the benefit from the use of nanotechnology and through infusing nanotechnology they have successfully manufactured such trousers and socks that will last longer and will stay cool in summer .
Nanotechnology has variety of applications in almost every field of life. This includes the field of medicals in which the bandages are manufactured through infusing silver nanoparticles which help in healing the wounds faster than normal bandages. This technology is also implemented in manufacturing of cars by infusing nanomaterial in order to achieve the goal of fewer metals to reduce the fuel requirements. Furthermore, this technology is also used in manufacturing of personal computers, laptops and gaming consoles which has reduced the manufacturing costs of these and has enhanced the speed and memory of these devices. Nanotechnology has the potential to make all these applications even cheaper and better in the future through discovery of better nanomaterial and better techniques .
Conclusion
Nanotechnology has revolutionized the way of living and has potential to make best of every field of science through infusing Nano-material in almost every conventional product. This technology has so far affected our lives greatly, despite the fact that only three decades have passed since the discovery of this technology. There has been very small number of products in the market due to the fact that this is a developing technology, but those few products in the order of 1000s have clearly shown the potential of this technology through enhancing the features of the conventional products while reducing the cost of manufacturing. This technology is considered as the product of both physics and chemistry so it has been fascinating for experts and scientists of both the fields. The variety of applications of nanotechnology in daily life has made life easy and better in almost all the domains. It has numerous applications ranging from medical sciences to automobile manufacturing, from textiles to cosmetics and from surface science to gaming. This technology can be considered as the “Technology of the Future” due to its enhanced features and reduced costs .
References
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Louis, T., & Robert, G. K. (2005). Nanotechnology: Environmental Implications and Solutions. Hoboken (NJ): John Wiley & Sons.
Mark, A. R., & Daniel, R. (2003). Nanotechnology: A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea. New Jersey (NJ): Prentice Hall Professional.
Michael, K., & Wolfgang, F. (2008). Nanotechnology. Hoboken (NJ): John Wiley & Sons.
Rebecca, L. J. (2006). Nanotechnology. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications.
