Introduction to Nanotechnology: Basic Concepts Explained

The nanotechnology is a very important field of science. But it is not an entirely new science. Did you know that some nanomaterials were used centuries ago? And still, many people today do not know what the nanotechnology is. But the basic concepts are really easy to grasp. So let’s explore more.

Nanotechnology basics: What is the nanoscale?

Nanotechnology mainly deals with materials at a nanoscale. Materials and devices associated with this field of technology are usually composed of carbon nanotubes, but some other types of materials are used too.

So how small the nanoscale is?

Nanometer (nm) is one billionth of a meter. This scale is already close to the size of individual atoms or molecules.

But do devices or structures have to be that small, in order to ‘qualify’ to be called nan-odevices or nano-structures? Actually, current science of materials and related industry allow for larger-scale elements to be called ‘nanotech’. Anything in the range of 100 nanometers or less qualify for this definition too.

What are the types of nanomaterials?

Carbon, of course, is the most popular of them all. You probably have heard about the carbon nanotubes? A nanotube is a special shape formed by a group of atoms. This arrangement of particles ensures unique properties of matter. These unique properties include exceptional strength, flexibility, resistance, conductivity, just to name a few. That is why they are used in industry – for example, car manufacturing.

But not all nanotubes are made of carbon. Boron nitride, gallium nitride, silicon, or titania can also exist in a form of nanotubes. Technically, DNA molecule, the essence of life, is also a kind of nanotube.

Structure is important too

Such tiny tubes can have fundamentally different forms. There are single-walled, multi-walled nanotubes. In this situation, the number of walls is what matters. The lattice of atoms can form zigzag or so-called armchair configurations. They can differ in length, diameter, and some other physical parameters.

And certainly, nanotubes are not the only possible kind of structures for nanomaterials. There are also hollow spheres, ellipsoids, nanorods, nanoplates, nanoribbons. Such advanced materials may combine different phases of matter, like solid plus gas, or solid plus liquid. This way, nanofoams, nanocrystalline, nanoporous, or nanocomposite materials can be created.

Is it possible to see a nanostructure or a nanoparticle?

Short answer is – you can, but not with a naked eye. Humans cannot directly see things that are much larger than nanoparticles. Even particles that are thousands times larger still require special tools called microscopes in order to observe them.

Can you buy such microscope in a shop? Probably no. At least not in typical shops, because such precision equipment is manufactured by companies often highly specialized in nanoscience and nanotechnology. And the price of such microscopes is also measured on entirely different scales compared to our daily ‘consumer-grade’ tech.

In order to see particles at nanoscale, you need to have one of these: scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), field ion microscope (FIM), or one or the most recent developments – scanning tunneling microscope (STM), or the atomic force microscope (AFM).

Can you smell or taste nanoparticles?

It’s a controversial question. Any material in bulk quantities can have taste or smell, the same way like all materials do. Unless it is something tasteless or odorless. But nanoparticles are and other nano-scale materials are already used in cosmetics or food industry.

For example, it is possible to enhance the scent of perfumes by adding some precise quantities of specially-developed nanoparticles. Special nanoencapsulation techniques can also be used to enhance different properties of food products, including our perception of taste – when we eat such food.

But – there are many uncertainties out there. The safety of nanoparticles has been and still is under lots of debates recently. Scientists need more time to prove or disapprove the safety of their application in different areas of our daily lives.

Summary

Hopefully these briefly listed facts have helped you to get a little broader perspective on basic concepts of nanotechnology. If you need more information added to this article or have suggestions how to improve this text, you can contact our team here at Technology.org at any time.