When you talk about nanoparticles, you may begin to visualize those little robots that a certain cartoon character developed to help him with certain tasks and deeds. These are nano-bots and are not what scientists in universities in Mexico have developed in order to help clean water of toxic substances in less than an hour.

How this happens seems to need the power of the sun or of ultraviolet light to complete the purification process. What the researchers in these universities used was titanium oxide nanoparticles that have been made to adhere to glass with the use of heat.

Once water in these glass containers that have been treated with these nanoparticles is hit by sunlight or by UV rays, the water is then purified.

This same concept is actually being used by certain companies who purify water but not as their main water purification mode. Instead, the use of nanoparticles for purification is a secondary method used with other water purification methods to further remove toxins and dirt from water.

What these companies do is to add porous nanoparticles to water-purifying membranes to help increase their water purification efficiency and to enhance productivity without compromising quality. This method is often seen as doubly effective as current water purification methods and would help with increasing volume while reducing energy requirements.

This new idea for purifying water is paired off with reverse osmosis and is seen as the new solution to the ever-increasing need for clean drinking water in a time when water supplies are fast disappearing. This new technology for making fresh water can be used with desalination and can make fresh water out of saltwater faster and with the use of less energy.

This may seem too good to be true since saltwater has seldom been purified with the use of membranes like the one used in reverse osmosis due to the energy needs that are required by such an action.

The use of nanoparticles in this equation seems to not only help purify water effectively by removing the toxins that can be found in the water being cleaned, it also helps increase the production of clean water due to the water-attracting or hydrophilic properties that this membrane now has due to these nanoparticles.

While this may seem way too idealistic, the company that seems to have developed this technology is set to put out their water purification system for commercial use in the coming year. Sounds too good to be true? Probably, but imagine if this produces what it says it can produce.

You will be able to solve the water pollution problem that a lot of countries around the world are experiencing—and all you will need is this new nanoparticle water purification system and a salt water source and you have water that you can drink safely.

Today we can see hard proof that it has become a full-blown reality, as more scientists and research groups devote themselves wholly to the pursuit of nanotechnology.

Each of these groups is likely to find a new and different application for nanotechnology, since it is an extremely universal discipline.

And many of them are filing patents, which are becoming progressively more focused on final products rather than parts or processes. The nanotechnology revolution is underway.

Most professionals agree that the importance of nanotechnology can’t be measured and that it is probably the single most influential technology for future generations. The National Science Foundation estimates that by 2015 the global nano-market will have raked in an impressive $1 trillion or more every year, which would potentially qualify it as the fastest-growing industry in human history.

For those who think that the telecommunications and information technology boom of the late 90’s was big, watch out. The number of nanoparticle patents being filed every day has skyrocketed hundreds of times over in just the last three or four years and shows no signs of slowing. Everyone knows that nanotechnology is where it’s at.

The difficulty comes when you realize that small components of everyday products are already becoming infused with differing amounts of nanotechnology. Because the industry is so new and safety testing is having a hard time catching up, in some cases manufacturers are reluctant to label themselves as nanotechnology producers. If the market shows an upswing, they will most likely rebrand in order to cash in on it. This makes it especially difficult to calculate the actual growth of the nanotechnology industry sector.

But researchers have found that many products incorporate nanotechnology even if they don’t call it by that name, leading us to believe that before long, you’ll see this new science cropping up in all sorts of unexpected and familiar places.

National governments are not quite so shy about stepping up their participation in nanotechnology research. Every political force wants to have a stake in the cutting-edge scientific breakthrough of the moment; it has even been suggested that Chinese industry leaders are counting on nanotechnology gains to put them ahead of the United States in the economic race. The U.S., of course, is countering that by funding a whole host of nanotechnology-related research groups.

One is reminded of the nuclear arms race between America and Russia, except with a dry technological twist. The Cold War was a war of economies but also a war of potential destruction. This race smacks of nothing but economic ambition, yet it goes to show that competent national leadership considers nanotechnology to be serious business. It is also a telling sign when national leadership wants to garner as many nanoparticle patents as possible in the government’s name as a sign of personal prestige.

In 2002 alone, global governments funded $2 billion worth of nanoparticle research, with the United States contributing $604 million of that figure (it rose to $774 million the following year, and in 2004 had risen as high as $847 millilon.) Typically the government likes to put its investments in very safe places.

The U.S. alone is responsible for 1/3 of worldwide nanotechnology spending with nearly $1 billion invested in the market, and 40 other countries have invested serious money into the development of nanotechnology and producing nanoparticle patents for their nations. The European Union has set aside more than $1 billion for nano-research and Japan has reached similar figures. None of this funding includes private investments, which are many times greater than those sponsored by government agencies.

Here are some other quick facts about nanotechnology and nanoparticle patents:

~Both public companies and private ventures are estimated to have spent about $3 billion on nanotechnology research and development alone in 2003.

~Since the year 2000, the United States government has diverted more than $3 billion for nanotechnology development, making it one of the biggest projects in U.S. government history. Currently nanotechnology is the most heavily-funded science project the U.S. has invested in since the Apollo space missions, and is poised to surpass them.

• More than 700 top-ranking companies are currently devoted to nanotechnology.
• Close to 100,000 scientists have now become certified to work in the nanotechnology industry.
• Small tech jobs related to nanotechnology constitute one of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy, thanks in large part to the universality and versatile applications inherent in the field of nanotechnology. The medical industry has seen huge gains as a direct result of incorporating nanotechnology into their innovations. The majority of nanoparticle patents are either directly related to the medical industry or have larger implications in regards to medical use.
• Nanotechnology startups are considered among the best startup investments in the economy, with close to $500 million invested annually in recent years. Venture capital has increased between 200 and 400% in some cases.

Although critics of the nanotechnology market warn against large investments because of the slow product output that the industry has so far managed to put forth, others say that official numbers do not give an accurate picture of the actual revenue flow.

Eddie Bauer has already released self-cleaning stain-repellant khakis that operate with nanotechnology. Various mattress companies have latched onto nano-foam, which is a high-performing memory foam similar to Tempur-Pedic’s name-brand product. Various fabrics, such as silk and wool, have been nano-engineered to the point where they can actually “eat” stains instead of getting ruined, thereby promising a revolutionary change in the clothing industry. And in the medical field, the possibilities are virtually endless.

Nano-researchers have used particle technology to create synthetic bone that matches natural bone yet can outperform it in multiple ways, as well as synthetic blood cells that can enhance human performance many times over. With all the inventions and innovations it has spurred, it seems that everything nanotechnology touches turns to gold.

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These masks have been equipped with a filtration system that uses clusters of nanoparticles to remove microscopic biological pathogens from the air, and they were a huge success in Asian countries where the SARS epidemic hit hardest.

Now that the initial fear has faded, nanoparticle masks are once again on the margins of public attention. But the fact remains that they can perform an array of useful functions and may become indispensable in the event of a future disease outbreak.

How do nano-masks work? A molecularly enhanced particle coating is put on the mask’s filter; the nanoparticles in the coating have a tendency to cluster together enough to create a layer of ions that works together with trace amounts of chlorine to catch and eradicate any undesirable particles they encounter.

The key difference between a nanoparticle mask and a mask with a normal filter is this process of eradication. Masks that have not been treated with nanoparticles can sometimes strain molecules from the air, but these harmful agents don’t disappear.

Instead, they sit on the mask’s filter and sometimes they can even breed and grow in this sheltered environment, ironically producing a high concentration of dangerous material in the mask itself, which has been designed to keep such substances out. Nanomasks, on the other hand, completely destroy every harmful particle they catch. This is why their popularity skyrocketed during the mass scare of the SARS epidemic.

Nanotechnology expert Kenneth Klabunde explains that nanoparticles have a life of their own and can attract, catch, and “eat” harmful bacteria and viruses without recourse to a traditional filtration system.

According to Klabunde, the four basic advantages of nanoparticles are as follows: they are abrasive enough to cut through the micro-bodies of bacteria; the chemical makeup of the nanoparticles reacts with bacteria to “soften” them; they can both attract and aggregate with bacterial bodies; and when combined with chlorine, as is done in the nanomasks, these nanoparticles can essentially “suffocate” the bacteria. In other words, the bacterial particle becomes deprived of oxygen and dies, after which the nanoparticles “eat” its dead body.

Gruesome though it may sound, it’s wonderful news to people caught in an epidemic. Nothing makes them feel safer than knowing that nanoparticle masks give them four layers of protection in one.

Unlike most nanotechnology that you may be familiar with, these nanoparticles have not been manipulated on the molecular level; they are merely broken down into extremely small pieces. Expert Steven Glapa describes it as a clever form of industrial chemistry, adding that many types of “smart” coatings use basically the same process.

In terms of nanotechnology as a discipline, these nano-masks represent the most basic form of nanoparticle research on the market. Most other nanotech products have been altered somehow, not simply ground into a powder and painted on. Its main effectiveness lies in the way that the nanoparticles naturally react to the chlorine additive, without which the mask would have no special function. With it, the mask becomes a super-filter.

Nanoparticle researchers also claim that these masks have a wider application, since at their most basic level they represent the ability to coat a filtering system with a layer of nanoparticles to increase its effectiveness. Anything that can be filtered can be super-filtered with this technique, and such an efficient nano-defense allows for removal of microscopic bacterial, biological, chemical, and viral agents.

Researchers anticipate that the filtration technology will eventually be used in air filters of all kinds, from asthma and allergy relief to industrial-grade toxin-removing air filtration systems. They also foresee direct applications in terms of water sanitation. Scientists are hard at work on a nano-filter that could easily be used in third world countries.

Water pollution is still a huge problem in many developing nations and causes hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths each year. Nanoparticle researchers hope that by adapting the nanoparticle mask’s technology to create a simple, cost-effective universal filter, they can save lives and improve standards of living across the world.

Nanoparticle goggles can be used in conjunction with masks, but so far they have served an entirely different section of the population. Canadian researchers are developing extra-sensitive infrared night-vision goggles for general military consumption, and they’re doing it with nanoparticles.

They’ve discovered that if they take a glass or silicon chip and apply a coating of conductive nanoparticles (also known as quantum dots) the end result is an infrared detector that can perform up to 10 times better than traditional models.

These updated goggles address an age-old problem faced by users of the conventional infrared night goggles. Older models relied on small amounts of reflected starlight in order to function, but their Achilles heel was that they became completely useless if the sky was overcast or the moon was hidden by clouds.

This older technique is based on near-wave infrared. The newer nanoparticle goggles can pick up both short-wave and near-wave infrared, which allows them to function in even extreme low-light conditions.

Edward Sargent, a professor at the University of Toronto and a leading nanoparticle researcher, was the first to discover this new infrared-enhancing technique. He realized that by evenly coating a silicon chip with quantum dots, he could achieve higher levels of infrared receptivity.

His technique involves sulfide nanoparticles that are only four nanometers wide. He bonds them to an oil-based molecule to keep them moving freely, then spin-coats and dries the solution onto the silicon chip in order to achieve an even distribution of quantum dots.

He can then tweak the resulting chip around to achieve slightly different effects if desired. He also equips his superior-performance chips with super-photoconductive properties: while each light photon that encounters the chip normally bounces off and activates a single electron, Sargent was able to engineer his chips so that they can trap every photon and keep it in circulation, achieving maximum energy gains and increasing the electrical current’s flow.

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Any substance in existence can be broken into molecules and tampered with in order to give it different properties and abilities.

The universality of nanotechnology means that it is being applied to almost every facet of modern life. Miraculous effects can be achieved by engineering nanoparticles; for example, researchers have already developed wool and silk that can clean themselves because their altered particles “eat” stains.

Self-cleaning household products are also being developed. The time is not far distant when you’ll be able to spray a nano-chemical onto the grime in your kitchen and watch it disappear and practically never come back, since many nano-chemicals also prevent grime from accumulating.

Researchers have also developed “nanocomposites,” a cluster of nanoparticles from different elements that can, among other things, solve the pollution problem. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, for example, has discovered how to alter silica particles so that they attract and capture toxic particles in water.

Known as Self-Assembled Monolayers on Mesoporous Supports (SAMMS), they can de-toxify extensive bodies of water in a matter of hours.

This could go a long way towards removing and reducing water pollution in several ways, and since water pollution is one of mankind’s most pressing modern problems, that’s saying a lot.

It also appears that the same technique might be extremely helpful when applied to copper. Micro-engineering copper particles may allow them to soak up radioactive waste materials.

On a lighter note, one of the characteristic features of nanomaterials is their ability to be both lightweight and extremely strong at the same time. Chicago-based Wilson Sports noticed that strong and light is the perfect recipe for a good golf club, and acted accordingly.

Wilson offers a line of three drivers, a fairway wood, four types of golf balls, and even a golf bag made entirely from nano-engineered materials. Back in 2004, they also toyed with nano tennis rackets, which are now touted for their superior qualities.

Other sports goods manufacturing companies are trying to follow suit but have been struggling to catch up with Wilson’s massive head start; most competitors are still in the research stage when it comes to nanotechnology.

You might be surprised to find that you’re putting nanoparticles on or next to your body every day. Certain sunscreen brands have seen fit to incorporate nanotechnology into their products; the use of molecularly-engineered materials means that these sunscreens are many times more effective at absorbing light than normal brands.

Nanoparticles are especially good when it comes to UV rays. Their minute particle size enables them to cover more skin with less cream base and since they spread more easily, you use less of the sunscreen and theoretically save money.

Also, for those who like to get picky about their sunscreens, nanomaterials are transparent in nature rather than having that sticky white consistency we all know and love.

Preliminary nano-sunscreens have been in circulation since early this century; in 2001 they had taken over 60% of the Australian sunscreen market. So the next time you are wondering what is Nanotechnology used for today? remember that when your putting on the sun block!

Soon, other sunscreen makers will be virtually compelled to employ nanotechnology in their sunscreen production, or watch as the market leaves them behind.

This light-repelling ability can also be used for packaging. After all, in many cases UV rays and other forms of light are responsible for a great deal of spoilage during transportation and storage.

When it comes to food and other sensitive products, plastics and packaging industries aren’t blind to the fact that a healthy dose of nanotechnology will do them a lot of good.

They can enable their products to last longer and perform better in many ways by simply tweaking the molecules around a little bit, thereby saving both themselves and their consumers a lot of money.

Nanotechnology will also revolutionize the medical field, and has begun to do so already. Scientists have developed a type of synthetic bone based on nanoparticles simply by engineering the components that real bone is made of. AngstroMedica has taken calcium and hydroxyapatite, a phosphate composite, broken them into their molecular components, and then made minor adjustments to those components.

The resultant growth is identical to natural bone in both structure and composition and makes an excellent synthetic substitute in areas where natural bone is missing or broken beyond repair.

Medical personnel anticipate that it will be widely used for treating fractures and soft tissue injuries. A variety of other nanotechnology applications are making similar inroads in the medical community.

The energy arena is also seeing radical new techniques evolve thanks to nanotechnology. The Shenhua Group constitutes China’s largest coal company collective.

They recently purchased a license from Hydrocarbon Technologies that will allow them to liquefy coal and turn it into gas, consequently revolutionizing the way the energy industry functions.

Many countries, including China and the U.S., possess large natural reserves of coal that have never completely paid off for their economies because of the superior popularity and performance of gasoline.

Now the balance of power may be poised to shift. This stunning new technology employs a gel-based nanoscale catalyst. Before the invention of this catalyst it was possible to turn coal into gas, but it the cost outweighed the benefit. Nanotechnology has furnished a faster, more efficient, and less expensive version of this process.

Even companies like NASA have found a direct application for this emerging science, as they anticipate using nano-engineered carbon tubules for the creation of the epic “Space Elevator,” scheduled to be up and running sometime in the next 30 years. This elevator would change our world forever by creating a permanent link to the solar system around us.

One end would be anchored to a large station in the ocean, and the other end to an asteroid already in orbit. The cable running between these points needs to be made of the strongest yet lightest material possible and nanocarbon fits the bill perfectly.

With this elevator, mankind will be able to send passengers and cargo into space on a regular basis at greatly reduced cost. Thanks to nanotechnology, conquering the final frontier is going to be one wild ride.

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Practical problems can include everything from the need for mass produced forms of nanotechnology that may or may not be possible.

Ethical problems can include everything from the potential direction nanotechnology might take to the problems with the possible effects of the products created.

One of the potential disadvantages of nanotechnology includes the potential for mass poisoning over a period of time. While nanoscience can produce all kinds of new and improved products, the particles that are created are so incredibly small that they may very well cause eventual health problems in the consumers that use them.

Since almost everyone uses a product that has been touched by nanotechnology it is possible that the eventual health effects could be large scale.

Mass poisoning could only happen if the coatings that nanotechnology has the potential to produce include poisonous microparticles that can cross over into the brain. There is a barrier between the blood stream and the brain known as the blood—brain barrier.

Coating all of our products with particles that are small enough to cross over this barrier runs the risk of creating a mass poisoning. Fortunately, the scientists that are able to study nanotechnology have already considered this possibility and there are very strict guidelines that will help detract from this potential risk.

Another potential problem with nanotechnology is the lack of our own knowledge. We know that we can create materials with nanotechnology but we still have to stop and understand the impact of the creation of these products will have on the nanoscale.

If we change the structure of material on the nano level without understanding the potential impact on the nanoscale, we risk creating a whole world of materials that have atoms that actually do not fit together cohesively.

There are some potential disadvantages of nanotechnology that fall in the realm of both the practical and the ethical. If nanotechnology can help the human body recover from illness or injury then it is quite possible that nanotechnology can create an altered human state.

We could potentially be able to create a human race that is engineered and altered to become hyper—intelligent and super strong. The serious complications with such issues include the idea that the scientific technology would only be available to those who can afford it. That would mean there would be an underclass of people; the people we are now.

Should nanotechnology actually be able to procure an honest and true molecular manufacturing machine for every household how would the world’s economy survive? What would we do with all those jobs that are lost in the manufacturing fields and how would we calculate monetary concerns when it comes to this type of on demand manufacturing?

There is a host of potential weaponry that could be produced on a molecular level. For any scientist, the potential to engineer diseases and create lethal weaponry that can’t even be seen is an ethical quagmire. Even more distressing is whether or not other countries that have nanotechnology capabilities will create these weapons.

While it sounds as though the disadvantages of nanotechnology will be the end of the world, this is not really the case. With all the good any science can do, there is always the capability of engineering evil potential. There is a system of checks and balances in place to help prevent the mishandling of scientific research and capabilities.

There is also not a great likelihood that most of the potential disadvantages will come to fruition. Rather, it is more likely that the ethical questions and concerns will be addressed as the potential for actual development and practical use comes into play. Most of the concerns that scientists and ethical experts are concerned with will not be a realistic potential for a long time to come.

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However, once it’s explained, it makes perfect sense. Many everyday products are the direct result of nanotechnology applications.

The manipulation of particles that are smaller than most people can imagine is able to create products that enrich our everyday lives.

Nanotechnology involves the creation of material derived from the manipulation of particles as smaller than atoms. Manipulations of these microscopic particles allow scientists create all kinds of products that we use on a regular basis.

Nanoemulsion is one form of nanotechnology that produces liquid products like cleaners and disinfectants for swimming pools that are not harmful to humans. Liquids that kill the bacteria in pools are mixed with drops that are about a million times smaller than the head of a pin in order to spread toward the bacteria.

This means that nanotechnology has produced highly effective pool antibacterial liquids that require a lesser amount of chemical in the water. This product makes swimming pools safer for people on two levels. Bacteria is controlled more effectively and exposure to harsh chemicals that have the potential to cause health problems.

Over the counter bandages are effective at killing germs and protecting cuts thanks to nanotechnology. Originally bandages and antibiotic ointment were sold separately because the technology to blend the two didn’t exist. However, nanoparticles of silver ions are now added to the bandages in order to create an inhospitable environment for bacteria.

The ions literally smother or suffocate the bacteria. The infusion with bandages is simple technology when compared to the technology that prevents infection around cuts and abrasions.

Sports benefit from the products of nanotechnology as well. Tennis rackets now come with the strength of steel buildings but weigh less than the tennis ball in some cases. A carbon nanotube infused graphite has been compounded in order to produce the lightest possible tennis racket.

Wilson Nano Tennis Racquet - Made With Nanotechnology

The tennis rackets created with this type of nanotechnology are stronger than the steel used to build weatherproof buildings. The tennis balls benefit as well as one of the applications of nanotechnology.

To make the core of the tennis ball stronger scientists have created a coating of nanoparticles of clay which means that air can not escape from the core of the ball. This helps the ball maintain its bounce and thus does not have to be replaced as often.

Technological applications of nanotechnology include the creation of nano—batteries, tiny capacitors, and nearly microscopic microprocessors. This type of nanotechnology brings smaller computers with heartier capabilities.

This will help decrease the replacement rate for the world’s smallest computers that are sent into space, down to the depths of the sea, and those we plop on our laps on a daily basis.

Nanotechnology has additionally produced a digital screen that can be flexed and bent without losing resolution. As an application of nanotechnology there is a while host of practical applications that can be thought up using a flexible high resolution screen.

With these smaller, flexible screens humanitarians will be able to take outreach projects to the jungles with more efficiency, human safety will increase by reducing household accidents, and of course we can have a lot more fun on long road trips with take anywhere flexible screens for our electronic devices.

There is a company using the application of nanotechnology to create something known as “self cleaning glass.” The nanoparticles used in the process are photocatalytic, which means that the sun engages the nanoparticles.

Additional nanoparticles are used to make the glass hydrophilic, which means that the rainwater that touches the glass will spread out evenly. Thus, self cleaning glass uses nanotechnology to encourage the sun to loosen the dirt particles and the rain to wash it away.

There are many additional applications of nanotechnology. It is the heart of things that we surround ourselves with everyday. Our wrinkle free fabrics which we pull from the dryer on our way out the door, LCD screens that make our entertainment clearer, and skin care products that provide deep penetration to help keep skin cells healthy are all part of the applications of nanotechnology that make our lives better.

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