Catching the Nanotechnology Wave:
Needs, Risks, and Opportunities
Needs, Risks, and Opportunities
Friday, November 1, 2013
Daniel J. C. Herr, Professor and
Nanoscience Department Chair
The Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering
Greensboro, North Carolina 27401
JSNN; djherr@uncg.edu
Nanotechnology: Nanotechnology is concerned with development and utilization of structures and devices with organizational features at the intermediate scale between individual molecules and about 100 nm where novel properties occur as compared to bulk materials. It implies the capability to build up tailored nanostructures and devices for given functions by control at the atomic and molecular levels. Nanotechnology is recognized as an emerging enabling technology for the 21st century, in addition to the already established areas of information technology and biotechnology. This is because of the scientific convergence of physics, chemistry, biology, materials and engineering at nanoscale, and of the importance of the control of matter at nanoscale on almost all technologies.1
An early vision of nanotechnology: On December 29, 1959, Richard Feynman gave a talk entitled, "There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom", that laid out a vision and scientific challenge for miniaturization, which was comparable to that of reaching the moon by 1969. He began his lecture by asking, "Why cannot we write the entire 24 volumes of the Encyclopedia Brittanica on the head of a pin?" He then proceeded to show how all the information recorded over the centuries could be stored in a cube no more than two-hundredths of an inch, or one-half a millimeter, wide. Each side of that cube would be about four times the diameter of a human hair.2
Today, we have the tools for uncovering other emerging and useful nanomaterial properties. We are beginning to understand the language of nanomaterials, how these materials interact, and how they can self-assemble into structures with useful properties. Consider the larger end of the nano world, which starts with stuff that is about one-thousandth the diameter of a human hair, or about five-hundred atoms wide. Below that size, much of the material that we use every day begins to take on new and interesting properties. For example, metals melt at lower temperatures and wires can behave more like liquids. Carbon, which is a main component of wood, charcoal, graphite, and diamond, can exist in new biocompatible forms that are flexible and stronger than steel. Each discovery stimulates a wave of innovations that catalyzes the creation and growth of new and more sustainable markets and industries. Emerging nanoscience and nanoengineering options can deliver unprecedented numbers of benefits to society, especially in the areas of health care, sustainable nanomanufacturing, energy, communication, transportation, smart NEMS, and construction.
On December 29, 1959, Richard Feynman gave a talk entitled, “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom”, that laid out a vision and scientific challenge for miniaturization, which was comparable to that of reaching the moon by 1969. He began his lecture by asking, “Why cannot we write the entire 24 volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica on the head of a pin?” He then proceeded to show how all the information recorded over the centuries could be stored in a cube no more than two-hundredths of an inch, or one-half a millimeter, wide. Each side of that cube would be about four times the diameter of a human hair.2
This presentation will explore several aspects of the emerging nanotechnology platform; e.g. emerging needs, risks, and opportunities, as well as the corresponding mind-to-market supply chain.
The Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering (JSNN)6: JSNN is a collaborative project of North Carolina A&T State University and The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. It was created to explore, understand, and apply emergent nanomaterial properties and nanoassembly methods; to serve as a catalyst for innovation and collaboration; and to benefit society. Its research and educational programs focus on Nanoscience and Nanoengineering. The strengths of the two universities in the basic sciences and in engineering make them ideal partners for this new interdisciplinary school. The JSNN is focused on developing leading edge applications in the hottest emerging technologies across six technology platforms: Nanobioelectronics, nanobiology and nanomedicine, nanomaterials, nanometrology, nanoenergy, computational nanotechnology. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the JSNN, as well as some emerging nanomaterials, nanofabrication, and application challenges and opportunities.
The JSNN is located at the South Campus of Gateway University Research Park, another major joint collaboration between the two universities. The JSNN is housed in a state of the art 105,000 square foot facility, which features extensive shared labs and clean rooms. Gateway University Research Park and JSNN have partnered with leading manufacturers of tools that are critical to exploring the frontiers of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering. JSNN faculty and students have access to a sophisticated suite of tools, including the only Carl Zeiss Helium Ion Microscope in the southeast.
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." - Marcel Proust
References
Nanoscience Department Chair
The Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering
Greensboro, North Carolina 27401
JSNN; djherr@uncg.edu
Nanotechnology: Nanotechnology is concerned with development and utilization of structures and devices with organizational features at the intermediate scale between individual molecules and about 100 nm where novel properties occur as compared to bulk materials. It implies the capability to build up tailored nanostructures and devices for given functions by control at the atomic and molecular levels. Nanotechnology is recognized as an emerging enabling technology for the 21st century, in addition to the already established areas of information technology and biotechnology. This is because of the scientific convergence of physics, chemistry, biology, materials and engineering at nanoscale, and of the importance of the control of matter at nanoscale on almost all technologies.1
An early vision of nanotechnology: On December 29, 1959, Richard Feynman gave a talk entitled, "There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom", that laid out a vision and scientific challenge for miniaturization, which was comparable to that of reaching the moon by 1969. He began his lecture by asking, "Why cannot we write the entire 24 volumes of the Encyclopedia Brittanica on the head of a pin?" He then proceeded to show how all the information recorded over the centuries could be stored in a cube no more than two-hundredths of an inch, or one-half a millimeter, wide. Each side of that cube would be about four times the diameter of a human hair.2
Today, we have the tools for uncovering other emerging and useful nanomaterial properties. We are beginning to understand the language of nanomaterials, how these materials interact, and how they can self-assemble into structures with useful properties. Consider the larger end of the nano world, which starts with stuff that is about one-thousandth the diameter of a human hair, or about five-hundred atoms wide. Below that size, much of the material that we use every day begins to take on new and interesting properties. For example, metals melt at lower temperatures and wires can behave more like liquids. Carbon, which is a main component of wood, charcoal, graphite, and diamond, can exist in new biocompatible forms that are flexible and stronger than steel. Each discovery stimulates a wave of innovations that catalyzes the creation and growth of new and more sustainable markets and industries. Emerging nanoscience and nanoengineering options can deliver unprecedented numbers of benefits to society, especially in the areas of health care, sustainable nanomanufacturing, energy, communication, transportation, smart NEMS, and construction.
On December 29, 1959, Richard Feynman gave a talk entitled, “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom”, that laid out a vision and scientific challenge for miniaturization, which was comparable to that of reaching the moon by 1969. He began his lecture by asking, “Why cannot we write the entire 24 volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica on the head of a pin?” He then proceeded to show how all the information recorded over the centuries could be stored in a cube no more than two-hundredths of an inch, or one-half a millimeter, wide. Each side of that cube would be about four times the diameter of a human hair.2
This presentation will explore several aspects of the emerging nanotechnology platform; e.g. emerging needs, risks, and opportunities, as well as the corresponding mind-to-market supply chain.
The Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering (JSNN)6: JSNN is a collaborative project of North Carolina A&T State University and The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. It was created to explore, understand, and apply emergent nanomaterial properties and nanoassembly methods; to serve as a catalyst for innovation and collaboration; and to benefit society. Its research and educational programs focus on Nanoscience and Nanoengineering. The strengths of the two universities in the basic sciences and in engineering make them ideal partners for this new interdisciplinary school. The JSNN is focused on developing leading edge applications in the hottest emerging technologies across six technology platforms: Nanobioelectronics, nanobiology and nanomedicine, nanomaterials, nanometrology, nanoenergy, computational nanotechnology. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the JSNN, as well as some emerging nanomaterials, nanofabrication, and application challenges and opportunities.
The JSNN is located at the South Campus of Gateway University Research Park, another major joint collaboration between the two universities. The JSNN is housed in a state of the art 105,000 square foot facility, which features extensive shared labs and clean rooms. Gateway University Research Park and JSNN have partnered with leading manufacturers of tools that are critical to exploring the frontiers of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering. JSNN faculty and students have access to a sophisticated suite of tools, including the only Carl Zeiss Helium Ion Microscope in the southeast.
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." - Marcel Proust
References
- M. Roco, Journal of Nanoparticle Research 1: 1–6, 1999.
- media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/
53/.../0780310853.pdf