What is Nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology refers to an area roughly the applied science and technology, which combines the subject matter at the molecular level control scales smaller than 1 micrometer, typically 1-100 nanometers, and the means of production within the size range. This is a very multidisciplinary field, drawing in such areas as applied physics, materials science, colloidal science, device physics, supramolecular chemistry, and even mechanical and electrical engineering.

There is a lot of speculation on what new science and technology may result from these lines of research.

Nanotechnology can be seen as an extension of the existing science and nano-scale, or a recasting of existing sciences using a newer, more modern term. The two main approaches are used in nanotechnology.

The "bottom up" approach, materials and devices based on molecular components which themselves with the chemical principles of molecular recognition.

The "top down" approach, nano-objects are constructed of large organizations without the atomic-level control.

The impetus for nanotechnology comes renewed interest in colloidal science, which is a new generation of testing tools, such as the atomic force microscope (AFM), and the search tunnel microscope (STM).

Combined with sophisticated processes such as electron beam lithography and molecular beam epitaxy, these instruments allow the deliberate manipulation of nanostructures, and this is the finding of the new phenomena. Examples of nanotechnology in modern use in the manufacture of polymers based on molecular structure and the design of computer chip layouts based on surface science.
Despite the fact that a number of promising, such as nanotechnology and quantum points of nanotubes, real commercial applications, in particular the benefits of colloidal nanoparticles in bulk form, such as suntan lotion, cosmetics, protective coatings and stain resistant clothing. Modern synthetic chemistry has reached the point where it is possible to produce virtually any small molecule structure.

These methods now produce a variety of useful chemicals such as pharmaceuticals or commercial polymers.

This ability raises the question of extending this kind of inspection at the next higher level, seeking methods to collect these single molecules into supramolecular assemblies consisting of many molecules arranged in a well-defined way. These approaches utilize the concepts of molecular self-assembly and / or supramolecular chemistry to automatically arrange themselves in some useful construction, a bottom-up approach.

The concept of molecular recognition is especially important: molecules can be designed to a specific conformation or arrangement of the preferred non-covalent intermolecular forces.

The Watson-Crick basepairing direct result of the rules, as is characteristic of a specific enzyme to a carrier, or the specific folding of the protein as well.

Thus, two or more components is designed to be complementary and mutually attractive so that they are more complex and useful to all ..