What Is Nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology is a rapidly growing field of science and engineering that focuses on the design and application of particles and devices at the nanoscale, typically ranging from 1 to 100 nanometers.¹

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The nanoscale world operates under different principles than the macroscopic one. Although natural nanostructures have been used indirectly for centuries, the tools and knowledge to intentionally manipulate materials at such scales are very recent.

Materials at the nanoscale exhibit unique properties that are significantly different from their bulk counterparts. This is due to factors such as a large surface-to-volume ratio, quantum size effects, and the increased influence of weak intermolecular forces.²

By exploiting these properties, nanotechnology is revolutionizing fields like electronics, biomedicine, environmental protection, and food technology, improving efficiency, performance, and sustainability.

Impact of Size Reduction and Quantum Effects on Nanomaterials

As materials decrease in size, surface-area effects become increasingly significant, greatly influencing their reactivity and other properties.

Traditional chemical concepts often do not apply at the nanoscale; for example, gold nanoparticles can be highly reactive, while clusters of argon atoms, even those containing thousands of atoms, can remain stable enough to be used as projectiles in scientific and technological applications.¹

At the nanoscale, quantum phenomena such as quantum tunneling and discrete energy levels dominate, significantly altering material properties.³ Quantum tunneling, for example, allows particles to pass through barriers that would be impassable at the macroscopic scale. It is critical for technologies like the scanning tunneling microscope, which offers unprecedented views of atomic structures.

Additionally, in NPs, the relatively weak van der Waals forces become significantly stronger.¹ These forces contribute to phenomena such as the adhesion of graphene sheets to substrates and the cohesion of graphene layers in multilayer samples. 

Applications of Nanomaterials

Over the past few decades, nanotechnology has made significant contributions across various sectors.

In electronics, it is driving the development of smaller, faster, and more efficient devices. Carbon nanotubes and nanowires, for example, could replace traditional materials like silicon, improving the electrical conductivity and mechanical strength of integrated chips.⁴

Advances in nanocomputing, inspired by pioneers like Feynman and Drexler, are pushing the boundaries of technology, resulting in more powerful laptops and smartphones.⁵

In the energy sector, nanotechnology enables the development of solar panels with enhanced photocatalytic properties, significantly improving the conversion of sunlight into electricity.⁶  It also contributes to sustainability by facilitating the creation of lighter, more durable wind turbines and better thermal insulation materials.

In medicine, nanotechnology has revolutionized treatment and diagnostics.⁷ Nano-based medications can selectively target diseased cells, increasing the effectiveness of treatments while reducing side effects. Diagnostic kits at the nanoscale offer detection limits down to the single molecular level, improving early detection of serious illnesses like cancer and Alzheimer’s.⁷

Nanotechnology also contributes to environmental sustainability with innovations like air purification systems using ions, nanobubble wastewater treatments, and nanofiltration techniques to remove heavy metals.⁷

It also has applications in industrial manufacturing, including a shift from traditional material reduction methods to “bottom-up” approaches, building products from atomic and molecular levels.⁸

In the food industry, nanobiosensors help detect pathogens, ensuring food safety,⁹ while nanocomposites in packaging materials improve mechanical strength and thermal resistance and reduce oxygen permeability, thus preserving food freshness. Nanotechnology has also made strides in textiles, enabling the development of smart fabrics that resist stains and wrinkles.⁷

Impact of Nanotechnology Across Sectors

Nanotechnology has become a transformative force across numerous industries worldwide, with its impact most visible in developed countries.

The scope of nanotechnology applications has rapidly expanded over the past decade, and there is global consensus that it will play a key role in future technological advancements, prompting further industrial upgrades and investments.¹ Significant financial investments, particularly in Europe, China, and the United States, underscore its perceived value and potential.⁷

Nanotechnology offers cleaner, more sustainable, cost-effective solutions than traditional technologies, driving widespread adoption. It has enhanced energy-efficient solutions in information and communication technology.

By integrating nanotechnology with informatics and computational sciences, researchers aim to address societal needs and achieve sustainable development goals, such as creating interconnected communities, enhancing economic competitiveness, and promoting environmental sustainability.⁷

The shift from traditional product resizing and enhanced computational capabilities to nanotechnology-driven innovations has facilitated the creation of smart sensors, nanochips, optoelectronics, quantum computing, and lab-on-a-chip technologies.⁷

Beyond computational technologies, advancements in nanotechnology have also benefited the automotive, aerospace, and bioinformatics industries.

Nanotechnology: Safety Risks 

The rapid advancement of nanotechnology has raised concerns about its environmental, health, and safety risks.⁸ NPs, due to their small size and unique properties, pose potential health risks as they can cross biological barriers, entering the body through inhalation or ingestion, and affecting the brain, lungs, and heart.

Free NPs, those not embedded within larger materials, are particularly problematic to human health.¹⁰ NPs that are securely bound within larger materials, on the other hand, do not pose additional risks unless they are released.

Furthermore, when NPs are released into the environment, they may persist, spread, and agglomerate, posing unknown ecological risks. This is a particular concern with new-generation surfactants and stabilizers containing NPs.

Some NPs possess antibacterial properties, which could disrupt microbial communities and impact essential processes like nutrient cycling and decomposition in ecosystems.¹⁰ Additional guidelines are needed to assess these risks and ensure the safe use of nanotechnology is now recognized globally.

Highlights and Future Research

Nanotechnology bridges the gap between classical and quantum mechanics in a transitional zone, utilizing unique properties such as a high surface area and the influence of quantum phenomena for specialized applications.³ Advances in this field highlight the potential for nanoscale manufacturing to permeate nearly every scientific and technological domain.

A review in Nanomaterials highlights the importance of understanding how the synthesis methods of NPs affect their properties and associated risks.¹¹ Regulations and ethical considerations are essential to balance the promise of nanotechnology with its potential risks, aiming to maximize benefits while minimizing harm.

Additionally, there is a growing need for greater transparency and traceability in the use of nanomaterials, which can be achieved through proper risk assessments and new management practices.

Although existing regulations are considered sufficient in most countries, there are rising concerns, with non-governmental organizations and the European Parliament proposing policy modifications.⁸ However, no country currently has laws exclusively dedicated to nanotechnology.

Globally, increasing attention is being directed toward regulating the safe manufacture and application of nanotechnologies through guidelines, recommendations, or legislation.

More from AZoNano: Nanotechnology in Agriculture

References and Further Reading

1. Adams, FC., Barbante, C. (2013). Nanoscience, nanotechnology and spectrometry. Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy. DOI: 10.1016/j.sab.2013.04.008, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0584854713001031
2. Onyia, AI., Ikeri, HI., Chima, AI. (2020). Surface and quantum effects in nanosized semiconductor. American Journal of Nano Research and Applications. DOI: 10.11648/j.nano.20200803.11, https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/90495335/10.11648.j.nano.20200803.11-libre.
3. Buot, FA. (1993). Mesoscopic physics and nanoelectronics: nanoscience and nanotechnology. Physics Reports. DOI: 10.1016/0370-1573(93)90097-W, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/037015739390097W
4. Soldano, C., Talapatra, S., Kar, S. (2013). Carbon nanotubes and graphene nanoribbons: potentials for nanoscale electrical interconnects. Electronics. DOI: 10.3390/electronics2030280, https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/2/3/280
5. Nasrollahzadeh, M., Sajadi, SM., Sajjadi, M., Issaabadi, Z. (2019). An introduction to nanotechnology. In Interface science and technology. Elsevier. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-813586-0.00001-8, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128135860000018
6. Banin, U., et.al., (2020). Nanotechnology for catalysis and solar energy conversion. Nanotechnology. DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/abbce8, https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6528/abbce8/meta
7. Malik, S., Muhammad, K., Waheed, Y. (2023). Nanotechnology: A revolution in modern industry. Molecules. DOI: 10.3390/molecules28020661, https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/2/661
8. Pandey, G., Jain, P. (2020). Assessing the nanotechnology on the grounds of costs, benefits, and risks. Beni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences. DOI: 10.1186/s43088-020-00085-5, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s43088-020-00085-5
9. Thakur, M., Wang, B., Verma, ML. (2022). Development and applications of nanobiosensors for sustainable agricultural and food industries: Recent developments, challenges and perspectives. Environmental Technology & Innovation. DOI: 10.1016/j.eti.2022.102371, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352186422000530
10. Najahi-Missaoui, W., Arnold, RD., Cummings, BS. (2020). Safe nanoparticles: are we there yet? International journal of molecular sciences. DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010385, https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/1/385
11. Barhoum, A., et al., (2022). Review on natural, incidental, bioinspired, and engineered nanomaterials: history, definitions, classifications, synthesis, properties, market, toxicities, risks, and regulations. Nanomaterials. DOI: 10.3390/nano12020177, https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/12/2/177