What is nanotechnology?
Nanotechnology refers broadly to a field of applied science and technology whose unifying theme is the control of matter on the atomic and molecular scale, normally 1 to 100 nanometers, and the fabrication of devices within that size range. It is a highly multidisciplinary field, drawing from fields such as applied physics, materials science, interface and colloid science, device physics, supramolecular chemistry (which refers to the area of chemistry that focuses on the noncovalent bonding interactions of molecules), chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering. Much speculation exists as to what may result from these lines of research. Nanotechnology can be seen as an extension of existing sciences into the nanoscale, or as a recasting of existing sciences using a newer, more modern term. Two main approaches are used in nanotechnology. In the “bottom-up” approach, materials and devices are built from molecular components which assemble themselves chemicall
The definition most frequently used by government and industry involves structures, devices, and systems having novel properties and functions due to the arrangement of their atoms on the 1 to 100 nanometer scale. Many fields of endeavor contribute to nanotechnology, including molecular physics, materials science, chemistry, biology, computer science, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. Due to the extreme breadth and generality of this definition, many prefer to use the term “nanotechnologies.” For clarity, it is also useful to differentiate between near-term and long-term prospects, or to segment the field into first-generation through fourth-generation stages.
Nano is derived from the Greek word for dwarf. 1 nanometer is approximately 100,000 times thinner than a human hair. Nanotechnology is a rapidly growing science of producing and utilizing nano-sized particles that measure in nanometers (1 nm = 1 billionth of a meter). The term nanoparticle is generally used to indicate particles with dimensions less than 100 nanometers (one nanometer is one billionth of a meter). For comparison, a human hair is about 100,000 nm in diameter, while a smoke particle is about 1,000 nm in diameter. 2.
Nanotechnology is a field of applied science, focusing on the control of matter on a scale smaller than one micrometer (commonly known as a micron), which is one millionth of a meter or one tenth the size of a droplet of mist or fog. Using patent-pending nanotechnology in Nanovive, we encapsulate nourishing ingredients for the skin in very small delivery vessels called nanospheres, which penetrate to deeper levels of the skin.
A basic definition of nanotechnology is: engineering of functional systems at the molecular scale. This covers current work and concepts that are more advanced. In its original sense, nanotechnology refers to the projected ability to construct items from the bottom up, using techniques and tools being developed today to make complete, high performance products. This capability is often called molecular manufacturing.
