Nanotechnology

What scientists discover and create in this tiny new world of possibilities could have a big impact on all of us

BIGGER isn’t always better! Developments in nanotechnology over the past decades have shown there’s unlimited potential in the microworld of atoms, molecules and cells – a world much too small for the naked eye to see. It’s here where the exploration and manipulation of the building blocks of the universe become possible, and where exciting (and sometimes terrifying) things happen! Let’s find out more.

TINIER THAN TINY

Imagine waking up one day to discover you’ve shrunk to 1,5 billion times your size while everything around you has remained the same size. Instead of seeing objects such as chairs, books, the television and your family members, you’re looking at atoms and cells – the building blocks of our world.

Now imagine you can move these building blocks, restack them and create new and different forms with them. This process by which new things are done on a microscopic scale is known as nanotechnology.

THE NANOSCALE

We live in a world where we measure most things in terms of centimetres, metres and kilometres – think of height, the size of buildings, the distances we travel. In the world of nanotechnology, we measure things in nanometre – a billionth of a metre. This is called the nanoscale and provides us entry into the world of nanoscience. Bearing in mind that our fingers are billions of nanometres long, it makes sense that we need special equipment to enable us to work on a nanoscale.

DELICATE WORK

Scientists have developed electron microscopes capable of observing and manipulating nanoscale matter. These devices are called atomic force microscopes (AFMs), scanning probe microscopes (SPMs) and scanning tunnelling microscopes (STMs).

The microscopes use electron rays to observe things that are too small to see with light rays. The microscopes also have tiny probes capable of scanning and moving around atoms and molecules like tiny building blocks.

USES

Some types of nanomaterial are already widely in use, such as nanowhisker layers in textiles used in clothing, linen and carpets. These teeny-tiny surface fibres prevent dirt from penetrating the textile so it stays cleaner for longer. Some sunscreen lotions cover the skin in a nanoscopic layer of titanium oxide or zinc oxide that blocks the

sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.

Other applications include scratch-resistant bumpers on cars, corrosion-resistant paints, as well as tennis and golf balls that last longer and swerve less than before. Technology such as videogames and computers are becoming cheaper, faster and more powerful thanks to nanotechnology, which has prompted the development of the microchip into the even smaller nanochip.

NANOMACHINES

The next step is incredibly tiny machines made of individual atoms. Objects such as gears, switches, pumps and engines could be made on a nanoscale with the aim of building nanorobots, aka nanobots.

These nanobots could enter a dangerous environment such as an old nuclear power plant to clean it – a task that could be deadly for humans to perform. There’s even research into developing nanobots small enough to be injected into the human body. They’ll hopefully solve some of our biggest medical problems.

A drawing of medical nanobots that could one day be used to identify and target cancer cells with lasers. EDITED BY SANDRA VISSER

A student uses an atomic force microscope to study a nanotool he designed.

In 2011, the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in Japan had to be evacuated after a tsunami flooded the building and knocked out the power supply, causing the nuclear reactor to overheat. Radiation leaked from the plant, making the area unsafe. Some scientists think nanotechnology could be used to clear away nuclear waste because it’s a potentially fatal job for people.

No more stinky socks! Nanosilver is being incorporated into clothing items such as socks to prevent bad smells by killing odour-causing bacteria. Zinc oxide is a nanosubstance found in sunscreen that blocks the sun’s harmful rays.